Memoirs of Connie Francis Neenan 1916-1920s, 1939-1940

slipped his mind after all. Poor Joe, he was terribly embarrassed and contrite over this slip-up and he immediately wrote out and handed me the correct cheques, payable to each of them which I delivered to Mrs. McGurk and Fr. Peter. Coming away from Joe's house after this transaction, Jim. McGranery voiced his concern to me that there might possibly still be others that were owed money and, since he did not wish to have any claims lodged against Joe’s will later on, he asked me to go to Chicago to a close mutual friend (the late Jim Shalloo) who was also owed some money since he too had given Joe a loan. Jim refused point blank to accept any money, stating that it was actually mine (which, in fact, was true) and for which I was later reimbursed by a mutual friend in Dublin. However, I then explained Joe's desperate condition to Jim telling him what tremendous peace of mind it would give the dying man to hold in his hands a note saying "paid in full". Right away. Jim Shalloo made out the receipt which I brought back to Jim McGranery. Unfortunately, just then and while Joe was so deathly ill, some of the Clan na Gael members got it into their minds to visit him and had nothing better to do but fill him up with all kinds of useless gossip and negative reports. Had I been there, I would have refused them entrance to Joe's house but so they succeeded in getting Joe into such an upset state that he actually left his bed and got on the train to New York. There he visited Sean Russell at the home of B. O'Connor. Sean was sitting in a chair in the O'Connor’s drawing room when suddenly Joe came stalking in. Looking at Sean he only said: "You do as I tell you, you stay right here, do not listen to others, but stay [162] here - until I give you permission to leave!” This was the first time that Joe had seen Sean Russell in many months, and as far as I know only the second time since Joe had returned from Ireland in October the previous year. Sean Russell must have got the fright of his life seeing this emaciated, and yet still powerful man suddenly in front of him. A brief discussion followed, then Joe returned to Philadelphia and his sick-bed never to get up again. Hearing all this Bill Carroll, Jim McGranery and myself were all terribly disturbed. Having gone to Joe's home every day for months we knew how greatly his health had deteriorated, and that such exertion and upset would definitely hasten his death. We were simply horrified and shocked to hear that any persons could possibly be so cruel as to give Joe even the slightest cause for worry and upset, when those "kind visitors" must have seen his desperate condition! Still, they did. and that was the end of Joe. It was the day of August 5th, 1940. Bill Carroll, Jim McGranery, and myself stayed with Joe all that day. He died at 5 p.m. Also present, of course were Joe's family, Father Peter, and Mrs. McGurk. Joe was buried two days later. Bob Brennan, then Irish Ambassador to Washington came to the funeral to represent the Irish Government.

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