IRELAND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, 13 July 1921, Page 5

IRELAND

BEGINNING OF THE TRUCE .SHOCKING CHIMES REPORTED

(By Electric Telegraph--Copyright.). (Australian & IS./,. Cable Association.)

LONDON, July 11

On the eve of the truce at Castle Island, near Tralee, a pitched battle took place between a military patrol and republicans, resulting in eleven being killed and many wounded. Reports of shocking crimes marked the beginning of tho truce. Sinn Feiners shot Eric Steadman, an cxgoldier, at Tullamore. The body was labelled “convicted spy; sooner or later we get them. Beware! I.R.A-” Two me/ shot Sergeant King dead at Castlerc?, while he was walking to Tin barracks. Private Letter, who was walking tin armed, was also shot dead at .Donoraile. Armed masked men dragged John Poynton from his bed and shot him dead at Portarlington. Tension continues in Belfast. Riotinrr was renewed at eleven this niorniim. an hour before the truce operated. A°’uumber of attacks were made upon police. Sinn Feiners also fired upon an Orange procession, which returned fire. Snipers were" active. Six persons were sent to hospital. Ship-Feiners attacked a police bread van and seyerply beat tho driver and burned tfic van. . The week-end deaths are now eighteen and the wounded total a hundred. The curfew was rcimposed in Belfast to-night.

A QUIET NIGHT 1

LONDON, July 12

The night passed fairly quietly in Belfast. There were a couple of bursts of shooting, but nobody was hurt. Two spirit and grocery stores were looted and burned. The Twelfth of July celebrations in Belfast were the largest for many years.. Forty thousand Orangemen marched in the procession. Good order j. Craig addressed a meeting which passed a resolution of loyalty.