RIOTS IN LONDONDERRY

Otago Witness, Issue 3101, 20 August 1913, Page 25

RIOTS IN LONDONDERRY

MANY HOUSES DAMAGED

ATTACK ON THE POLICE.

TIMELY"' ARRIVAL OF TROOPS

LONDON, August 12

At Derry the Nationalists attacked a procession that was celebrating the relief of Derry. The members of the procession used revolvers, and the police drew their batons on the attackers. Two policemen were injured with stones.

August 13. There were thousands of people in the Londonderry streets. The Nationalists showered stones and bottles and fired revolvers at the procession. They also made determined efforts to break the police cordon, which drove them off with a series of baton charges. Some roughs severely beat several strangers while they were rescuing an English visitor who had been maltreated.

The Mayor (Sir W. M‘Learn) was stoned, and was severely wounded on the head.

The Nationalists stoned a Unionist in Foyle street, and the latter fired bis revolver at his assailants, wounding a constable.

Another Unionist kept a crowd at “bay with his revolver The mounted police rescued him, hitting the crowd with the flats of their swords, injuring several people. Both the Unionists were arrested. The mounted police made a final charge at midnight and cleared the streets.

August 14. There has been a renewal of rioting in Londonderry.

The Unionists and Nationalists exchanged stones, and the police had to make many baton charges. Inspector Cary was cut on the head by a stone, and a constable was shot in the chest. Three other policemen and several rioters were injured. A policeman mistook Mr M'Gavey, a Unionist magistrate, . for a rioter, and knocked him down, injuring his head. Many houses have been extensively damaged during the riots in Londonderry.

The hotels have been ordered to close at 7 p.m. for the rest of the week, and the magistrates have been directed to accompany the constabulary to all danger points.

August 15. The rioting at Londonderry has been continued.

The authorities strenuously endeavoured to keep the rival factions apart. Mr Francis Armstrong was shot dead in Fountain street w'hile looking over an upper window. The bullet was evidently fired from a point overlooking Mr Armstrong’s window. The police declare that frequent shots w r ere fired throughout the evening from the higher roofs, but the police did not fire.

The Mayor has now requisitioned Ihe services of the Cheshire Regiment as a precaution against a renewal of rioting. The police at Londonderry have been instructed to shoot if rioting recurs and warnings are ignored. Three hundred troops are quartered in the town, in addition to which large bodies of constabulary have been drafted from the neighbouring towns. August 16.

There have been further disturbances in Londonderry. A policeman was wounded by a bullet. The newspapers publish the letter forwarded to the Ulster Unionist leaders with the Melbourne societies’ donation of £2OO, and also the letter enclosing the Vancouver Orangemen’s donation of £2lO. *

The All-for-Ireland League, Cork, has urged the Government to summon a conference representing all parties to devise a settlement, by consent, in regard to Home Rule and the Irish land question. August 17. Some waterside fighting occurred at Derry at midnight. The police attempted to separate the rioters, whereupon they were attacked by

the Unionists. The arrival of troops ended the affair.

Mr Armstrong’s funeral was attended by a large crowd. Good order was kept. The Orange Hall at Ballyhoe, Fermanagh, was destroyed by fire.