IRISH AFFAIRS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3543, 3 August 1920, Page 6

IRISH AFFAIRS.

GENERAL LUCAS' ESCAPE. LONDON, July 31. The full story of General Lucas' escape is not yet available, but reports State that the prisoner managed to remove the bars guarding the window of his rqom. lie escaped in the darkness and ' rn tiered for hours about the countryside until 9 in the rao-alog. •when the gcnaral, who was wearing eivilan clothes, saw and hailed a military lor*;, passing along the m ; j rosd from Linierlek t. Limerick Junction. The soldiers were immensely surprised. At first ti.ey were incredulous but speedily recognised the stranger's identity and took him aboard. They had proceeded as far as the village of Oola where their progress was blocked by a tree felled across the road. The lorry pulled up, whereupon a volley of shots rang out. The soldiers jumped to the ground and returned the fire, and a desperate battle followed. While it wa s in progress, a second lorry arrived from Limerick, followed by half a dozen armed police from Oola, where ,the firing had been heard. The rein'foretsjngnts were subjected to heavy fire, but eventually the raiders retreated. The lorries, carrying l! ie general, sol%'ersi three iwounaed men and the bodies of two comrades killed in the encounter, proceeded to Limerick, >" LONDON, My Si. • The military refuse all information regarding General Lucas' escape.

A SERVICEABLE ESCORT. LONDON, July 31. General Lucas left Tipperary in a motor car, escorted by two armoured cars and an aeroplane, for an unknown destination. TROOPS AND GUNS AT QUEENSTOWN. LONDON, July 31. A transport landed a large contingent of troops and several field guns at Queenstown Two military police were ambushed, disarmed and seriously wounded near Sheverse. Their recovery is unlikely. MORE OUTRAGES. LONDON, July 31. Raiders held up a mail train from Sligo to Dublin, but failed to discover official correspondence. They seized petrol consigned to the military. Sinn Feiners wrecked the Orange lall at Strangford, County Down. They tore the- Union Jack to pieces. Three evacuated" barracks were destroyed by fire during night time. Masked men kidnapped the driver and guard of a train, in County Monaghan. Another gang removed mail bags from a train from Cork.