The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-24
BRITISH TO PROBE
POLICE REPRISALS
ON SINN FEINERS
Stern Punishment Awaits Guilty
Officers in Ireland.
Sim Fein Accused of Using
Dum-Dum Bullets.
EIGHT KILLED IN AMBUSH
KILLED IN AMBUSH
Over $50 Irish Reds Surrounded
Police Patrol.
Lord Mayor MacSwiney Lives
After FOrty-Third Day Fast.

London, Sept. 24.-The government,
urged by popular condemnation of
police reprisals in Ireland, began an
investigation today. It was announced
the investigation will be thoro and
that stern punishment will be inflicted
on the guilty.
The situation in County Clare will
be reviewed first. Despite conflicting
reports. it appeared at least eight were
dead there including four police.
Military leaders charged Sim Feiners
used dum-dum bullets.
Dublin Postoffice Robbed.
The main postoffice in Dublin, on
O'Connell street, was robbed last night
of several thousand pounds in cash
Two armed men held up the porter,
blew the safe and escaped. The rob
berry was accomplished without arous-
ing guards Police said they had no
clues.
Ambushed Police Patrol.
The ambush of police patrol at
MultOwn Malbay was reported to have
been elaborate The automobile was
surrounded by $50 Sim Feiners, the
officers being killed before they had
opportunity to fight back. The Sim
Feiners were said to have been sur
prised later by a company of soldiers
and withdrew with a number of
wounded The military took forty
prisoners. accor ding to reports.
Sim Feiners assrted that the Mill
town Malbay reprisais were extended
to all nearby seaboard towns Black
and tan" police cruized the streets, De
stroying property and shooting up
the towns in wild west style. Officers
were said to have lost control of their
men enti ely.
Authorities here and in Dublin re-
iterated their denials that volunteer
troops Wer} cut of control They said
reports OF destruction were highly
colored, and that as a matter of fact
reprisals were carried out only by
small bands enraged at the sight of
Enutilated comrades.
MacSwincy on Eorty-Third Day.
a Sim Fein bulletin today said Lord
Mayor MacSwiney spent a bad night.
Pains in the head were said to have
been renewed. This was the forty
third day of his hunger strike.
The lord mayors relatives, assert
ing that the English press had garbled
their reports of MacSwiney' condltloh'
declared today they will give no fur
ther information to papers.
Rcprisals Not Planned.
Dublin. Sept 24-Gen. Sir Nevil
Macready. commander of the military
forces in ireland. in an interview to-
day denied that the reprisals for the
aSSa SSlTa llOn OF pollCe ldNth dl 0oA
briggan by the Black and Tans'' and
elsewhere by the regular police or
military, were actuated by the set
policy formulated by the government.
He declared, however, that if the guer-
rilla warfare of the Irish republican
army continued, the situation might
become such that reprisals would be
necessary
He made clear the position of the
military forces in Ireland, saying that
they had nothing to do with the ad-
ministration or operations of the royal
Irish cOnsta bulary and its British
auxiliary, the black and tans' other
than to give them necessary support
in carrying out their police duties
Irish Must Blame Selves"
Discussing the governments attitude
toward the Cork hunger strikers Gen
eral Macready said;
The Irish republican army, having
disorsu Rized not only the machinery
of Justice in this country but also the
transport of mails. have themselves
to blame if more time than usual has
been lost by the government in taking
the steps required to bring to trial the
men accused of murder and sedition-