were in Detroit. Chicago had a very big organisation, headed by Major Enright who was ably assisted by Jim Shalloo, a native of Co. Clare (who literally devoted all his time to help us and the organisation); then, there were Billy Martin, formerly of Cork (who was at the first G.A.A. Convention in Thurles in 1884); Captain Stormy formerly of Limerick (a captain in the Chicago Police force); and, not to forget, Johnny O'Connor. formerly of Co. Kerry. This same type of dedicated, unselfish help we found in other centres where we met some outstanding people such as Miss Katherine Enright (Boston), Peter Murray (Los Angeles), Capt. John Waters (San Francisco), Michael Mullane and Sean O’Sullivan (Butte, Montana), Jim Canniffe (Minneapolis), Michael Lynch (Washington D.C.), Michael O'Leary, a brother of Con O’Leary (Niagara Falls), Mrs. Drake and her daughters (Montreal), and many, many more. During his stay in Germany, John T. Ryan made many good friends among the people there. One of closest friends was the famous Captain Carl Spindler who was in charge of the "AUD" which had sailed from Germany to Ireland in 1916 and was unfortunately captured by the British off the Kerry Coast. Captain [135] Spindler courageously blew up the ship and its cargo of arms while he was being escorted into Cork Harbour. (Roger Casement, with great ingenuity, had his servant, Christiensen, play along with Lindsay (the British Ambassador) to have him - Casement - handed over to the British or else to arrange for his removal. Christiensen managed to get golden sovereigns for his part in that plan and some of these later found their way into the custody of Joe McGarrity.) John T. Ryan told the Clan Executive Council that he saw a book printed by Spindler on the "AUD" and he felt we might want to invite him to the U.S. for a lecture tour, which would financially benefit Capt. Spindler. Spindler agreed to come and the Clan arranged his speaking schedule. A motion by John T. Ryan to melt down the golden sovereigns which Joe McGarrity held in trust, and strike a SPINDLER or AUD medal was opposed by Joe and myself. I stated that the sovereigns belonged, by right, to the Dublin Museum where they should be displayed for national purposes, with a full description as to their origin and history. Unfortunately, the majority of the Clan Executive Council agreed to the motion of John T. Ryan and the sovereigns were melted down. Captain Spindler was presented with his, John T. Ryan and some others also got one. Joe McGarrity and I had to be content to have the original coins photographed and these we sent to Dublin and the museum. I was appointed Manager of Captain Spindler's speaking tour. He lectured in New York to a very large audience, then he went to Philadelphia. Boston, Springfield, Cleveland, Chicago. Detroit, Los Angeles, San Francisco - where he had the largest of all receptions - to Butte, Montana and St. Paul, Minnesota. It was a very successful tour, indeed, despite the lack of interest among quite a number of Irish and German people. During that time, and following Cosgrave's coercion act, Michael Price arrived from Ireland. He attended [136] several meetings of the Clan Executive Council and he also spoke in New York and Boston. 1932 In that year De Velera's party was elected to office. In the election his party attacked the Coercive tactics of the opposition and, when elected, Frank Aiken went to Arbor Hill to welcome the release of Frank Ryan and other internees. The victory of the De Valera party was greeted with much hope and enthusiasm, and it took a few years before some members finally began to realise that his were just a continuation of the previous Cosgrave Government tactics. As a matter of fact, the Fianna Pail party were coercing Republicans more savagely than their predecessors had done. De Valera swept into power, on the crest of a wave of anti- coercion, and immediately attacked - justifiably so - the payment of Land Annuities. The new situation created a confused picture. The great majority of the people believed that so much good would come from the change of Government, and it were but a few of the practical, experienced minds who watched developments with rising apprehension. They felt that the politicians had merely used the occasion to further their own aspirations. The Army Council of the IRA advocated voting for the Fianna Fail Party. This was criticised in the U.S. by those who were always quick to criticise but were never prepared to offer an alternative or to take any responsibility. Joe McGarrity who, at this time, was operating in the Produce Exchange received an offer to acquire a joint seat in the Curb Exchange 13 . This meant a great deal of money, which Joe did 13 The Exchange traces its roots back to colonial times when stock brokers created outdoor markets to trade new government securities. The curb brokers gathered around the lamp posts and mail boxes, resisting wind and weather,
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