Omaha daily bee., 1920-11-19

Describe
Irish Riots
All Agree Civil Processes for
Provisional Republic Virtu.
ally at End Under British
Military Rule.
Priest Tells Of Killing


Washington, Nov. l8.-Eye-witO
ness reports of disturbances in Ire
land connected with the movement
for Irish inderendence were given
today at the opening hearings OF
the commission of the committee OF
100 investigating the Irish question.
Four witnesses, including Dennis
Morgan, chairman of the town coun-
Gil Of Thurles, Ireland and three
Americans who visited Ireland re-
cently-John F. Martin, Green Bay,
Wis; Father Michael English.
Whitehall, Mont, and Father James
H. Cotter, Ironton, O.-were heard
by the commission. All expressed
sympathy for the Irish independence
movement, and told of violent events
which they had seen, and agreed that
civil processes, except Of the provls-
ional Irish republic, were virtually
at an end under the rule OF the
British military forces.
Mr.. Morgan said his home was
riddled with bullets prior to his ar
rest and deportation to England with
out any definite charges being pre-
ferred against him. With 200 other
Irish republican leaders, he said. he
went on a. hunger strike until they
were released. He also told OF
murders" OF Irish citizens by con
stabulary and soldiers. including the
"black and tan" forces.
Papers Confscated.
Father English asserted that Brit
ish soldiers had conhscated his
papers. The military authorities de-
rided his protests that he was ali
American citizen, he said, and he also
told of having witnessed the shoot
ing of an Irishman whose body, he
said, was beaten into unrecognizable
form. -
Father Cotter. a Catholic editor.
told of the killing Of Galway civ
ilian by a British soldier. without
cause, he said. The soldier, he said.
was seized by another civilian aDd
reprisals against the town followed
an hour later. Soldiers shot up the
streets for several hours" he said.
The aged priest added that he lay
for an hour and half under win
dow hedge of his hotel to escape the
hying bullets. The military, he add
er, later set fire to two houses and
| fired into Galway newspaper plant
whose management was friendly to
the republican movement.
Sentiment Strong.
i Father Cotter and Mr.. Martin. a
Knights of Columbus official. stated
that sentiment in ireland, as they
found it, was virtually unanimous
for independence.
'Sympathies of every one met,
Catholic and Protestant, were for
the republicans said Father Cot
ter. The belief that religious pref
udice or differences were involved in
Ireland was unfounded, he added.
1 There was absolute unanimity OF
opinion for homerule," Mr.. Martin
said. All witnesses said that civil
court procedure was suspended in
Ireland, coroners inquests prohibited
by the British government and that
the only authority exercised except
for the British military forces, was
that of the Irish republicans.
| About 600 soldiers and 400 police
are stationed constantly in Limerick,
REV Mr.. English said. Military raids
through Penniwill. Limerick dis
trict. were so frequent, he said, that
it had been named the "Penniwill sec
tor" He told OF fire started by
| hand greaades or incendiaries, which
injured 200 houses in the Penniwill
district and said he saw many marks
of bullets and bombs.