Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 June 1920 — TROOPS CONTROL IN LONDONDERRY [ARTICLE]

TROOPS CONTROL IN LONDONDERRY

Military Authorities Now Hold the City in an Iron Grip. HAD TO USE MACHINE GUNS Several Additional Battalions of British Soldiers Under Orders to Proceed to Ireland to Cope With Rail Strike. London, June 25. —Military authorities have gained control and are holding the city in au iron grip, according to latest reports here from Londonderry. A rigorous campaign to round up snipers has been begun. The only certain victim of the fighting Wednesday was a small boy of eight who was shot dead in a Catholic Institution. Machine Guns uired. One of the bloodiest episodes of the civil warfare in Londonderry, entailing the deaths of five Sinn Feiners, occurred Tuesday night when an officer sought a momentary truce to pilot a party of Protestants through Bishop street. The Sinn Feiners, behind sandbags thrown up in the thoroughfare, refused to recognize the truce, whereupon the military opened up a terrific machine gun barrage, resulting in thekilling of five of the Sinn Fein forces and the probable wounding of several others. The city magistrates made desperate attempt to get food into the city to stave off threatened famine. The government decided against a declaration of martial law in Londonderry, It has been announced,'after a consultation with Sir Neville Macready, commanding the British forces In Ireland. Sir Neville declared such a move would be inadvisable. More Soldiers to Ireland. Several additional battalions of British troops were under orders to proceed to Ireland as much to cope with the threatened shutting down of the railroa/ls as with the Londonderry uprising. It is understood that Ulster volunteers have offered the government 3,000 trained men to assist in restoring order in Londonderry. Carsonltes have established a camp at Strabane, where they are drilling and are said to be in readiness for any emergency call. Statements from Dublin Castle denied the charge made by the Sinn Fein leader, Griffith, that the Londonderry fighting was organized and precipitated by English officials as propaganda. 200 Tie Up 40,000. It 1s estimated that the total number of rioters was not more than 100on each side, this meaning that there were 200 desperate men holding up the city of 40,000. A total of 17 persons have been killed and 29 wounded during the fighting In the city, according to an official statement Issued by the police..