Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 318, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 January 1920 — IRISH REBELS FIGHT POLICE [ARTICLE]

IRISH REBELS FIGHT POLICE

Barracks at Carrigtohill Blown Up After Four-Hour t Battle. LIKE GOING OVER THE TOP * - . ■ ■ ’ ..LJ— Sinn Felners- Capture Besieged Near the City of Cork —Neither Side Reports Any Casualties—Telephone Avirea Cut. London, Jan. K—Three hundred armed Sinn Fetners attacked the police barracks at Carrigtohill at ten o’clock Saturday night, according to a dispatch to the Central News from Cork. The attacking forces fired volleys for three hours and then blew up the end of the building with bomba. Its occupants were made prisoners while the raiders looted the barracks. An ex-soldier who resides in the village, which has a population of less than 500, described the whole affair as being similar to going over the top at night in Flanders for an attack on pill boxes. Nine policemen who were attached to the Carrigtohill station were having supper when an orderly heard a rush toward the door, "fend the defenses of the station were immediately mounted. Within the last few days so frequent have been attacks on the police stations in Ireland that special protection has been arranged. Special plates over half an inch thick have-been fixed to the doors and windows, which can be drawn back from the inside to allow the police to throw bombs and fire rifles in the event of attack. ” Attackers Are Beaten Off.

Sinn Fein scouts, who attempted to take the barracks by surprise, were immediately' beaten off, and then began a grim battle which lasted four hours. All precautions were taken by the raiders against warning being given to the nearest police stations at Middleton, Queenstown and Riverstown. Telephone and telegraph wires on all sides of the village had been cut down and posts were stationed along roads to prevent anybody leaving or enteffhg the town. Owing to precautions taken by the authorities, the Sinn Feiners’ bullets fell harmlessly off the windows. The fire on both sides was well sustained and rapid. Several times the rebels tried to rush the barracks, but were every time driven off. Owing to the darkness, the police could not take any proper aim, however, and their Are had to be directed by the sounds they heard. Seeing it was impossible to rush the barracks in the open, the Sinn Fein captain, with a number of his men, tried to steal up under cover of the walls, but his maneuver was detected, and he could not advance. Meantime the villagers were In a state of excitement. Bullets were whizzing everywhere, and the marvel was that many of the people who ramo out prompted by curiosity to see what was were not killed. After four hours the police fire began to slacken, owing to their ammunition almost running out, and a mintag party from the attackers succeeded in getting up under the wall of the house and placed a big charge of dynamite. In a few minutes the explosion took place, and before the policemen could recover from their surprise the wall and 100 Sinn Feiners were on top of them. . < ...., , ‘ ... The police were immediately made prisoners and handcuffed together, and their rifles, revolvers and all ammuntion left was taken from them, besldes £BO which was in a box in the .barracks. It is also stated the Sinn piners took away a number of official documents. Later the ‘ police were liberated. It was Relieved that neither side suffered any casualty; at any rate, none of the defenders were hit. Big drafts of military and police were moved into the locality.'