CROP OF CRIMES.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 May 1922, Page 5

CROP OF CRIMES.

MUKDEBS IN BELFAST. MANY SHOT DEAD. FIGHT IN THE STREETS. Jiy Telegraph.—Press As-td.—Copyright. Received May 19, 7.30 pjn. London, May 18. Protestants ana Roman Catholics alixe •were victims of the rival murder gangs in Belfast. A man was shot in the abdomen in the street, and died in a few hours. Two men boarded a tramcar and shot dead a youth sitting on the top deck. The murderers escaped, though there "were 60 passengers on the car. In the case of two flax-dressers going to employment, several men took seats behind them. Shots rang out, and the men ran down the stairs, carrying their smoking revolvers. The passengers, who thought the tiring came from outside, were crouching on the floor. The conductor ran upstairs and found the two flax-dressers huddled on the floor. London, May 18. Further shooting occurred in the Belfast streets to-day. Mrs. Brown, a Protestant, saw seven men fire at the window of their dwelling. She shouted to l*er daughter to lie down. The latter, kuu was over late in obeying, Was wounded. Three armed men entered the residence of Josephine Keown, a Catholic, seeking her husband. They shot and slightly wounded Mrs. Keown and slightly wounded her son. It is believed several men were killed last night in a prolonged struggle between the military and gunmen, the former using machine-guns. The Ulster Trades Defence Association has sent a circular to merchants advising them to boycott Southern Ireland while the latter’s boycott of UlBter continues. In consequence of the abnormal number of police necessary to maintain order in Belfast during non-curfew hours, the Northern Parliament has decided that curfew will begin at ten o’clock instead of eleven o’clock in the evening. The Government, defending the action in Parliament, declared that it would close public-houses altogether if necessary. A party of men wearing police caps gained admission to the Musgrave police barracks, Belfast, and rushed towards the arms room. The inmates of the barracks were roused, and the raiders escaped over the walls. One constable was shot dead. Armed men boarded a tramcar in Belfast and shot two passengers dead. The police and military are making tt house to house inspection of the city. The Ulster Traders’ Defence Association has issued a manifesto declaring an absolute boycott of thp whole of the South of Ireland. Grave developments are feared. The BaHinrobe rebels in possession of the barracks refuse to release the Regular prisoners. The commander of the Regulars has given them a 24 hours’ ultimatum, after which he will launch an. attack. MOTION IN THE COMMONS. NOT ACCEPTED BY SPEAKER. Received May 19, 5.5 p.m. London, May 18. Sir J. G. Butcher (Coalition Unionist) aought leave to move the adjournment of the House of Commons in order to draw attention to the ‘‘open and avowed robbery of British subjects in Southern Ireland, and the failure of the Imperial Government to make representations to the Provisional Government,” but the Speaker refused the motion, on the ground that it was a matter for the Provisional Government. Aus.-N.Z. Qable Assn.