New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-22
Cork Tragedy
Seen as Spark
10 Set Revolt
Finger of Suspicion in
Assassination of Mayor
Now Being Pointed at
Royal Irish Consiabularv
By Frank Getty

from The Tribunc's European Rurenu
copyright. 1920. New York Tribune Inc
DUBLIN, March 21.-The finger of
suspicion is being pointed at the Royal
Irish Constabulary in connection with
the murder early yesterday of Thomas
MacCurtain, Lord Mayor of Cork. and
feeling in Ireland is running high over
the matter
Wheresas previously the country ap
peared to be reasonably quiet and the
cnances OF any special disturbances
seemed remote, the cold-blooded assas-
slnatlon OF the Sim Fein mayor NAV
possibly prove to be the spark to touch
OIL mine of serious trouble.
The murder of man as prominent
IN Sim Fem ranks as Mayor MacCur-
tain was might be sufficient in itself
70 SUR up many sympathizers to take
active counter measures.
No Policemen on jury
Matters have been made worse bv
the solicitor for the Lord MAYORS fam.
ny, who has requested that no former
pollcemen be allowed to serve on the
coroner's jury, as it is expected to pro
duce evidence which will make it inn
possible TOR any former member of the
Royal Irish Constabulary to return an
impartial verdict.
Such a suggestion is bound to fur
nlsh food for thought to the magma
1--WE lrlsh republicans, particularly the
more iawless who are getting restless
with the approach of Easter week
The public is still left in the dark so
far as the identity of the murderer is
concerned. Tomorrow there will be a
public funeral and the day will be OBJ
served as one of general mourning in
the City of Cork. The military will be
out in force and every precaution viii
be taken to avoid all possibility of a
general disturbance. The police and
constables especially will be on their
guard.
The chances are that there will be no
outbreaks whatever and that the dem
onstrations will be confined to public
attendance of the Lord Mayors funeral.
MacCurtain was universally respected
by his followers and he wasn't himself
man OF violence or an advocate of anv
thing more lawless than resistance to
oppression.
Reprisals Expected
Probably things will be quiet unt;,
after the findings Of the coroner's jurv
are made public. Then if the suggestion
Of suspicion cast on the Royal Irish Con-
stabulary proves to have been war
ranted, there doubtless will be reprisals.
if not wholesale murder
From The Trt6une's European Bureau
Copyright. 1920, New York Tribune Inc.)
LONDON, March 2I.-Engiand Is al
most as stirred up as Ireland over the
assassination OF the Lord Mayor of
Cork and there is a general feeling
that the tragedy of Ireland NAV be
nearing eliminating catastrophe" as
The Sunday Express" puts it, demand
ing light shed on the impenetrable
darkness which hides the unoercur-
rents in Ireland
There is suggestion from English
sources that the murderers were from
England, gang Of desperadoes whuse
aim was to repay Sim Fein for the
murder of policemen in the past. The
latter part Of the suggestion is gen
orally ridiculed here. however. On the
ground that no man in this country
who would stoop to murder has a
spirit of justice sufficiently developed
to carry him across the Irish Sea to
avenge the death of an Irish police
man.
But it is conceded that such a gang
might have been hired for this Corr
outrage. Proof of that would be dis
astrOuS.