The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-04-05
Bv ROBERT J. PREV.

LOHdOu, Aplil r. hc ciilii
Fein plan to destroy all British
records and plunge the coun-
try's administration into con-
fusion was put into operation
last night when fires were
started in official buildings all
over Ireland.
Belfast was isolated from the
rest of the world. The land
wires and cable to England
were cut and the only means
of communication was the
telephone.
The Grand Central hotel. in which
are located the pensions. labor and
other departments. and the Bank of
ireland were entered during the night
and large number OF documents
were destroyed.
The raiders then, tried to burn the
buildings. but a fire brigade prevented
! aTnfss ssrarat~ siazss ware found In
the income tax Offices
The city postoffices and pubic
buildings were under strong guard to-
day. Dispatches this evening state the
city Is calm and the authorities have
the situation in hand
Attempts also were made TO set IRE
to the Belfast customs house and TIVE
excise offices.
In every case IRE WAS started by
pouring petrol over floors and furni-
ture and then applying a match.
Most of the men who started the
niazes were disguised as postmen-
Some were masked and armed.
WAVE OF DESTRUCTION.
When communications with Belfast
were partially restored this evening II
was discovered that a wave of destruc-
ton had swept over the province Of
Ulster.
Police barracks in all parts of the
province had been burnt down or
blown up. The conspirators sought
out mostly the smaller towns Reeve
nue. Offices also were ignited on a large
scale.
Belfast tonight is still cut off from
Dublin At Londonderry men singing
Republican songs cut the hose lines a.
fremen were trying desperately to
save the revenue offices and the PEN
SION office from burning to tho
grounA
The Irish Republican flag was hoist
ID wherever the conspirators carried
At Queenstown Sim Feiners raised
the Republican colors on the Flagstaff
in front OF the harbor commissioner
Official residence. Then they cut the
halyards and creased the pole to
prevent the removal the Sim Fem
emblem.
Throughout counties Cork and
Clare. disguised and armed men de-
snoyed police barracks. At this ca
bling the record of police barracks de-
stroyed in the various counties is as
follows:
Limerick, six: Clare, twelve; Down,
I'VE; Armagh. two: Roscommon, four;
Cork, four; Tyrone, one total, 81.
BE NO REBELLdON
The Dublin correspondent of the
London Daily Herald quotes a Sim
Fein leader as saying there will be no
rebellion in Ireland, it being generally
realized that rising would simply re-
suit in a massacre.
The Sim Fem" the leader added,
NOW has a discipline which even
Noske's iron guards could not emu
late The people are deeply embit-
tered over the incredibly stupid policy
Of Dublin Castle which they believe
was deliberately adopted for the pur-
pose of provoking insurrection."
sensational stories are tod or myS-
terious shootings in the Mount Joy
prison. 1t is asserted several rounds
were fired Wednesday night by the
military quartered in the prison and
that further shots were exchanged
twice early Friday morning.
Telephone messages from Belfast
1t 3 O'Clock tonight say the city was
quiet throughout the day but reports
OF fires in the outlying districts con-
tiHue to come In .rss7ga..4.- Ta's39aa
The incendiarism near the Ulster
stronghold was most virulent in the
Newry district, according to a later
message.
Ten arrests were made following an
attempt to destroy the customs house
and the barracks at Newry, where
rebel raiders also attempted TO burn
down the revenue collectors private
rSsfdence. IN this they were baked
by the pluck of the collectors daugh-
tar Mrs. Mansfield, who held one of
the attackers by the nose, half stifi-
ing him. until the police arrived.
Among the ten prisoners La Coun-
eifIof Patrick Tavery. 80 S''
At late hour tonight this authorf.