Docket No. 495.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
on behalf of
James Connolly, individually and as Administrator of the Estate of Michael Connolly, Deceased, et al.,
Claimants,
v.
GERMANY.
PARKER, Umpire, rendered the decision of the Commission.
This case is before the Umpire for decision on a certificate of the American Commissioner and German Commissioner[a] certifying their disagreement. A brief statement of the facts as disclosed by the records follows:
Michael Connolly, a naturalized citizen of the United States, 47 years of age, was lost on the Lusitania. He had never married. For 10 years prior to his death he resided in New York as a member of the family of his brother, James Connolly, also a naturalized citizen of the United States, three years his junior. Both brothers were employed as street-railway motormen, each earning $1,250 per annum. The younger brother, James, was married and had three children, two of whom have since died. The eldest, Mary, was 10 years of age at the time of her uncle’s death. From his meager earnings the decedent in a small way assisted his brother in the maintenance of his family, to whom the decedent was very genuinely devoted. He was en route to visit his two widowed sisters in Ireland at the time of his death, and was taking them some modest present, which with his personal effects made a total property loss of the value of $974.00.
Applying the rules announced in the Lusitania Opinion and in other decisions of this Commission to the facts as disclosed by the record, the Commission decrees that under the Treaty of Berlin of August 25, 1921, and in accordance with its terms the Government of Germany is obligated to pay to the Government of the United States on behalf of (1) James Connolly individually the sum of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) with interest thereon at the rate of five per cent per annum from November 1, 1923, and (2) James Connolly, Administrator of the Estate of Michael Connolly, Deceased, the sum of nine hundred seventy-four dollars ($974.00) with interest thereon at the rate of five per cent per annum from May 7, 1915; and the Commission further decrees that the Government of Germany is not obligated to pay to the Government of the United States any amount on behalf of the other claimants herein, Beatrice Connolly and Mary Agnes Connolly.
Done at Washington February 21, 1924.
EDWIN B. PARKER,
Umpire.
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[a] Dated February 14, 1924.
Michael Connolly was my great great uncle. I often heard the story of his drowning. My grandmother Mary Ann (Cis) Connolly, was the daughter of his brother Thomas, who also worked in New York but came back to live in Ireland and farm at Farnaharpy, Skreen, County Sligo. She spoke about her father going to Cobh to try to locate his brother’s body which was not recovered. I never heard tell of the widowed sisters. I am assuming they are Beatrice and Mary Agnes but cannot get their names on birth records. I am putting the family tree together for my parents on both sides and would appreciate seeing a transcript of the Commission hearings and try to locate the Connolly descendants. If I manage to get original birth records and so on I will pass them onto you if they are relevant.
Thanks so much for this information, it is a whole life and a sad end explained. Keep up your work and good fortune with it.
We live on the farm in Sligo where Michael and Thomas were born, the house they were born in is still intact and beside our own house.
We may have other information that Suzanne may be interested in. We too think of Michael very often as my father in law remembered him and the great sadness his death brought to their home and to the family. We also know who the sisters were as they lived near by. I think Beatrice and Mary Agnes may have been James wife and daughter…possibly? We remember Suzanne s mother and grandmother visiting and remember her great uncle Jim. My husbands grandfather John was another brother of Michael and Thomas.
Ann have only just seen this! Thank you it would be really great to hear from you! My email address is suzannempower@eircom.net and I will let my mother Marina know you have been in touch. Sorry to have been so long in replying to your post. All the best for now and look forward to hearing from you if you get this.