DUBLIN INSURRECTION

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 10359, 1 May 1916, Page 2

DUBLIN INSURRECTION

AMAZING STORY OF RSOT AND MURDER. FUTILE ATTEMPT TO FORM REPUBLIC, REBELS NOW COMPLETELY HEMMED IN. (J3r EiiEci'itio Ti'.i.Kc. it aim i -CotjntiGiiT.) (Feb Pkess Association.) LONDON, April 29. General .Maxwell, Connnander-in-Cliicf in Ireland, in a communique, states: Operations in Dublin are proceeding satisfactorily. The organised forces of_ the rolmls are confined to a few localities, principally to Sackvillo street and district. The rebel headquarters are the Post Office in Sackville street. The cordon round this district lias been drawn closer. The rebels are now confined behind a line of barricades. Sniping from houses wherein small parties of rebels established themselves in various parts of the cjty still continues, and is most prevalent north-west of the Four Courts, which are still in possession of the rebels. The clearance of snipers is a matter of time. There was considerable damage from fires on the 27th (Thursday). A large one is still burning in Sackville street, Disturbances are reported from County Galway and Enniscorthy (Wexford County) as well ;is from Killarney (Kerry). Clonmel (Tipperary) and Gorey (Wexford). The situation appears to be normal elsewhere. The general trend of. reports indicate thai the disturbance's are local in character.

SYNDICALIST LEADER OF REBELS. It is reported that 400 rebels were taken prisoner at St. Stephen's Green. The Centra] News states that the commander of ihe rebels is James Connolly, a notorious syndicalist, who was Larkin's lieutenant. THE POSITION ON THURSDAY. LONDON.. April 30. The Daily Chronicle's Dublin correspondent, writing on Thursday, says: The rebels siill held jacoo's biscuit factorv, whose root commands the Castle. They also occupy the Post Cilice, the Four ( onus and Amiens street station. Desultory sniping from the roof continues. As general conditions are returning to normal, itie authorities are unwilling to destroy property, which it is necessary to destroy to evict the rebels. The res! of the country is quic" Dublin has been [.rainless since J'uesttay. Attempts on the part ot the Sinn Keillors to arouse Cork and Limerick were fruitless. Telephone and telegraphic communication throughout the country arc under military control." It is reported that Professor John MacNeil, Chief of Stall' of the Irish Volunteers, has been held a prisoner since Monday, whether by the authorities or by the insurgents is unknown. MaeNeil repeatedly warned the more active Sinn Feiners against the evil consequence of their policy, and enlisted the support of the Archbishop of Armagh, who, through the clergy, circulated MacNeil's warning on Sunday.

FRIDAY'S REPORT. Frida\ night's report from Dublin states:--Troops have I" i n arriving all day. There has been itne. nnteoni iignung to the disadvantage of the red. Is, principally around Jacob's biscuit laclory, winch the rebels have stocked with food, i In. i adding is now on lire. Connolly, leader of the rebel.-, has issued passports to persons desirous ot leaving Dublin, signed, "Commander of the lrisii Ri publican Army.'' Some women, carrying bandoliers and ammunition, marched alongside the rebels. There has been considerable looting in Sackville street, where the rebels established themselves in shops and sold boots to women at 3d a pair, and gave them away to the poor.

The flat roofs afforded jhe rebels scope for their tactics. Lying flat, or hiding behind chimney stacks, they fired at the soldiers, who had little chance of replying. The rebels in outlying districts practised the ruse, when the military appeared, of lirelending to be working in the gardens. Immediately the troops had passed their hoes became rifles. .Many soldiers were shot in this way. There was free lighting in the neighbourhood of Jacob's biscuit factory between loyalist women and rebel women trying to get food into the garrison. Fifteen hundred rebels entered the factory while three thousand worker:, were holiday-making. Only it few cleaners and repairers were on lite premises.

The ordinary rabbit participated in the looting. Practically every shop in Grafton street was cleared. Women and girls held up their aprons and dresses as baskets to receive jewellery and watches.

