The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-14
Police and Troops Have Cork
Under Complete Control.
Whole City Made Wilderness BY
Scourge of Fire.
TROOPS ARE GIVEN CLEAN BILL
Irish Secretary Lays Blame for
Fire ON Sim Fein.
New Casualty List Reported
Following Renewed War.

Dublin, Dec. IA party of armed
men attacked a military motor lorrie
carrying six black and tans at Balls
bridge on the outskirts of this city this
morning. The black and tans took
covering in the postoffice. Reinforce
ments were rushed up and relieved
them. No casualties had been re-
ported up to this afternoon.
London, Dec. 14.-With Cork under
complete control of the military, the
government today prepared to meet
attacks elsewhere in Ireland.
There were indications that MEM
bers of the Irish republican army were
ready for assaults on crown forces in
the counties bordering on Ulster.
In the fighting yesterday. the Irish
office today reported, one policeman
was killed. Seven police and soldiers
were wounded Three Sim Feiners
were killed. an unknown number
wounded, and sixteen captured.
Cork Now wilderness.
Cork. according to dispatches to-
day, was like city with its heart
cut out" The second city of Ireland
has become Staggering wilderness"
it was said. Comparisons were made
piles of masonry and steel being
spread out over five blocks in an ap-
! parently inextricable mass.
Reports today said incendiaries, after
firing the buildings, raced thru the
| brightly illuminated Streets shooting
rifles and revolvers. There was con-
siderable looting. these reports said.
Ask Sim Fein to Explain.
Investigation by a military commits
sion of the fires which swept the city
J of Cork on Saturday night and Sunday
was expected to be completed there
today. Major General Strickland,
commander of military forces in Ire
land. is the head of the commission
and the taking of evidence began yes
terday. The mayor of Cork and two
Sim Fein members of the parliament
4 have been called to explain allegations
that have. been made in a dispatch
sent to various foreign ambassadors
here relative to outrages which they
declare to have been perpetrated in
! Cork during the last week.
/ Announcement sof the commissions
findings was awaited with keen inter-
est as the question of who was respon-
sible for the fires in Cork has assumed
tion. In the absence of clear evidence,
rival elements have been doing their
utmost to fix the blame on the auxil-
iary police or the Irish extremists.
respectively.
Says Police BlameIess.
Sir Hamar Greenwood, chief secre-
tary for Ireland, speaking in the house
of commons last night, asserted his
belief that the auxiliary police did not
start the fires, and pointed out they
were not equipped with incendiary
bomb, which news dispatches assert
were used to spread flames in Cork.
Prospects of a truce in Ireland appear
to have been blasted by the most re-
cent events in that island, declared Sir
Hamar.
Telephone service between England
and Dublin, which was interru pit ed
last night, was resumed this morning.
The break in communication gave rise
to some anxiety here. Dublin passed
a quiet night. said a message to the
Exchange Telegraph company from
that city this morning.
Cork Had Quiet Night.
Cork. Dec. 14.-Except for a heavy
fusillade of rifle shots at about /
O'Clock this morning, which aroused
the population of Cork, fr ghtened by
the conflagration and disorders of SAT-
urday and Sunday. the night passed
, quietly in the city.
No police auxiliaries were in evil
dence in the streets today, and It is
believed all have left the city. Many
of the shopkeepers, refusing to accept
the assurances of the military that
order would be maintained, are closing
their premises and departing, causing
a further increase of mployment