New-York tribune., 1920-09-27
Carsonites Take Swift
Reprisal for Killing
of One Constable and
Wounding of 2 Others
Two Armed Camps
Set Up i'm the City
Reign of Terror Feared i'm
Renewal of Bloodshed 3
Armored Cars ON Patrol
By Frank Getty


LONDON, Sept. 26.-There was
grave news to-day from Belfast.
Three police constables on duty near
the Sim Fein quarter of the city
were shot late last night. In quick
reprisal, parties of Carsonites visit
ed the homes of several Sim Feina
ers, called four of them to their
doors and shot them dead.
Rioting, with revolver shooting
and stone-throwing, resulted and
lasted >intermittently throughout the
day. The police, assisted by the
military and armored cars, finally
quelled the disturbances, although
order has not been completely re-
stored.
1t is feared that the disorders may
touch off the ever infiammabIe Sec
tartan hate and lead to renewal Of
the bloodshed and destruction Of
property which threw Belfast into
state of terror last August.
Two police constables were on duty
on Broadway Falls Road in the Cath.
olic quarter when they were ap.
preached hX two unidentified men who
opened fire with their revolvers at
close range.
Two Men Arrested
One constable fell dead and the other
waa seriously wounded. AT the same
time two other constables ct the corner
Of Barracks and Mill streets were fired
on by four men. One constable was
seriously wounded. The other escaped
with bullet holes in his cape.
Two men have been arrested in con-
nection with the shootings.
The Unionist reprisals were meted out
four well-known Sim Feiners living
outside the Catholic quarters, the 10y
alists awoke the households, called out
their intended victims and shot them
dead.
Word of these contrasting atrocities
spread through the city, and by 10
o'clock this morning Belfast once more
was divided into two armed camps.
Gangs of Catholics clashed with the
Unionists in Foundry Street and again
in Clonanton Street, where consider
juries on both sides were caused with
Thrown stones. Later revoIvers were
brought into play by both the Cath
olics and Unionists. Police reserves
finally dispersed the .mobs, but they
came together again later in Stanhope
Street, where general sectarian rioting
began to spread through the district.
BELFAST, Sept. 2s.-The Falls dis.
trict Of Belfast was seething with exs
element to-day as result of the MUIR
der last night Of policeman the
wounding of two others and the swift
vengeance enacted in the killing Of
three civilians.
Tonight fierce rioting broke out in
north Belfast, the scene of the clashes
and asssssinations a few hours earlier.
First reports from the hospitals were
that five gunshot cases and many otheF
injuries were being treated.
Previously the shootings in this city
had occurred in the heat of rioting, but
now for the first time deliberately
planned killings have been carried out.
The affair had its beginnings at IL
o'clock Saturday night as Constables
Leonard and Carroll were patrolling
the Falls Road. When passing a public
II house they heard footsteps behind
them. Swinging around, they were con-
fronted by two men armed with re-
vofvers, who ordered hands up.
Three Shots Missed
Simultaneously with the order dre
was opened upon the officers, and
Leonard fell dead, the first bullet TAX.
ing effect in the breast. His eompanioH
had a miraculous escape. -Four shots
were directed at him. Three Of them
missed, the fourth lodging in the thigh.
Apparently thinking both men dead. the
assassins made off.
Farrell and Kearin were fred upon in
locality about mile from the seems
of the other attack. The assailants
sprang upon the policemen unex-
pectcdly. Farrell was shot in the arm,
Kearin was knocked down. and several
shots were fred at him while he was
on the ground. Some of the bullets
passed through his cape without touch
ing his body, and he came out of the
affair unscathed. Farrell was taken
| to hospital.
! The reprisals came swiftly. Shortly
after 3 o'clock this morning three
civilians, Edward Trodzen, John Mac
Fadden and John Gaynor, who lived
near the scene of the attacks upon the
| nolicemen, were slain in their homes.
| Different parties visited each house.
Four men took part in the shooting
Of Trodzen, who was barber. After
knocking at the door they fired a shot
through the barber shop window.
Trodzen's son opened the door and tbs
| men. wearing masks, rushed upstairs,
They dragged frozen 10 the yard,
where several shots were fred at his
head. shattering it. The men immedi.
ately left without molestins the other
occupants Of the house.
/ Shooting Near Barracks
The scene Of the second shootine
was hundred yards from the SPRING
field Road Barracks. Here three men
knocked. MacFadden opened the door,
Several shots were discharged at hSrn
and he hell dead on the doorstep.
Gaynor met his fate further alcns
the Springfield Road. His mother an.
swssed the tapping on she door aad