IN IRELAND

Hokitika Guardian, 27 March 1920, Page 3

IN IRELAND

(By Electric Telegraph—Copyright,

MURDER OF MAYOR. LONDON, March 23 The Mayor of Limerick has received a type-written letter, posted afc Clonmel, with a cross on it, nmler which appeared the words: “Prepare for death; yon are a doomed man. Signed, Rory of tlie Hills.” Lord Mayor Mac Curtain, who was murdered in Cork, received a similar letter, with a cross also on it, a few days before his murder.

INQUEST ON CORE MAYOR. LONDON, March 24 An inquest on the late Lord Mayor Mac Curtain ap "Cork was resumed at 7.30 o’clock at night. Forty constables were armed with rifles to guard the Court room. . 'Hie Sinn Fein Volunteers, however, had charge of the arrangements and •regulated the admission of persons to the intjuest chamber. The Crown Solicitor at once applied for an adjournment. He said the authorities desired to assist to ifhe utmost in elucidating the murder. ,He declared the Constabulary could not guarantee the peace of Cork c’tv if the enquiry were held at night time. Mr Lynch, King’s Counsel, represented the next-o-kin. He invited the ~ .Jury to attach full and due importance to the fact that a policeman’s uniform was found, after the murder in MacCurtain’s house. Mr Lynch also demanded that the authorities produce the names of all the police who were . absent' from the barracks at the time of the murder.

A .JUDGE’S COMMENT. LONDON, March 24 Lord Justice O’Connor, in an address to the Grand Jury at Cork, at the opening of the Assizes, said he would appeal to Ireland’s better public spirit against the outrages. There would be neither beauty nor virtue in liberty if it came dripping with innocent blood. '’’The folly of the whole business was apparent. There would be a rude awakening for those imagining they could break down “the splendid courage of the Irish Police or continue with impunity the attacks on the Police barracks, against/.the scientific instruments of warfare in the barracks.” Ho asked, even assuming the police were eliminated, would Ireland be happier or freer with the English soldiers instead of the police. Referring to the Cork murder, .Justice O’Connor asked where it would end.

He declared that only public opinion could stop the present state of things. The vast majority of the population condemned outrages, hut they would not give the' Government any active support in the policy they adopted. This attitude of the people was due to historical, to political, and to social causes. The intimidation policy was a powerful factor 'in deterring people from assisting in the prevention and detection of crime. Nevertheless he did not regard the position as hopeless. The boldness and wantoness, and frequency of murders, coupled with the tendency to chaos, must strengthen public opinion against all forces of disorder,