IRISH BLUE SHIRTS

Evening Star, Issue 21632, 30 January 1934, Page 9

IRISH BLUE SHIRTS

TROUBLE IN DUBLIN ARMED MEN RAID HOUSE Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. DUBLIN, January 28. Armed men broke into the house at Dillons Cross of Mr John Murray, who was recently, acquitted of a charge of being a member of the Blue Shirts. Murray’s mother and sister drove one out, but the other fired twice and then decamped when Murray attacked him with a poker. A crowd outsidefired through a window, wounding Robert Pegler, who was taken to hospital. Three men were arrested. General O’Duffy says: “Mob law rules the Free State. Bolshevism runs riot. Armed men kept guard outside the United Ireland headquarters while others entered- and beat the occupants and smashed the furniture in broad daylight. The police remained supine.” Hoping to prevent his speech at Skibereen, armed opponents lined the front of General O’Duffy’s platform in Hotel square, and with level rifles ordered two civic guards to put their “ hands up.” The guards refused and blew whistles, and the intruders sprinkled the platform with inflammable liquid, fired their rifles in the air, and drove off. The fire was extinguished, and 4,000 blue-clothed men and colleens escorted General O’Duffy # to the meeting place.