FALL OF FOUR COURTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11252, 3 July 1922, Page 7

FALL OF FOUR COURTS

B.FRET.3 FORCED TO SURRENDER. A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION. By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. A ustr.ilian and N.Z. Cable Association (Received July 2, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, June 30. The battle of the Four Courts came to a melodramatic end at 4 o’ clock this morning, when Rory O’Connor unconditionally surrendered. The budding was then blazing over the defenders’ heads and part had been blown up while shots were pounding in from the guns, so there was no alternative between surrender and death. It was sixty hours after the attack commenced that the white flag appeared and an officer demanded terms. “Unconditional surrender” was the reply. Ten minutes later the white flag appeared again. Rory O’Connor and 130 men, headed by a priest, came out with their hands up. With them was General O’Connell, whose capture caused the fight. He was unarmed, and immediately went to the Free Staters’ beadquarters. WHOLE OF DUBLIN SHAKEN. The most dramatic incident in the final stages of the fight was the explosion winch occurred at 12.30 o'clock. It shook the whole of Dublin, and broke every window in the district of the Four Courts and was the origin of the fire, which is still burning and threatens to destroy priceless archives. The explosion threw masses of masonry across the river Liffey, while documents from the Record Offices were flung skyhigjh- Some fell in St. Stephen's Green, a mile away. A RUSE THAT FAILED. Barry’s attempt to dodge through the attacker’s line in the guise of a nurse was assisted by a woman with him, who ran into tho thick of the troops and made a frantic appeal to the Free StateraS to allow her companion to enter. “For God’s sake allow her to go in,” cried the woman. Meanwhile a tall angular figure in the uniform of a Red Cross nurse awaited permission to risk her life on a humane mission’. The ruse nearly succeeded, but an officer became suspicious and arrested the supposed woman, who confessed that “she” was really Barry. CAPTIVES HAGGARD AND HUNGRY.. About 130 surrendered. These were mostly youths and some were only boys, but their haggard faces spoke dearly of the ordeal they had passed through. They were surrounded by Free State trdbps' and marched to the Mountjoy Prison. The insurgents’ ammunition was practically exhausted, and the garrison was half starved and sleepless for two days. The insurgents surrendered at 4 o’clock. Rory O’Connor, the commander of the rebels, was taken prisoner. Mr Winston Churchill stated in the House of Commons that it was rumoured tli at the insurgents had asked for terms, but were informed that their surrender must be unconditional. A DUBLIN COMMUNIQUE. (Received July 3, 11.5 p.m.) LONDON, July 1. Tlie Dublin Free State headquarters announced last evening in a communique that O’Malley, on behalf of the executive in the Four Courts, surrendered unconditionally to BrigadierGeneral O’Daly. The entire garrison was ta'ken prisoner, including Rory O’Connor, Mellowes, and the principal officers of the rebel executive. General O’Connell, who was kidnapped, was set free.