SIN FEIN OUTRAGES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 77, 24 December 1919, Page 7

SIN FEIN OUTRAGES

THE ATTACK ON LORD FRENCH PLOTTERS ACQUAINTED WITH VICEROY'S MOVEMENTS WARNINGS UNHEEDED (By Association-Copyrisot London, December 20. It appears that the firing at Lord French l>ogan fifty yards from the Asli(own. Station, nnd tho motors ran the gauntlet of a brisk fire for a hundred yards. Men were plainly visible on ,i knoll in a field, and soemed to direct tho operations of tho assailant:- , . Probably thirty men took part in the attack. One man, concealed in ivy on a tree, maintained a steady firo with nn automatic pistol, nnd then slid to the ground and took to tho field?, leaving remnants of his clothes on tho trunk of tho tree. Most of the nsfailantn hud bicycles, and scattered along tho byroads and lanes.

Lord French's only escort consisted of ono officer, who cycled ahead as pilot, find three or four armed policemen, but pome thirty Boldiers, who formed a guard of honour at tho station, heard the firing and doubled to the scene; but they worn tao winded en their arrival to take up t\\o pursuit. They scarcely saw (ho fugitives, and were forced to content themselves with ranid fire in the various directions in which tho attackers. were believed to bo escaping. Tho personal escort was linoblij to ftivo. elmse, as there were strict standing orders not to leave the Viceroy on any pretext. All tho attackers were apparently young and well dressed, and were led by a man about twentv. a grocer's assistant named Fflvnpre, residing in Dtfblin. He, unlike his accomplices, emerged from a licd?n and stood in full view on the fcobath, firing a revolver till ho was .'hot by_a policeman in the escort His accomplices dragged him to a. house, where bloodstains wore afterwards found. Apparently they found he was dead, and decamped.

A curinus feature of tho attack was tho complete knowledge of the plotters' us to the circumstances, though every precaution had boon taksn by tho authorities, who could select any of three fivailablo stafons. The order of the cars was never decided beforehand, and nil the ears voro. oxactlv the «amo in appearance as that of tho viceroy's. Even tho imminent, arrival of the Viceroy was supposed to be a secret, and tho motors proceeded to the station at tho last minute. It is stated that tho authorities were not surprised by tho attack, and had known for sonio 'tirao that tho Viceroy's life was in dan.ior. Ho had had many lvnriiings, innludini; threatening letbrs, but iunnred the warnings. Rcoenth- he walked in the streets of Dublin, his only escort being two detectives. Lord French calmly surveyed the proceeding throughout the attack, n.nd took lunch at Dublin Castle immediately afterwards. A strong force of troops patrolled the streets of Dublin at' night. The Ivint' line telegraphed to Lord French, conswtiilifiiirr him on his es-e-ipo.—Aus.-X.Z. Cablo Afisn

ATTACK ANTICIPATED BY VICEROY NOT TO BE TURW.O FROM PATH OP DUTY. London, December 20. Lord French had anticipated an attack for works. JTo recently declared: "\ nni jrcveriiiiig Ireland with a pistol at my head, but T nm not, goinjr lo ev'iilp danger. Tf they want nm they will find mo doiiiT my duty. I won't nllpr mv routine for all tho threats in Ireland." Sav;>ge, the ass.nss'n who was killed, «•»= a well-known seditionist. He carried a Gorman pistol. Documents found nn his body '[.;nve important clues us to lh" conspirncy.—Ans.-X Z. Cable Assn. DRIVE TIIROmn DTTTtLIN IN OPEN CARRIAGE. N (Roc. December 23, 10.35 p.m.) London, December 20. Lord French drove through the Dublin streets in an onen carriage, an escort accompanying him.—Aiis.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

SERIOUS POLITICAL EFFECT • CAUSE OF HOME RULE HINDERED. London, December 20. The attempt on lord French's l'fe has dismayed the politicians and publicists worlchig for an Irish settlement, and its political effect : <? serous. Lobbyists report that Mr. Lloyd George, is deeply concerned, and has modified liis wholo Trish policy, taking the view that Home Rule is impossible, whilst Irishmen pur=n« their aims with a bludgeon.—Aus.N.JS. Cable Assn. A MOST PERILOUS PROBLEM GOVERNMENT WOT TO BE INTIMIDATED. London, December 20. Mr. Bonnr Lnw, in a speech at Liverpool, said the position in Ireland wns terrible, but the Government would not permit the establishment of a republic The attack on Lord French was a significant imlication of the spirit, in which a section'of the Irish welcomed Cabinet's new attempt to reach a, settlement. Tho Irish problem wan the most perilous any statesman had ever attempted to solve. The position was ' terrible, but Hippo should he no cleavage in tho Coalition. "If you are prepared to aliow a republic, g.vo them self-determination. Iv not, you must deal with it in snno other way. This Government is not goinc to allow an Irish Republic to be established." Ho Iwlioved tho assailants chose the present time in ordor to indicate their altitude towards the Government's next effort to achiove a settlement, which would bo announced on Monday. Anyhow, he said, such nitimidntie-n would never cnuso tho British people to concede self-determination. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. '"FROMCALAMITY TO CALAMITY ,, BRITISH PRESS COMMENT. London, Decem'ljor 20 Tho maiority of tho British newspapers urge the Government not to diverge from the pathway of reform. "The Times" says: "Events in Ireland move from calamity to calamity, and there is no end in sisrlit. Pacification by generous economic concessions is dead, and coercion has likewise fn led.— \us.N.Z. Cable Assn. London, December ?.fl. "The Times," in an editorial article, says: "The Sinn Fein must repudiate the attempt to assass : nate one of the greatest Irishmen, or take the political consequences."—"Tho Times." FURTHER OUTRAGES ATTEMPT TO .DERAIL A TRAIN. London, December 21. An altnmpt was made to derail a train at. I'orrofm Stones were placed on Hie track, and a train collided with them. Seme damage wns done, but: nobody wns hurt.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. HIGHWAY BOBBERIES BY MASKED MEN. London, December ?.ft. A number of masked and a nurd men wrtyl.'iid a mail motor at dayhivak near AVestport, stole .Mil, and compelled the dr'ver to leave Ihe road and ti'Vn a circuitous route. There was ni'oiher <!ariihr robbery near Ennis. Milked men pulled a pfistman off his bicycle- and stole .CX). The money in both casos was intended for the payment of old-age pensions.. Armod men raided a r-üburlvan post office near Dublin, where three women wto on duly, and seized all the available money They were arrested after a pursuit.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ARMY IN IRELAND INCREASED London, December 2ft. Tho army in Ireland lias been increased, anil is now at least 43,000 strong,

with many batteries of artillery, norojilane.s, and tanks, Two tanks traversed the. streots of Dublin after tlio outrage. -Aus.-xN.Z. Cable A.ssn PRECAUTIONsTdITIRISH DEBATE London, Docembor 21. It is reported Hint the. police have (alien special precautions against the presence of malefactors during the Irish d()l>ato in the Hoiiso of Commons on Mon-day.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. . THEfIOHERULBBILL "UNITED PARLIAMENT BEST FOR IRELAND." (Rμ. December 24, 1.10 a.m.) London, December 22. Doholn of the ]lom« Rule Bill closely anwoxintato the echum* tho "Times" rectMitly propounded. In th& lloiife of Commons Sir Edward Carson said Iliat ho was still convinced Hint a united Parliament would bo best for Ireland, tho Kingdom, and the Emuiro. If the Sinn Jfiiin party captured i.lin Irish Parliament It would annex Ulster and proclaim a republic—United Service.