AN IRISH MURDER

Hokitika Guardian, 11 July 1927, Page 3

AN IRISH MURDER

VICE PRESIDENT O’HIGGINS SHOT (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) DELL IN, July 10. Keven O’Higgins (viec-l’resident and Minister of Justice in the Free State Ministry) was going to church in Black Rock with his wife this morning when three men in a motor car fired four shots wounding O’Higgins. His death followed in a few hours.

FURTHER PARTICULARS. LONDON, July 11. O’Higgins left home at 1.1. lo accompanied by his wife and walked leisurely in the direction of Hatterslown Church. When about a quarter of a mile away, three men opened fire. Three of the shots struck his body and one the head. “f forgive them all,” ho tried to his wife when lifted into tin ambulance and conveyed home. Dublin's foremost doctors fought for five hours for O’Higgins’ life. A saline transfusion was tittempted, hut he was too weak to take blood transfusion though many volunteered.

Two men named Eloming. living near, hearing tho shooting rushed out and saw o’lTiggins on the pavement. “That von Kevin,” asked one. “Yes,” was tho reply “I’m dying and at pence with my God and enemies.” O’Higgius then expressed ft w ish that his wife and children lie provided for. Canon Bronii almost immediately arrived in a. motor car and administered the rites on the spot where O’ Higgins had fallen, his cassock being bespattered with blood, which was flowing freely from O’Higgins’ wounds. A little girls who was the only witness to the shooting says she saw a. grey car in which two men were standing in Organ Road. A third stood near the radiator with an overcoat over his arm.

LONDON, July 10. With tho scantiest description on which to work, the police have commenced a widespread search of garages and are holding up motor cars over a wide area of country. O’Higgins returned from Geneva on .July Bth where ho was the Tree State s representative at the naval conference. Tho “Daily News’’ recalls that O’Higgins was Minister of Justice when seventy-seven Republicans were executed 'in ‘l92L>-l»‘J3 including Lory O’Connor. During the election 0 Higgins defended these executions as necessary for the defence of the State. The “Daily .trail’’ in a loader referring to O’Higgins says 'it, is an abominable crime and will bring hitter grief to all Ireland’.-; worthy sons. O’Higgins worked faithfully and successfully for the cause of law stud *, order which are largely due to him. election passed off quietly. The loss is a grave one and nothing short of a disaster if it marks the opening of a new period of political outrages. Professor .John McNeill was amongst those who witnessed the shooting. Hogan (Minister of -Agriculture) and MeGilligan (Minister of Commerce) were at O’Higgins’ house preparing Lo play golf, when they heard shots and rushed in to help o’Higgin.s, who was conscious until half an hour before death. He described the attack and his attackers.