DISTURBANCES IN IRELAND

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 10, 24 November 1887, Page 2

DISTURBANCES IN IRELAND

ANOTHER CONFLICT WITH THE POLICE. Another conflict took place with the police on Sunday night, September 11, at Ballyporoen. This place is a small and miserable village in county Tipperary, about eight milesfrom Miteheltown, on the road to Clonmel, and lying in the centre of a wild and picturesque valley between the Galtee and the Knockmaldown mountains. The road leading to the place passes for the most part through the estate of the Countess of Kingston, and the barricaded houses of the tenants, who have been expeefion for the last six months, and the hundreds of acres of grazing land without an animal on them, the cattle having been removed to prevent seizure, bore a mute testimony to the relations between the Countess and her tenantry. At ten minutes to eleven o’clock on the night in question, a patrol, consisting of Constahlos Barrington (armed with a rifie( and Power ; armed with a revol ver), were walking up and down the village streec on their usual beat. At the hour named they had reached a point opposite the police station, when they met a number of the young ( men of the town, labourers and artisans, ten or eleven in who jeered at the constables, called them names, and "threw missies and stones after them. Some of the missies were large and one of them, which was afterwards found to weigh over *2 lbs, struck Power on the right side of the head and felled him to the ground. He drew his revolver and fired one shot towards the legs of tlio assailants, and regaining his feet, fired a second shot at the men, who then fled. None of the shots took effect. Barrington meanwhile seized one of the fellows, named Edward Baldwin, of whom he kept a firm hold noswithstanding a severe struggle, and, with the assistance of another constable who ran out of the barracks took him into custody Power was aho assisted into the police station, when it was seen that he had received an ugly cut, which had lacerated his scalp, and caused him to lose a considerable quantity of blood. His head was bandaged, and he was taken next morning to the hospital at Oahir, where he now lies. Barrington and Power gave,a description of such of the men as they could identify, and three’were arrested and brought before Colonel Carow, at the police barracks, and remanded to the petty sessions at Cahir, when they will be prosecuted under the Crimes Act.

MURDEB Or A HEAD CONSTABLE BY MOONLIGHTERS. A terrible moonlighting affray took place on the night of September Htb, near Lisdoouvalna, county Clare. According to a (Statement communicated by one of the constables who took part in the affair, he and seven comrades, under the command of Head-constable Whelan, were placed on special duty inside the farmhouse of Thomas Sexton, the authorities having received private information that an at'ack would he made on the house. Their information proved to be time, for about eleven o’clock the tramping of a body of men was heard, followed by a a whispered consultation outside the house. A few minutes later the moonlighters knocked loudly at the door and demanded admission. One of the constables [pretended to parley with the intruders, thus lulling any suspicion which they might have entertained. At a sign from Head-constable Whelan, the Moonlighters were admitted and the door instantly closed and locked. Then for the first time the marauders realised that they had fallen into a trap. Instantly they made a rush for the door, and at the same moment the police dashed at them and attempted so arrest the whole gang. • terrific struggle ensued Policemen and Moonlighters became so mixed up that neither side dare fire for fear of killing their com rades, although all the policemen and most of the Moonlighters were armed with rifles, and some with revolvers. The combatants, therefore, used sticks clubbed rifles, and chairs. In the middle of the fight, the door was either unlocked or forced open, and three of the Moonlighters managed to make their escape, [although all were, it is known, badly wounded Then, and not till then, the police were able to ascertain the extent of their casualties. "cad-constable Whelan lay on the ground with his skull so battered that it was not probable that he can recover. Of the other constables, not one escaped without injury, und, several were found to he very seriously wounded, The prisoners, all cf whom were wounde d, were handcuffed, and ultimately lodged in jail. Thomas Sexton, the farmer whose house was the scene of this terrible tragedy, came under the ban of the National League for letting land which he had inherited from his recently deceased father, and fiom which the firmer tenant had been evicted. Sexton was boycotted, and subsequently received threatening letters.—European Mail.