The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-31
LAYS TERROR RULE
TO BLACK AND TANS
English Correspondent Finds
ConstabuIary in Erin ReSpon-
sibIe for CrueIties.

LONDON, Dec. Sit Is fortunate,
thinks Hugh Martin, the London Daily
News correspondent at ListoWel,
County Kerry. that this is not the
touring season in Southwest Ireland.
for visitors would return in mood
that would shock even the chief sec
Rotary 1t is hypocrisy, he says. to
deny that there Is police reign OF
terror.
in Thurles Town called on two
business men" he writes. The door
was half opened in the one case by a
girl whose voice shook with fear as
she denied that she knew anything OF
my friends whereabouts, or OF the
" hereabouts Of his employees. In the
other case a woman whispered. Whose
there through the letter box, and 1t
vas only with difficulty that l got
the door opened at all.
ARMED FORCES EVERYWHERE.
"Out in the hill country the people
told me how men whom they persist
in calling the Black and Tans' are in
the habit of shooting their geese ap-
parently for sport, and cutting off the
heads of their ducks and chickens.
Allowing for picturesque eXaggera-
ton, one feels that there must be
something in it.
This almost Bolshevik disregard
for the sanctity OF property is met
with wherever you meet with any
branch of the governments armed
force, and that is nearly everywhere.
In Limerick city / watched a lorry
full of riflemen with their weapons at
the ready, drive its way through a
street horse fair, while a soldier
fingered the trigger of heavy swivel
gun and swung the barrel from side
to side.
POLICEMAN MURDERED.
Again. this sort of thing may be
expedient, but if so, why pretend that
we are acting merely on the dcfens-
i've?
In Kerry. one of the townships at
which called, was Abbeyfeale. More
than a month ago policeman was
murdered there. Since then Abbel-
fcale has been an exceedingly un-
healthy spot for those who are blest
with any but the strongest nerves.
Two young men were first shot dead
for no apparent reason. except that
they failed to say good evening to
a sentry. Outbursts of JOY shooting
up and down the town after dark
followed for week or two.
LITTLE GIRL SHOT.
pay night for the Black and Tans is
now signal for pandemonium,' and
this in spite of the efforts of head
constable, who is certainly doing his
best to introduce discipline. One of
the pleasant recreations of the new
police is bombing the river Ga trib-
tary of the Shannon) for salmon.
Recently they varied this fruitful but
illegal sport by shooting with rifles
at the fish going through the salmon
leap.
Two cows and goat in the mead
ows were hit and badly injured, but
the casualties did not stop there.
Peggy Brosnan, eleven years old, was
playing on the public bridge nearby
when a bullet smashed her ankle. She
lies now in Limerick Hospital and
probably W. have to go through life
minus her right foot.
Whatever they do does not tend
towards friendship between police and
public. The unfortunate thing is that
no disciplinary action appears to be
taken under any circumstances
against any armed servant of the
Crown. That is why everybody in
this part of the world considers Sir
Hamar Greenwood a hypocrite.'