IRELAND

Southland Times, Issue 19250, 14 June 1921, Page 5

IRELAND

MURDERS AT BELFAST SEEIOUS RIOTS (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.-y Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, June 12. A party of me» masquerading as soldiers, who said they were taking men to barracks for identification, captured Kerr Barber Mcßride, a publican, and Halfpenny, a postman, took them from their homes in North Belfast, and shot them. The bodies were taken in motor cars and flung into the fields at the roadside. Serious rioting occurred in York street district, Belfast. The police were outnumbered. Many rioters were wounded by revolvers, some seriously. Police reinforcements ended the trouble. Head Constable McElville was murdered while going to mass at Kilbrogan, Westmeath. The Russian delegation in London on behalf of the Soviet Government declares that the alleged treaty with Sinn Fein is a pure invention. The Daily Chronicle gives prominence to a proposal that the newly-elected members of the Northern and Southern Parliaments should be permitted to meet under a truce to appoint delegates with a view to an agreed settlement, including possibly full fiscal autonomy and control of the respective police forces. A party of men took Dean Finlay, aged eighty years, who was living in retirement at Dawnboy, Cavan, from his home, and murdered him. They then burnt the house to the ground. ORGY OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION MANY BUILDINGS DESTROYED. COMMUNICATIONS PARALYSED. LONDON, June 12. (Received June 13, 7.40 p.m.) The Irish rebels indulged in an orgy oi death and destruction during the week-end David Fitzgibbon was murdered at Liscar roll, County Cork, and two ex-service men were murdered in Dublin. Woodpark, a mansion at Scarriff, County Clare, was destroyed by fire, the damage being estimated at £lOO,OOO. Two other residences and a w’orkhouse were destroyed in the same vicinity. Four coastguard stations were also burned. Three out of four State railways in Donegal were closed by the Sinn Feiners, who also stopped motor transport by stealing and destroying cars.

The authorities suspended the steamer service between Londonderry and Donegal ports, substituting the railways, saying that if the rebels do not want railways they do not want steamers either. Telegraph and telephone communications are nearly wiped out, and the rebel portions of the country are completely isolated. MR MASSEY HELD UP. POLICE SEARCH FOR SINN FEINERS. ADVENTURE AT UXBRIDGE. LONDON, June 12. Mr Massey left Oxford in a motor car at midnight, accompanied by Mr Thompson (private secretary), Mr Drew (assistant secretary), and Colonel Grigg, who was military secretary to the Prince of Wales during his Australasian tour. When approaching Uxbridge at 2 o’clock the party was suddenly confronted by an obstruction extending across the road, surmounted by red lights. Owing to reports of night outrages in the neighbourhod of London, Sinn Feiners having stopped motor rars and searched the occupants, the driver promptly pulled up the car and awaited developments. After a minute’s delay half a dozen policemen appeared and many others remained in the background. The police cross-questioned Mr Drew, who was seated beside the driver. They examined the driver's papers, inspected the car front and back, and noted the registered number. Mr Thompson explained that the party inside the car included the Prime Minister of New Zealand. The police did not interrogate the passengers inside. After ten minutes’ delay the police removed the obstruction and the car proceeded to London. Mr Thompson asked the officer directing the police what was the object of the stoppage. The policeman answered that he was not allowed to divulge it. It is understood that all the main roads to London were similarly blocked last night with the purpose of arresting a muchwanted Sinn Fein leader believed to be responsible for the recent campaign of sabotage around London. Mr Massey was interested but not disturbed by the incident.