Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-09-21
IRISH POLICE
WRECK TOWN
Deed is Done in Retaliation
For Shooting Of Two Pc.
lice Officers.

Dublin, Sept. 21.-Audliary police,
forces last night wrecked the town
Of BalbriEgan, near here, III retalia-
ton Tor the shooting Of two police.
omcers there earlier in the evening,
when District inspector Burke was
killed and his brother, Sergeant Burke
was seriously wounded.
Two tiviliahb were shot dead and
several persons wounded. Many
houses were set on fire and the larg-l
est hosiery factory in ireland, be-;
This morning the town was in ter
ror, and streams Of refugees in all
sorts OF vehicles were abandoning
the place, for neighboring villages.
Shortly after midnight uniformed.
men appeared in the streets, evidently
bent on reprisals for the shooting Of
the police officials. They Immediately
proceeded to wreck the town. The
public houses were entered and set
on fire. as well as numerous private
homes, whose occupants were given
little time to dress before the build
ihgs were burned.
Many of the business houses, in
Guiding the big hosiery mills of
Decides, Templer & Co., were de-
stroyed. .v
The town is enc Of the eenters of
hosiery manufacture and power loom
It is reported that the two civilians
killed were dragged from their
houses, b~ayonetted. and then shot.
Houses belonging to prominent Sim
Feiners were set or fire, and "a total
of 20 residences are reported burned.
The sacking of the town was carried
out by SO auxiliary police, known as
"hI0ck and foroD fsoro ttoS~ ,,~iPo~~.-
Today these police were Frepor.e ed as
declaring they would return tonight
to complete the destruction of the
town.
Belfast, Ireland, Sept. 21.-Aftcr a
display by Ulster volunteers today,
armed n disguised men in uniform
attacked several premises in Carrick-
,on-Shannon, County Leitrim, and
caused considerable damage with
rifle fire and bombs.
Reports from Scariff. County Clare,
state that reprisals have been taken
ION that village for the wounding Of
two constables. Similar scenes oc-
Cured in Abbey Feale. County Linz
sriEk, where the local temperance
hall wa burned. a pharmacy dam
aged and the windows OF houses
smashed In reprisal for the death of
a constable Saturday.
The Burke brothers. the two police
officers. were shot as they were leav-
ing a restaurant. They had motored
over from Dublin in plain clothes with
other members OF the police force.
Some dispute arose in the restaurant
and as the Burkes emerged five shots
were fired from the crowd.
The news Travelled to Germantown,
where the 'black and tans,'' who are
English recruits for the Irish police
force, are stationed They started in
motor lorries for Balbriggan. The
SHOOTING, burning and looting began
Immediately upon their arrival.
On<bf the acts Of the auxiliaries was
to seek out men suspected of shoot
ing the BYrkes. A barber named
Larless, a middle aged man. the father
Of a large family. was taken from his
home and killed, as was a dairy
farmer named Gibbons. The latter
was both ~bayonetted and shot.
During the night numerous ex-
plosioiis were heard. The BLACKS and
tans' left at S O'Clock in the morning.
declaring hat if the wounded police
officer, Sergeant Burke, died they
would return and finish the town"