GRAVE PLOT

Taranaki Daily News, 26 June 1922, Page 5

GRAVE PLOT

MURDER CONSPIRACY. MENACE TO ENGLAND, STARTLING DOCUMENTS. ASSASSINS IN COURT. »y Telegraph—Press Assn.— Copyright. London. June 23. Sensational documents have come into the possession of the police disclosing a conspiracy to take the lives of prominent persons, also a campaign of outrage. Mr- ■Chamberlain, in the House of i Commons, stated that a considerable . number of places in London were searched lest night. Fifteen men and one woman were detained. Some arms and incendiary fuses were discovered. With the exception of the woman those detained in last night’s raid were later released.

Mr. Chamberlain stated that, acting under Scotland Yard’s advice, apparently owing to the improved Irish situation, protection had recently been withdrawn in regard to members of the Cabinet and others concerned in the Irish question. Mr. Shortt, Home Secretary, said that protection had been removed from everyone except Sir Hamar Greenwood (Secretary -for Ireland). The guards had now been restored.

O’Brien and Connolly were charged at the Westminster Police Court and remanded for six days. They are ex-soldiers. O’Brien has been employed as a messenger in the Labor Ministry office. He obtained the job on the strength of his army service. He left for lunch yesterday and did not return.

Connolly and O’Brien were smuggled in t>y the back entrance to the Police Court, outwitting the crowd which congregated at the main entrance- Both were dishevelled and unkempt, with bandaged heads and their faces bearing traces of a struggle. Connolly is tall, burly, broad shouldered, and heavy, with clean-shaven features and a mop of black hair. He looked quickly round the Court as if seeking a familiar face. O’Brien, who has a wooden leg, nervously clutched the dock rail. Mr. Travers Humphreys inlimctcd that he had been instructed to prosecute. The charges were, firstly, murder of Sir Henry Wilson; and secondly, shooting with intent'to murder March Sayer, a civilian. and Alexander Clark Humphreys. He then indicated the gravity of the possibilities 'behind the crime when he said “it will probably be found necessary to ask the Court that the names of witnesses be not published. It will certainly he necessary to ask that no photograph be- taken or published of person involved in the case.” Detective Inspector Burton gave evidence of charging accused at the police station. Neither made a reply. Connolly then asked how the wounded people were progressing. When told their condition was favorable, he then rer.xirked: “I am glad to hear that.” Formal evidence was given, when a remand was granted. Acaused were immediately surrounded by police, Connolly again glancing around the CourtAccused were removed to Brixton prieon from the front exit, again outwitting the crowd, who were now watching the rear exit. Six officers rode at the rear of the van, several detectives following in a motor car. A MARKED MAN. GOVERNMENT WARNED OF GUNMEN. Received June 24, 5.5 p.ns. London, June 23, Field-Marshal Wilson was marked for death, and knew it. It is declared that Col. J. Gretton, M.P-, had been warned of the probability of an attempt on his life, but it had not had the' slightest effect in deflecting him from what he thought his duty. Sir Henry Wilson was regarded as particularly dangerous to the schemes of the extremists. Colonel Gretton alleges that the Government had been warned that gunmen were coming over, but no notice seems to have been taken. Cabinet sent a message to the Police Commissioner paying a tribute to the coinage and devotion of the police in arresting the murderers of Sir Henry Wilson. The crowd which is making a pilgrimage to-day to Eaton Place is most interested in the bullet hole in the door of Sir Henry Wilson’s house-—United Service.

CONDOLENCE MESSAGES. UNIFORM NOT REMOVED. London, June 23. Lady Wileon will not allow the removal of the Field-Marshal’s uniform in which her husband died, being firmly resolved that he shall ’be buried in it. The King and the Ulster Parliament sent condolences to Lady Wilson. Ulster members of the House of Commons also sent messagesSTATEMENT BY DE VALERA. Received June 25, 5.5 p.m. London, June 23. De Valera bae issued a statement in Dublin to the effect that killing any human being is an awful act, but just as awful when the victim is a humble worker as when the victim is placed on the seats of the mighty and known in every corner of the world. It is characteristic of ow hypocritical civilisation that only in the latter ease are we expected to cry out and express our horror and condemnation. He says: “For my part I have nothing but loathing for such a conventional statement, when the plain means to secure that such awful happenings shall not occur are deliberately put aside- Ido not approve, but I do not pretend to misunderstand.”