New-York tribune., 1919-12-30
Jury Says Military Acted
in lIeariless Manner in
Killing Civilian Laborer
Near Lodge of Niccroy
Evidence Is Conflicting
Soldiers Testify They Saw
Intruder Shoot Officer;
Bullet an Army Model

DUBLIN. Dec. 2o-Two inqucsts
held to-day over the bodies of the
victims killed in the Phoenix Park
shooting aiiray early Sunday morning
Failed to solve the mystery surrounu-
ing the affair. bat tended to show
'hat there was an organized plan to
attack the Nicc-rcgal Lodge the resi-
dcnce OF Field Marshal Viscount
French, Lord Lieutenant and Governor
General of Ireland.
The testimony was very conflicting
and confusing. but according to the
coroner's summing UP, Lieutenant
was killed by the fragments Of mill
tary bullet. while Laurence Kennedy
the civilian victim. was killed by a
military patrol while on his way home
through Phoenix Park.
The jury found that Lieutenant
Boast was accidentally killed by a
bullet from his own patrol party"
The evidence failed to establish
whether Kennedy was armed. Mill
taly witnesses testified that he was
killed while attempting to draw a
revolver from his pocket. From the
different statements of the military
seemed not entirely excluded that
Kennedy may have been innocent of
firing OF OF any completely in the sup
posed raid.
Suspects Prove Innocence
Three civilians who were arrested in
Phoenix Park on The theory that they
may have been implicated in the shoot
ing proved their innocence and were
liberated to- day. Therefore. as in the
recent attempt on the life of Viscount
French, there is no clew whatever to
the persons who started the shooting
which resulted in the killing of Lieu
tenant Boast and Kennedy
The three civilians had been attend
ing oance and their presence in the
park was fully accounted for. The
park, which formerly was open all
night but is now closed at $3.50 O'Clock
IN The evening. is seven miles in cir
cumferencc
The coronerS jury concluded its
verdict on the death of Kennedy with
the statements: we tender deepest
sympathy TO his reiatives'
Ihe verdict OF the jury in the case of
Kennedy was:
"The deceased was Killed on his way
home through Phoenix Park by q mill
tary patrol. We consider that the mill
taiy acted in most heartless manner
Challenge Is Ignored
Evidence given at the inquest by two
soldiers OF the guard showed that at
O'Clock Sunday morning they, with
Lieutenant Boast, left the vice-regal
lodge and went on patrol down the
the grass. When they challenged the
man he refused to reply to them and
they rushed him. Shots were frei and
the lieutenant collapsed
The corporal of the guard, ii was
testified, fired at the civilian, who fell.
The soldiers swore they saw SIX civ
ilians who fired the shots that brought
down the lieutenant. They fired at the
civilians but the latter disappeared.
The dead civilian was identified as q
bakers laborer. Laurence Kennedy by
name. who lived in Lucan.
Before the inquest it was said that
Kennedy was a discharged soldier, who
on Saturday night had left Steevans's
Hospital where he had received treat
nent for injuries which, he declared,
he had sustained from some soldiers in
the Dublin barracks.
Says Kennedy Killed Boast
Private Riddle testified that Ken
nedy drew an automatic pistol, with
which he shot Lieutenant Boast in the
breast. The witness added that the
corporal of the guard. one soldier and
Kennedy fired at the same time The
lieutenant shouted:
"They've got me-"
Private Barnwel swore that Ken
nedy tried 70 catch Lieutenant Boast
by the throat. One of the soldiers who
went to the lieutenant's relief said he
saw a man lying on the ground When
the witness tried to turn him over the
man fred two shots at him, whercupon
the witness shot him in tho neck