IRISH OUTRAGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 December 1922, Page 5

IRISH OUTRAGE.

TRAIN SET ON FIRE

PASSENGERS IN PANIC. DISASTER AVERTED. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Dec. 10, 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. 9. Rebels committed a dastardly train outrage at Dublin. As a night train steamed into Lilly Junction, 20 youths armed with revolvers compelled the passengers in the front carriages to get to the rear of the train. They then ordered the driver and the fireman from the engine. The rebels then sprinkled the empty carriages with petrol and set them on fire. Without uncoupling the rear compartment, they then started the engine. The carriages were now ablaze and the terror-stricken passengers, including five women, believed they would be burnt alive, and though the train was fully under way, they jumped for their lives, several being badly hurt. Though uncontrolled, the train fortunately found the points, against which it was diverted into the goods yard, whferd it was brought to a standstill. It was an astonishing spectacle as the train shot into the night, gathering speed every moment. A number of women and other passengers, who had been unable to jump in time, shrieked with fear from the windows, believing a horrible death was imminent either from Are or collision. But unknown to the passengers on the train or those cm the platform, the driver had escaped from the rebels and rushed along the line to warn railway officials. When he saw the train in motion he rushed back and jumped on to the footplate, later turning the engine into a aiding, where he was able to pull the train up. THREAT TO JOURNALISTS. Received Dec. 10, 11.5 p.m. London, Dec. 9. The proprietor, assistant editor and leader writer of Freeman s Journal, and also the editor of the Irish Independent, have received letters from the officer commanding the irregulars in Dublin threatening death unless they leave Ireland by noon on December 8. Thera were remarkable scenes at the Belfast Oval, when eight lorries of policemen <?rcve up during a football match an<rsearched everyone of the six thousand spectators for arme, as revolver firing had been a feature of recent sports meetings in Ulster.

FURTHER EXECUTIONS. TWO REBEL LEADERS SHOT. WARNING TO ORELS. Received Dec. 9, 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. 8. O’Connor and Mellows, who -were captured at Fourt Courts, Dublin, in July, were court-martialled during the night on a charge of being in unlawful possession of arms and the sentences of death were carried out at Mountjoy prison this morning. O’Connor was one of the most prominent leaders of the I.R.A. and was responsible for the seizure of the Fourt Courts. Mellows wae a member of the Dail Eireann and participated in the 1916 rising, after which he escaped to America, where ho was one of the most bitter opponents of the treaty. An official announcement states the execution was a reprisal for the assassination of Mr. Hales and a solemn warning to those engaged in the conspiracy of assassination against representatives of the Irish people. POLICY OF EXECUTIONS.

APPROVED BY PARLIAMENT. NEED TO CHECK MURDERS. Received Deo. 10, 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. 8. On a motion to adjourn the Free State Parliament, Mr. Johnson (Labor leader) said the assassination of Air. Hales was a dastardly thing, but the executions were most foul, bloody, and unnatural. The Government announced, apparently with pride, that they had taken four prifloners and had murdered them as a reprisal for the assassination. Personally he believed the Government had killed the new State at its birth. Mr. Mulcahy, replying, said the executions were ordered because there were forces more vicious and insidious than those in Britain who were employed in working against the representatives of the Government in Ireland. The army executive had expressed to the Government the need for exceptionally drastic action. Mr. Gavan Duffy, his voice choking

with emotion, asked when this Corsican vendetta was going to end. Mr. O’Higgins (Home Secretary) said: “We acted’coldly and deliberately after looking the whole situation in the eye. You cannot meet this situation with measuring tape. A certain number of Irishmen are garrotting this country. As for vindictiveness, great heavens, one of these men was a friend of mine.” Mr. Cosgrave wound up a three hours’ debate, after which the Government s action was approved by 39 votes to 14. THE FREE STATE SENATE. Received Dec. 9, 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. 8. The Irish Free State Senate was completed with the Dail Eireann’s thirty nominees. They include six merchants, six farmers, four laborites, two doctors, two engineers, one schoolmaster, and Xjvo women. Out of the President’s thirty nominees fifteen were selected by lot. ’They sit for twelve years and the remainder for six years. ATTEMPT TO RELEASE PRISONER. Received Dec. 10, 5.5 p.m. London, Dec. 8. Masquerading as medical students an armed party visited Mercer’s Hospital. Dublin, and made a desperate attempt to rescue a patient under arrest. An armed sentry questioned the men and would noh allow the so-called students to enter the ward. A fight began, in which the sentry was wounded, but the prisoner was not rescued. The raiders made good their escape.