IN IRELAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 August 1920, Page 2

IN IRELAND.

'By Electric Telcgrapn—Coiyrigbt.i AN ASSASSINATION. LONDON, July 30. An armed party shot the Right Hon. Frank Brook, P.C., Chairman of Dublin and south-eastern railway, at in his office at Dublin. The assassins escaped. v -- GENERAL LUCAS ESCAPES. LONDON, July 30. General Lucas, whom the Clare Sinn Feiners captured, lias _ escaped. The story of the escape is not yet available, but reports state that the prisoner nianagd to remove some bars guarding a window of hjs room, He escaped in darkness. He wandered for hours about the countryside until nine ip the morning, when the General, who was wearing civilian clothes, saw and hailed a military lorry passing along the main road from Limerick to Limerick Junction. The soldiers were immensely surprised at first ancl incredulous, but speedily recognised the stranger’s identity and took him aboard. They had proceeded as far as tlie village of Oola, when progress was blocked by a tree felled across the road. The lorry pulled up, whereupon a volley of shots rang out. The spldiers jumped to the ground. Tlipy at once returned the fire A desperate battle followed, but while it was jn progress a second military lorry arrived from Limerick, being followed by half a dozen armed police from Oola, where the firing had been heard, 'file reinforcements were subjected to heavy fire, but eventually the raiders The lorries, carrying the General, soldiers, and tli ree wounded men and the liodjes of two comrades killed in the encounter, proceeded to Limerick.

Lucas hijd a slight scratch on tlie face, hut otherwise is in robust health. The Oola battle lasted an hour. When the news reached Limerick there was great military activity. Many armoured cars and also large, forces of troops at once proceeded to the scene, They then scoured the countryside.

Lucas’s father was overjoyed at the news, but says letters have been arriving regularly from the , General, stating the Sinn Feiners have throughout treated him extremely well. Lucas refused an offer of freedom on condition that he gave, his parole, and promised not to disclose his place of captivity. It is believed three or mpre Republicans were shot in the fight. A MURDER. LONDON, July 30. M*r Brooke was chatting with Mr Cotton, railway manager, in the board room at Dublin South-Eastern Railway station when an armed party Mitered the ropm and fired a volley. Brooke’s head was shot away. Three assassins ©scaped unrecognised. One bullet hit a typewriter, which a lady secretary was working m an adjoining room. Cotton dived under the table and escaped. Thursday’s shooting occurred in the busiest centre of Dublin. The crowds leaving the theatres .rushed, to the trams or ran to shelter, while the bullets were flying. The struggle was brief, the military guarding the bank experiencing such a concentrated fire that they surrendered.

Armed masked men burned down Gharletnionb Fort, County Armagh, the ancient residence being used as a Government arsenal, SINN FEIN DESPATCHES. LONDON, July 31. At Bandon some police arrested a young woman who was carrying Sinn Fein despatches. It is said that to such despatches the Castle authorities attach great importance.

A SERIOUS CRIME. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) DUBLIN, -July 31. A jury declared Brookes murder was premediated and expressed abhorrence at the crime. JRTSH NEWS. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, July 31. The military refuse all information re garc}ing General Lucas’s escape. A transport landpd a large contingent of troops and several field guns. At Queenstown two ”> ; !ib'-v police were ambushed, disarmed and seriously wounded near Sheverse. Their recov- I ery is unlikely. Raiders held up mail : li.aips fropi Sligo to Dublin, but failed to discover official correspondence. They seized petrol consigned to ijhe military. Sinn Feiners wrecked Orange Hall, Strangford, County Down, and tore the Union Jack to pieces. Three evacuated bprraeks were destroyed by fire during the night time. Masked men kidnapped the driver and guard of a train in County Monaghan. Another gang removed the mail bags from a train from Cork.