The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-11
3 WHO FLED ERIN
SCORE CONSTABLES
Ex-Members of British Forces
Testify Before Committee of
One Hundred.
DETAIL MOUNTAIN DEATH
Miss MacSwiney Also a Wit
ness-Cruelty Charged to
Black and Tans.
DETAIL MOUNTAIN DEATH

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.-Three former
members of the Royal Irish Constabu-
larry, eac hof whom said he had resigned
as protest against British misrule"
and later fed IRELAND in fear of attack
by former comrades, presented to-day to
the commission Of the committee of one
hundred investigating the Irish question
accounts of the operations of the British
military forces In the Emerald Isle.
Each of the three, John J. Caddan,
John Tangney and Daniel +. Crowley,
told of raids in which they said they had
been forced to participate as members OF
the consta bulary and of the receipt from
British commanders Of orders to destroy
life and property.
The commission also heard details of
. the killing Of Lord Mayor McCurtain OF
Cork from Miss Mary MacSwlney, sister
of Terence MacSwiney, successor TO
Mayor McCurtain, an eyewitness account
of a military raid on a small County
Clare town from p. J. Guilfoyle of Pitts
burg. and description OF conditions in
Ireland in September, as seen by Mrs.
Thomas Murphy of New York. The
commission at the conclusion of to-day's
session adjourned it's hearing until next
Wednesday.
scores Black and Tans.
Tangney, in his story OF the British
military operations. characterized the
Black and Tans as 1.-The worst scum OF
the country" and added:
There were many clashes between
the Black and Tans and the Royal Irish
Constabulary, for we looked upon them
as below US. / finally resigned because
there was nothing left for me to do as a
policeman but lead the military to their
butcheries."
Caddan devoted a large part of his
recital to a description of life in the
military barracks. declaring that each
barrack contained canteen and that
there is absolutely no limit to, the
amount which the men can buy"
"As a result" he continued. the men
spend their time in only three. ways. the
short duty on the streets, in the canteen
and in bed; and they don't go out on
duty an awful lot, and the canteens are
always open"
Caddan related accounts OF midnight
raids and burnings and declared he had
seen men, women and children dragged
from their beds amid showers of bullets
TO watch their homes burn. He said
quantities of food had been destroyed
by the British forces, and that regula-
tons had been made effective prohibit
ing long distance transportation of
foodstuffs.
Crowley said that his commandant
had. sent orders to the constables
stationed at Clogheen to board
armored cars and visit the home of
every man who is and has been con-
nected with the Irish movement and
turn the machine guns on them all"
Says Life Was Threatened.
Charges that the British had
threatened his life when he protested
against the searching out of men on the
single charge of being Republicans
were placed before the commission by
Crowley.
Mrs Murphy told the commission that
she saw the military deliberately shoot
a 5-year-old girl who was out after cur
Few a few hours" She also gave an ac-
count of how Black and Tans held her
I'D to search for arms and in doing SO
tore the clothing from her 2-year-old
Child. held in her arms.
Conditions in Ireland at present were
described by Mrs. Murphy as serious be-
cause of a shortage OF food. She de-
scribed the bread as "nneatable" and de-
clared that for nearly eight months she
had been unable to get milk for her
baby.
James H Maurer. member OF the spc-
cial committee which the commission OF
the Committee of One Hundred had
planned to send to Great Britain TO
study the Irish question. sent a cable-
CRANE to-day to William p. Adamson.
chairman OF the Labor Party in the
British House OF Commons, protesting
against the action OF the British Gov
eminent in refusing TO wise the pass
rorta Of tho members of the committed