THE IRISH TROUBLE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1706, 22 December 1919, Page 5

THE IRISH TROUBLE.

HOW LORD FRENCH ESCAPED. SINN FEINERS RAID CORK STATION. By Eleotrio Telegraph. Amtruliun-New Zealand Gable Associatioi LONDON, Dec. W. The fusillade against Lord French resembled a pitched buttle. Many bullets glanced off the armour-plated, caw. The assailants expected Lord ..French to be in the second car, which was bvmbed and shattered. lie escaped in the foremost, owing to its high speed.. . . . It is stated'in official circles that the Irish Government provisionally has arranged to suspend General, Byrne, tho popular head of tho Irish Constabulary, who is opposed to some of the recent measures emanating from the ruling faction at Dublin Castle. . Tho Constabulary strongly resent his removal. LONDON, Dec. 18.

Two hundred Sinn Feiners raided the Cork railway station. Suddenly, a whistle was blown, and porters, signalmen, drivers and clerks were surrounded by masked men, who covered them with revolvers. The whole of tho stall' was locked up with an armed guard over then, whilo the Sinn Feiners looted all the firearms in the stores. There were police. barracks in the. vicinity, and hundreds of polica wero asleep, but none heard of tho outrage till three hours qfterwards, when a second whistle was blown and tho masked men disappeared.

LONDON, Dec. 19. Tho Daily Herald's Dublin correspondent states that Freeman's Journal was suppressed because it stated that the Government allowed certvin criminals immunity. The correspondent adds: "It is firmly believed in Dublin < that of the murderers of Detectives Downing and Barton one man or woman, known to Dublin Castle, was left untouched, becauso the_Castlo wants murders attributed to the Sinn Fein."

STATEMENT BY CHIEF SECRETARY. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association Received December 22, 9. 40 a.m. LONDON, Doc. 19. Mr J. A. Macpherson announced in tho House of Commons that four bombs wore thrown at Lord French from behind a hedgo in Phoenix Park. The military escort fired on the murderers, killing one, who was in tho road. He had two revolvers in his possession. A bullet wounded a detective in tho hand whilo he was attempting to fire a revolver. Tho gunfire also wounded a constable on duty at the cross roads in the vicinity. Tho murderers, after rapid shooting, escaped. Tho country, Mr Macpherson said, would be glad to learn that Lord French was i ninjurod (cheers), and would extend sympathy to tho men who wero wounded whilo discharging their duty (cheers). LORD FRENCH ALL RIGHT. Auitriliar-N"w Zealand Cable Association Received December 22, 9.30 a.m. . _ LONDON, Deo 19. Lord French had just returned from the West of Ireland and was driving from Ashtown station to 'Dublin Castle when an assassin fired at him. • Later. It is officially announced that Lord French is all right.

. A MIRACULOUS ESCAPE. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. Received December 22, 10.1T5 a.m. LONDON, Dec. 19. Ashtown is a suburban villago on tho northern outskirts of Phoenix Park in a desolate district. A gang- of ' fifteen or twenty assassins was hiding in the fields boside the road when Lord French's motor car appeared. The mounted escort was some distance behind, but was summoned by a woman who was driving Lord French's luggage and who on hearing the shots quickly drove back.' The escort galloped up and found the assassins decamping across tho fields in the direction of Dublin citv. None wero arrested.

Lord French had a miraculous escape, threo bullets benetrating the motor car. Bullets .also shattered the car following Lord French's, wounding- tho driver. The escorts' fire only brought down and killed one of tho running men, upon whom a bomb and two loaded revolvers wore found.