Evening star., 1920-03-22
NO KNOWN MOTIVE
FOR THE MURDER
OF CORK'S MAYOR
Correspondent Says Tragedy
Closed One of Blacklist
Weeks Since 1916.

y the Associated Press.
LONDON, March 22-Dispatches
from Ireland show the murder OF
Thomas MacCurtain, lord mayor of
t.ork, to have produced an intense. if
ubdued. sensation throughout Ire
and. This tragedy, says the London
lines correspondent in Dublin. closed
ne of the blackeSt weeks since the
ebellion of 1916. He gives a long
ist of outrageS in various parts of
he island, including five murders of
,olicemen and others. and an at
empt to kill Prof. Stockley of Cork.
The motive of the murder of the
ord mayor continues as mysterious
- ever. No arrests have been report
ID, nor so far as known have any
rlues to the perpetrators been obtain
d. Among the theories advanced is
me that MacCurtain was murdered
a warning to others because he
ecently had the courage to deprecate
ublicly an attempt to murder a po-
iceman in Cork.
London Papers Condemn Crime.
London newspapers. while unreServ-
~dly condemning the crime, maintain
does not differ from those which
ave long terrorized Ireland. 1t is
iecIared that Ireland for the moment
ecret murder societies. the members
which are sworn to kill those whom
hey believe to stand in their way
ut who the conspirators are puzzle S
he police as well as the public.
1t is remarked as a phenomenon
hat where murder societies exist,
aembers after a while begin to be
Inspected OF numbering each other.
Existence of these supposed societies
declared possible owing to the
moral -cowardice of the Irish public"
Hhe crimes the societies commit are
-epugnant to the better sort of Sim
'einers, who. however. keep silence.
caring the consequences If they con-
iemn assaSsinationS, the papers say.
FOresee Anarchy Perils.
Even newspapers which support
iome rule. while condemning what
hey regard as the present evil sys-
EN- of Irish government, also de-
ounce 1riShmen themselves for con-
oning methods which they say, are
ast establishing a condition of an
rchy and terrorism. under which
heir own leaders may soon be pow
rleSs to deliver them The anti
;ome rule Morning Post again at
acks the government today and de-
ounces Field Marshal French and
ames Ian MACPHERSON. saying: They
re bringing about the hideous ne
essity of reconquering Ireland by
'orce of arms" and civil war is with
n sight"
Thousands View Body.
CORK, March 21 (by the Associa ted
'ress). of persons resi-
ient in the city and from the sur
'ounding country today passed
through the city hall. where the body
II Lord Mayor MacCurtain, who was
tssassinated early Saturday morning,
vas lying in state.
A procession of mourners two miles
;ong followed the hearse yesterday
when the body was conveyed from the
mayors late residence to the town
hall Bishop Colahan walked in front
Of the first body of the Cork Sim
Eein volunteers, which acted as a
oodyguard and which furnished the
guard of honor in the town hall dur
ing the night
Today a proclamation printed in
English and Gaelic and signed by
Father Dominic. chaplain of the re-.
publican guard. was posted about the
city. 1t said: n
With grieved heart I announce to
you the death of our lord mayor.
Thomas MaeCurtain. commander of
the Cork 1st Brigade of the Army of
Monday as a civil holiday to afford
the citizens an opportunity of testi-
flying their respect to our chief citizen
and their horror at the brutal and
cowardly manner in which he was
done to death. Let no provocation
move our citizens to retaliation or to
any unseemly act"
Alexander MacCabe Resentenced.
Alexander MacCabe. member of
parliament for South Sligo. who had
been released from prison after hav-
ing served sentence imposed last
year on a charge of melting the dis
order and unlawful assembly, has been
rearrested and sentenced to three
months Imprisonment for inviting
subscriptions to the Sim Fein loan.
He has spent almost five years in Jail
for political offenses.
Sim Fein flags are flying over the
evacuated constabulary barracks at
Sherlock. County Cavan. Sim Feip
policemen are in charge there.