HOW THE REVOLT STARTED. SUDDEN AND SAVAGE. AN ORGY OF LOOT AND MURDER. LONDON, April 30. Other accounts state that a number of armed Sinn Feiners on Easter Sunday held up a quarry, Tlie overseer's wii'e obtained the key of the explosives store, from whence they removed to a motor car a load of explosives. The first part of the revolt was kindled in Phoenix Park on Monday morning. The so-called "citizen army" held a review and parade and marched with loaded rifles and fixed bayi onets. They were afterwards addressed I by certain of their leaders and thence inarched to Dublin. EnterLig the outskirts of the city, they met some of the Dublin garrison marching the oiher way. Two men in the front rank of the "citizen army" levelled their rifles and fired at the soldiers. Two officers and several men fell, but the soldiers avenged their murder. Three Sinn Feiners fell shot. This was the signal for a general revolt. Desultory fighting was carried on here and there on the outskirts of the town for the purpose of diverting the military's attention from the Sinn Feiners' chief attack on the Post Office, Dublin Castle and the centre of the town. All the telegraph machines were immediately smashed and the telephones dismantled. Sinn Fein civil servants brandished bayonets and (ircd ball cartridges at a detachment of troops told off to deal with these. Fighting raged through the ground floor of tlie great building. After a wild and furious resistance the rebels were cleared out at the bayonet point. Then they were reinforced and renewed the attack, The post olliee changed hands several times in the course of the day and the night. The attack on the Castle was a tough proposition. The rebels captured the fortified South Dublin works and a house from ivhence they poured a persistent fire on the

The main operations were directed from Liberty Uall, where largo quantities of amjiiiiiiitic.n were stored in the collars and distributed ui various points. Tile enemy stormed across O'Connel Bridge into Sackville street, looting a dozen shops. Thc ; y coiiimandcercd and looted Jacobs' biscuit factory All the tramcars were seized by the euemv. Early in the fight the Four Courts fell to the enemy. The great library was dismantled and the books used as ramparts. There was wholesale looting. \ great deal of snipinjr occurred in Craf- ! ton street, also a bitter struggle for the possession of Shellbournc Hotel, but _tho soldiers drove the rebels out and trained ! machine guns from a balcony upon enemy ! entrenchments in Stephen's Green. The 'cilv at night was in complete darkness. '.''lie lamps were put out or wire smashed and trufiio had entirely ceased. At dawn reinforcements arrived and with a gunboat shelling Liberty Hall (he title turned m favour of the troops. ]t, is estimated that the rebel force was 12 000 strong, of which 2000 belonged io the "c'itizei army," which was made up ol Jjtti'Uinitcs'. . . \ 16-year-okl Irish girl in the lace ol a hail of 'snipers' bullets dragged two wounded so'fliers into a place of safety._ The 'rebels' worst act was firing on a company of general reservists marclimg back to' town alter a parade inarch. The reservists were mostly elderly men and unarmed. As they passed a house on the corner of Northumberland road and fliicldington road the rebels blazed out at 50 yards' range. Five 'fell, [our being shot dead, including Browning, the international footballer. Corner-house warfare was largely adopted by the rebels, house's commanding two or more streets being seized, in many quarters of the town, the occupants

were bundled out and the furniture used as rampart-. These corner houses were defended resolutely, and caused many casualties among the troops. The looters obtained some thousands of pounds worth of jewellery. Maedowoll'.s shpp ;lllL ' other shops were gutted and their contents thrown into the streets. The rebcis occupied Metropolo Hotel, and fired at every khaki uniform. When it wa? seen that the rebels would have to be dug out and storm - i.! out and that then: most be more blood lied, the troop-, took Pavers' wine store ' by frontal attack, smashed the doors and beset the place so hotly thai the rebels jumped through the plate-glass windows to escape (heir fury. It is rumoured thai the Post (Iflicc was retaken by soldier.- using smoke-bombs. Rebels carrying a box of explosive: through Mount street were killed through (lie box exploding. Jacob's biscuit factory is another stronghold occupied by hundred: of rebels.

