REBEL HEADQUARTERS

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 1, 1 July 1922, Page 7

REBEL HEADQUARTERS

ESTABLISHMENT AT FOUR COURTS HELD SINCE 14TH APRIL..''.': ■The historic building known 'as theFour' ,- Courts was seized by the rebel section of the I.R.A. on1 14th April, while the paities ■ lor and against :the Irish. Treaty were discussing the pros-, pects of a united policy in the Mansion House. Raiders converged on the building shortly^, after midnight, subdued the police guards by .threats. of ■ shooting, and broke into the locked building from . the :. Tear. Foraging parties brought lorry-loads of food, which had been ■''•seized from various stores and, factories, and the supplies were'-stored in the building/ ':<; By daylight, the occupation was complete, and sentries had been posted at all points. Windows were barricaded,, and other measures -were, taken to prepare; for. defence. : . Oommaiad'ant-General Roderick O'Oonnar,' who, was in command! of th» attack-«a-6 when the Oourts were taken, said-, in an. interview;: .. "This . is not a' :: coup d'etat. This is going .to .be no reyolution. ..We want this pliacei and'w« are only going'to ultilise it as h:ea4quartieiis. That means, no Court work will be ail-, lowed, and'no': ordSnaiy, routine office work. We will not damage puBKo property, and . we'wiß' preserve :. public doonmente. '.liatterly, tJie headquarters. of the affimy,. executive 'were situatedi in a. stecajgly-fortified building in PaxineHsqiiare. 1J« Four ■ Courts are now. to be1 Tised.for this purpose." ••■"■'■'. . '• Virtualy 'every department of V,'the. law in Irekradi was setibusliy. affectedl '■by :the seiznife/ ■In . one . '-department1, ■■alone—tiiat'' of ; thl^ 'Accountaint-General —thei'e were public funda amounting to about £5,000,000, most of ;wibichj is held in trust, and1 out, of these no payment ■ can ;be jnakfe. : The Ea"nd: Court, another large delpairtment, ■• was •;paralysed...-Pro-bate, business, and, in fact, all the ordinary, business' of the" law Oourtß was sus-. pewdied. '.Tli». stoppage of the Land Courts-spells'chaos. „..','..'. ''• '■■]■:

' The rebels daily ■ sent'"'out foragingi. parties,. Which' held up neighbouring markets, and seized! produce and explosives, hundteds of pounds of gelignite being taken im one day. ■."•'. :"' AN IMPOSING BUILDING. ■' Tile buildiing, one of the fines* in DnbTxa, stamding besido the Liffey, was. diesigned to accomniodate the Courts of Exchequer, Chancery, Queens Bench, and Oommon place; henoe its title. The building was, commenced, in ff76, . andl was. completed in 1800. The total cost, of the main building was £200,000., Since that time extensive1 additions have been maids for. the further, accommodation of the Courts. '..The principal edifice, .was 440ft..10ng-in front and.'l7o'ft deep. ;Tihie niidldlesti-uoture contained the hall, in.which were the entrancesV to ."the Courts, Each/entrance, passed .'above Oorinthian .columns 25ft-; high,' partly fluted>, ■ and above were four historical paintings. ...The; dominating feature was a huge...dome, splendidly. propartioriedi,. and.was ringed, by columns similar in .clxaracter tc those in front of, the buildlirig: '.Bstween^the^Wndowß.were colossaJ statues"1 of;;iLiberty,, Justice, Wisdom, Law,'Prudence,'Mercy, Eloquence, and" Punishment.; : ..In the hail were', seyeraH fine, statues'■repeTesenting some ol the most.-distinguished members of the Irish Baav'.y ■■'. „- J<. ■■ ,■'■:■'■,.;' .:-. :. '" ■'■■.■•'•