ACTIVITIES OF FREE STATERS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 29 April 1922, Page 5

ACTIVITIES OF FREE STATERS.

RIOTERS SENTENCED

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION-COJFYRIGHT

LONDON, Auril 27.' An official Dublin message states that three unarmed soldiers from Mullingar barracks were arrested by the mutinous troops at a barber's shop, and three others in the street. Accordingly the Free State troops surrounded the barracks of the rebels and sent an ultimatum demanding the men's release, failing which the barracks would be stormed. Captain Casey, who was sent with the message, was shot from a window of the barracks, and fighting commenced, during which the driver of a rebel lorry was shot and twenty-five men in the lorry captured. At a second attempt a messenger took a message to the rebels, who agreed to hand over six prisoners in exchange for six of their own men. It was then found that three of the Free State men were wounded. The Free Staters captured much ammunition and rifles. Belfast judges have inaugurated a system of dealing severely with rioters. Frederick Lemon, w Tho was convicted on charges of several hold-ups, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment and fifteen lashes of the "cat." Prisoner shouted: "Thank you." James Flynn was sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment foi* being in possession of arms. He turned to a policeman who had given evidence and shouted: "I may live to come*out, but that man won't be alive to see me." The judge immediately doubled the sentence. Three others were sentenced to from three to five years for being in possession of explosives. Further correspondnece between Sir James Craig (Premier of Ulster) and Mr Michael Collins (head of the Provisional Coilins (head of the Provisional Government) has been published. Mr Collins telegraphed to Sir James Craig: "Your letter received. I consider its publication without reference to me the greatest want of courtesy, and in view of this publication I propose sending all future communications to the press at the time of their dispatch." The Ulster Cabinet replied that Sir James Craig's letter w-as sent to Mr Collins, but they had no intention to publish it until the Provision Government on Wednesday morning issued the following statement: "Owing to the state of affairs in Belfast, and the failure of the Belfast Parliament to carry ovit its lish it until the Provisional Government has decided that it is quite useless to endeavour to act in co-operation with it." On hearing that statement Cabinet authorised the publication of Sir James Craig's reply.