WOMAN'S STORY OF THE REVOLT

An English woman relates that the revolt in Dublin broke out on Easter Monday. All the'morning armed and uniformed Sinn Feiners were walking the city, the authorities taking no notice. At noon the first rifle fire was heard in the vicinity of St. Stephen's' Green, which the Sinn Feiners stormed, closing the gates. In the vicinity trenches were dug where the rebels fired on unsuspecting and unarmed soldiers, and the police, who were ignorant of events. An insurgent volley killed a policeman, a girl, and a baby in arms. A machine gun's rattle was audible amid the rille lire. It is understood it was posted on a roof in the coiner of a building ill the Green and was tiring on soldier,-. In Shelbonriie Hotel, who defended themselves fiercely . The rebels raided the Weslland Row railway station, pointing titles at the officials and ordering them to clear out. They then seized money, tiring constantly, apparently with a view to terrorising the people. Trinity College, a noted loyalist stronghold, was barricaded and gallantly defended by armed students. An eyewitness saw several thousand Sinn Feiners with arms. There was much looting and larrikinism. Another eye-wiutes, relates that on returning from the racecourse at Curragh lie was stopped outside the city with the news that the rails had been torn up. An unusual number of officers were on the race train. They were specially warned not to go into the city as the would be killed, 'the warn ing was ridiculed. Two were shot dead from windows while riding along Sackville street. Then was little or no street lighting of a definite character or between compact bodies of soldiers and nbcis in the open. The rebels seemed to mass in strength one; they had got hold of the post office. With a wild dash they swept tip the road to wards the Castle. The Sinn Feiners. by masterly tactics and by seizure of flic post office, Stephens' Green, and Kelly's Court covered the approach of troops from Porto I bello Barracks.

The assault on Dublin Castle lasted 2 hours, but the besiegers did not progres beyond the Four Courts, which they sci/.ei inter. Troops from Phoenix Dark relieve! the Castle guard and raised the assault. The Sinn Feiners bivouacked in Ste phons' Green, trenching and sandbagging immediately any point captured. The rebel hoisted the flag of the Irish Republicgreen, whip- and yellow, with a harp. It is stated that'there was £7OOO in tin Post Office when the rebels seized tin building. The community suffered fron pillage and shortage of bread. The rebels rushed Guinncss's brewery but were ejected. They also collared out ; :' tlie largest mills in the city, but wer< ibiven out after a lot of damage had beei

When the fighting was at its height, oi Tuesday night (ires broke out in Sackville street, .whether by accident or design is not lite rebels fired from the Green until they cleared file streets. A number wen killed and many wounded. _ The civilian; suffered equally with the military and tin police. A priest pluckily rescued a wound cd man in Danie street under fire. A stiiking feature of the rebellion is tin elderly woman, stated to be of high title, and attired in a. green tunic and trousers. Slu- carried a rille with a fixed bayonet. She is stated to be a Sinn Fein leader. The rebel force was mostly young. A STUDENT'S STORY. McDermott, a Trinity College student, states: •'Returning from the races to Dublin on Monday we were warned not to go bj way of St. Stephen's Green, because the rebels were seizing all the vehicles and con verting them into barricades. We passed the post office, from which a flag bearing tlie legend, "The Irish Republic' was flying. Windows were broken, and the building appeared deserted. '! wo dead cavalry horses were lying on the roadway outside.' Later, he was told that the rebels were in possession of the Green, wherein they were entrenched. I'iiey also occupied sonic surrounding hon.-es and the College Surgeon's thoroughfare leading to the Green was barricaded with vehicles.

