CRUEL RAIDS.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 June 1922, Page 5

CRUEL RAIDS.

NIGHT ATTACK BY REBELS. A COUNTY TERRORISED. RESIDENTS SHOT DEAD, By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Received June 18, 5.5 p.m. London, June 17. Armed Sinn Feiners ran amok at Bessbrook, in South Armagh County, during the night, and shot dead four men and one woman and wounded two men, all Protestants. The raiders roved the countryside and dragged the victims from their beds and shot them as they stood in their nightclothing. They then bombed them and set fire to their houses. Other families fled panic-stricken through the fields, the raiders pursuing and shooting them. The most wicked attack was against a cottage occupied by an elderly man and his wife, who were shot side by side. Several children were injured through fires. The countryside is horrified, and wholesale reprisals are feared.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

FIGHTS WITH REBELS. NUMEROUS CASUALTIES. Received June 18, 5.5 p.m. London, June 17. Members of the Ulster constabulary had a three hours’ fight against Republicans and irregulars at Dromintree, on the Louth border, and casualties were numerous. The fight followed an outrage in which, it is alleged, Ulster specials entered a house and stripped and abused Catholic girls, who were the sole occupants. A patrol of Ulster constabulary was ambushed at Forkhill, South Armagh, and one was killed and one injured. The British destroyer Vancouver arrived at Londonderry to-day. DAMAGE BY FIRE. GREAT LOSS IN BELFAST. Received June 17, 5.5 p.m. London, June Ifi. Over £1,000,000 worth of property was destroyed by incendiaries in Belfast during the last fortnight.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SOAP WORKS DESTROYED. London, June 16. Large soap and mndle works in Belfast were destroyed by incendiaries to-day. The mob took advantage of the fire to loot a number of shops in the locality.