Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-07-11
O'HICCINS IS
SHOTDOWNBY
3 ASSASSINS
I Forgive Them All,
Says Strong Man
AS Death Claims An
other Leader

DUBLIN. Ireland. July 1l.-tRi--
Signs Of mourning were everywhere
today Of Kelvin O'Higgins. "thc
strong man" Of the Irish free state.
whose well-filled young life cane
10 an abrupt end at the hands of "a
sassins yesterday. He was shot
from an automobile as he was wall
ing TO mass from his home az Bla
Rock. near Dublin and died with in
u short time with words Of forgive
ness for his enemies on his lips.
O'Higgins, usually accompanied hv
an escort Of detectives. was alor.
at his own request, for the first
time IN three years. and his assaii-
ants. three of them. sped quickly
away after inflicting half dozen
wounds. No motive was appareT
The dying man gave the authoritiu
good description NJ the men.
When O'Higgins. who was vice
president of the Free State Council
minister Of justice and foreign M
fairs, fell with bullets in the Eeck.
chest and one ear. he gasped: 81
forgive the mail"
Dies AT Peace"
Eamon Fleming. Of the ministry Of
finance. and Professor John Mac
Neill, former minister NJ education
were IN the neiEhborhood and were
soon on the scene. a. the wounded
man rested his head IN Flcmin'i
lap. he whispered, They've got me
just as they got my father" Late
he said: II forgive them. | die a.
peace with my enemies and m.
4 God"
Calmly and decisivcly ne dictated
his will. bcqucthing ALI his posses
si0rs 10 his wife and baby dangh
\ ter.
\ Then Nv was taken home.
Dublin's best surgeons came. but
there was nothing to be done. O'Hig-
gins knew he was dying. He EN-
/ braced his wife and child. and said
/ farewell TO friends and co-workers
/ in the Free State cause.
Cabinet Called
shortly before the end. ~ raised
\ himself from his pillow 10 say. 'I
I'm dying at peace with my rnemith.
die for my country. Nv ~ join
hiachel Collins"
The Free State cabinet was called
into session Immediately 10 decide
]
looked upon as serious situation.
for the slain official was regarded
as a bulwark Of the Free State
cause. Ile had only returned N,
Dublin last Friday from a League 0f
Nations conference at Geneva. He
had conducted a vigorous country
wide campaign in behalf Of the gov
errment candidates in the recent
parliamentary elections.
At one time 0'Higgins was
staunch supporter Of Eamon De Va
lera. the republican leader. and dur
ing the disorders before the signing
NJ the treaty creating the Free
State. he was arrested and placed
IN jail im Belfast When the treaty
was promulgated however. he be-
came an ardent worker for the Free
State and was made minister of
justice in 1922. Shortly afterwards,
mis- father was shot dead by armed
raiders in mis- own home.
Speeches Sharp
OHiEEins, who was q nephew 0f
Governor Hcaly. was III years 0i
age He had clearly defined an
since the Free State was organized.
ard MS political speeches were sharp
denunciations Of the De Valera
party. Consequently he had made
enemies and for this reason was
provided with police protection
The assassination served a. bring
70 the minds Of the Irish people XIV
series Of similar crimes some yea
ago that resulted in the death uT
Michael Collins. General Sir Henry
Wilson. Thomas McCurtain AMI
many others.
GENEVA. July ll.-lIPj--The trag-
ic death Of the Irish statesman he-
vim O'HiEgins yesterday has py
some strange destiny OF events
served ~ prevent any immec a-G
collapse of the triPartite naval rln-
ference.
One ~ respect n tine memory nf
Mr.. O'Higgins. who was present gl
Geneva only last week as the rep
resentatiye at the conference of
the Irish Free State. the deleg itea
today decided ~ postpone inast-
initely the plenarv session which
had been requested by WI C. Bridge
man, head w the British deleEA.
ticn.
Mr. Bridgeman had asked for tha
meeting IN order 10 give the Brit-
. Ish delegation an opportunity 20 re-
instate its position en- the cruise
problem. 20 clear up what he callct
Misunderstanding and 20 ask se,
ries of questions Of the AmerirF
delegation.
Today's projected session bad be-
considered potentially filled with
danger The American delegatiaH
did not desire II because IL Ls.
lieved the. little good could Ply
achieved By a public debate Of II
nature. The Americans were read
however. 70 answer any Of the que
tions which the British might pro-
pound and might even have asked IN
few questions themselves
It ia understood that the Jln-
anese. like the Americans. LOOKED
with some apprehension upon thA
projected session because of the
! risk that things would ~be said
(which might provoke the ~blow up
Of the conferences.