SEIN FEIN OUTRAGE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3443, 24 March 1920, Page 3

SEIN FEIN OUTRAGE.

ATTACK UPON POLICE, A FIVE HOURS’ BATTLE. A few Weeks ago the village of Drombane, County Tippel':ll'y’ was. the scene of a daring affray, in which a party of 150 Sein Feiners attacked the village hall, which had ‘Bee? occupied by the police for some .12 months. An unsuccessful attempt, was made to blow up the building with dynzmlite, and the effects of the explosion were such that the gable was cracked and shattered. part of the roof rblcwn a\va_v,_ a stove inside driven into the n‘lid<lle of the floor. and a large hole lnadc in the soft ezrrth beneath. A fierce and incessant fu:_=.il9_LTe oer.’ bullets rained on (‘:10 bzm':l(:ks for four 0,. fir-0 110111-s,_ the 1-olictc r<»§1::-n'1ng' Fm fire vigorously. There were, howe\'<-:r. no casuzllties on either side. The heseiged rec.(-‘~i\’e«i x'(—ill‘r'O!'('o~ mvnis of police and militsn-_\'_ huf bufore their 2u‘l'i\'z‘.} ‘the attackers: had disht-r.~e<l. If‘:n'illfl no tl'z'lCo.

’l‘h(;- aw:-ment ‘.'.‘al‘r.<: of the .~:l:'.~‘rio11; bore nrrngzwolls bullet marks. The:‘ julnbs and _.'.,"l:‘lSs of the v.'inrlo*.'vs were E completely rs:hatl‘er(*d. and film soiitll sto.:»1 shuitel'.~' indent-ed and pierced in [ nrr.n:,' plat-es, while S("'\'l‘l‘3l bullets’ were buried in the walls The bnil<linf: is in the centre of the ‘\‘illar:e.! ami it shot. I'--louse-S great Ji:i:mC(‘.~: from.‘ the scene were struck. Sergeant Q'Shea, who V-'.1.'4 in clmrgsro 1 of the station, gzirirgr an nc«:-m:n;'- of; the affair. Mates that at I'\\'eni').' minfl uleg to nine on :1 S1111(‘._:1y night :2 wlristle so-urirlenl. and the next tlw.ill,L;‘j hr.) hea,;'(l ‘.<,'a.< :1 burst Cf rifle fir‘il'lg—zxhout 150 I'o 200 (llSC‘hEll‘g'(“S. The a+~ tack came from the front and rear The police. who nuniherocl 13, at once look up their places and returned the fire. Vvhile the atack was in progress s‘-onle of the party.‘ crept up to tho. eczstern gralgle and plvcr-cl two bcmbs in po.”~:ition. a loud errplostion following. After ‘four or five hours’ firing the attackers. withdrew. but the police continued their fire for another llali-'-hour. Three uliexplorled bombs were found near the building. evidently in« tended for use after a breach in the gable had been effected. During the firing one of the constables said he heard digging going on outside the gable wall. ~ Some of the police had ‘rscratcherl faces from flying glass splinters. Sergeant McDonnell and Constable McLVoskey_. who happened to be out at -the time, but not together, were captured and held prisoners while the fight lasted, being told not [to move from the place after the graiders left if they valued their lives.