BELFAST SITUATION EASIER

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 247, 16 July 1935, Page 9

BELFAST SITUATION EASIER

Police and Troops Gain

Control

WINDOW-BREAKING ORGY AT RIOT’S HEIGHT

By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.

(Received July 15, 5.5 p.m.)

Belfast, July 14,

Though the factions still threaten to burn rival houses, the situation had eased by nightfall, after a sweltering day, as the co-operation of troops with the wearied police proved effective, leading to many arrests in the disturbed area.

The majority of the police have had only two hours’ rest in the last 48 hours.

The clergy have appealed to congregations to assist in the restoration of order.

The attacks on shops extended to the working-class area at Sandyrow at midday. A confectioner’s establishment was looted and set on fire, a wine shop was ransacked, and a herbalist’s premises was wrecked.

The fire-raisers’ method was to wrench gas-brackets from walls and ignite the resultant jets. Two men, Jordan and Little, were shot last night when the mobs were utterly beyond control. They had taken a wreath to the house of Withers, a victim of Friday’s shooting, aud were returning with a band when they were killed instantly by a fusillade from rioters who were engaged in an orgy of window-breaking as police in caged tenders charged down on them. Meantime bombs were exploded in York Street, Police declared that firing on the rioters would have stopped them, but this involved the danger of wounding women and children, who refused to keep off the streets in their desire to “see the fun.”

Thomas McDowell, who was shot in the stomach on July 12, lias died of his injuries. The wounded, of whom half are gunshot victims, number 140, 73 of whom were sent to hospital. Twelve houses were set on fire and 38 wrecked. The “News-Chronicle’s” Belfast correspondent say that nil was quiet after 10 o’clock curfew which hitherto had been the signal for renewed outbursts of rioting. (Note on Page 7.)