The next morning McDermott wcnt_ down Sackville street and found it barricaded wirh barbed wire, aiso cabs and over-turned trains were in the thoroughfare. Turning out of Sackville street, the rebels looted a cycle shop and improvised a barricade ol crates and machines. He went fo Trinity (Allege, and was given a rifle and a carl ridge belt, and assisted to maintain a watch from the windows, where, witfi others, he also sniped at the rebel.-, with accuracy. "About eleven, fairly heavy lighting was heard from the direction of the Castle. We fired three rounds at the enemy, who were handicapped through inferior weapons to ours. The rebels held two newspaper offices near the Castle, and a house almost next door. From nine until eleven in the evening, there was fairly brisk firing at St. Stephen's Green. We despatched pickets up Dame street, who succeeded in clearing the rebks from houses. This system of attacking houses with pickets was extended successfully, and largely accounted for the effective way in which the hostile forces were gradually penned in a ring." A section of troops was brought up at eight o'clock on Wednesday morning, to deal with Liberty Hall. With a couple of small guns, sheJls of small calibre were pumped into the building. They did not contain high explosives, but within live minutes the building was reduced to a pitiable spectacle. Altogether forty schells struck tie.' building, the first demolishing the green flag which was. floating defiantly from tlie roof. The noise was deafening. The bombardment was accompanied by the ceaseless rattle of machine guns and rifle fire The rebels, who had evidently withdrawn by a back way, did not reply to the lire. Our troops dashed forward with fixed bayonets, and established themselves in the ruin, the whole of the building having crumbled under the bombardment. Cpon the top of Trinity College soldiers were posted with a machine gun in a_ window, and fought a due! with the rebels in houses in Sackville street, who also were armed with a machine gun, but the latter was ineffective."' McDcrmitt heard that a machine gun had been turned upon the rebels at St. Stephen's Green, from Shelbottrne Hotel. When McDermott Jeff Dublin the situation was well under control.

WILL B'IRRELL GO? CHANGES PROPHESIED AND DEMANDED. LONDON. April 50. The. Daily Chronicle says: "Changes in Lho Irish Executive are likely, but, Jiord Wimbome, ilie Viceroy, who acted with vigour and initiative, will remain." In (he House of Commons Captain Craig (one of the leaders of the Ulsrermen who threatened rebellion against Home Rule) gave notice of a resolution in favour of petitioning the King to suspend Lord Wimborne and Mr Birroll, and appointing a Commission to enquire into the administration of Ireland's affairs. NEUTRAL WORLD IMPRESSED. IRISH AMERICA DIVIDED. (Times and Sydney Sun Service.) LONDON, April 23. The whole world is impressed with the dramatic events in Ireland. Practically the whole of the Allied, American, Dutch and Spanish press agrees that Sir Roger Casement's escapade and the subsequent rebellion was the outcome of German influence and money, and are forecasting that the revolt will end in complete failure. The American Sinn Fein Clan-na gael, and Separatists are jubilant. They are flooding the newspapers with exaggerated statements as to the extent, of the trouble, and. have issued a flamboyant announcement, ol a mass meeting on Sunday on behalf of the

widows and orphans of the Dublin' mar-j fcyrs, and protesting against Sir Roger I Casement'* execution. Sane Irish-American opinion, however. regrets thai flic splendid war record of the Irish regiments should bo marred by crackbrained extremists. Prominent New York Irishmen ere calling a mass meeting out cl sympathy with Mr Redmond and to show American people the true IT hj attitude. A •■■ ctian of the German American pe.p-r ' are publishing letters from Irishmen saying that if would be a good thing if Germany captured lieland. ' Many patriotic Irish would uid the attempt. INDIGNANT DUNEDIN IRISHMEN. (Pick Press Association.) DUNEDIN, April 20. A representative meeting of Irishmen was held this afternoon to protest against the disturbance in Ireland. A scries of resolutions were carried expressing at the critical action of Sinn Feiners, which had been brought about by men of no standing, and as a practical means of showing condemnation, all fit Irishmen who had not yet enrolled were called upon to do so. It was further resolved to send lit- following cablegram to Messrs Asquiih and Redmond: "The Irishmen of Dunedin desire to express sympathy with lh n British Govprnmenl in handling the trouble caused by the action of tin 1 misguided Dublin rioter;-.''