Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-05-26
Attack Is Worst Yet

This Dublin Castle officials an
nounced, is the work of Sim Fein
forces, which, at an early hour this
afternoon, made the most formidable
attack against government property
that has been engineered since the
present rebellion began.
The employees of the various de-
partments housed in the building
were made prisoner, vast quantities
Of petrol were poured over the inter-
ior OF the building and the light was
applied. Soon military lorries crowd
ed with soldiers appeared, and a
pitched battle ensued The Sim
FeinerS occupied the customs House
and crowding windows, met the SOL
dicrs with a heavy fire. Machine
guns and rifles responded, and a
strong Gordon was thrown arounr the
building. Whent he flames became
too hot, the raiders attempted to es-
cape through the various doors, but
several were shot down and killed
the official statement. seven civilians
were killed, eleven wounded and Ill
captured.
Four auxiliares We're wounded.
Crown forces in sortie entered the
building and made many captures.
Some of the raiders were saturated
with petrol and it is believed that
several met their death in the raging
flames.
The destruction of the Dublin GUS
tom house constitutes the most seri-
Gus damage since the rebellion. The
building of which nothing remains
but the shell. was erected during the
Irish parliament and was one of the
most beautiful in Ireland. 1t had lit
tie to do with the customs but hous-
ed many of the chief administration
departments. and it's destruction Grip
pied the ordinary machinery of the
government more than if Dublin Cas-
tie had been burned.
The local government board, whose
function is to control all Irish repre-
sentative bodies, had its offices in the
constant conflict with various bodies
repudiating allegiance to it and ally
ing themselves with the Dali Eireann
and it's records now are destroyed.
All registrations and lists of share
holders of public companies were
kept in the building, which was also
occupied by the stamp office and the
stationery office, in addition to being
the central headquarters of the in
land revenue department.
Shortly before o'clock this after
noon numerous young men, heavily
armed entered the custom house and
held up the staff. assembling them
in the vestibule under guard. Twp
dozen boxes, each containing four tins
of petrol, and four bales of cotton
waste, were passed into the building.
The invaders are said to have num-
bered about co. some of them carry
ing two revolvers each. Three police
men came in to see what was hap
pening: they were promptly seized,
deprived of their weapons and placed
with the other prison ers. Petrol was
poured over the most important doc
uments and the building was set on
fire in a number Of places.
The fire brigade was prevented
from reaching the scene by armed
bands. Auxiliaries soon arrived in
military lorries and the raiders fired
on them from the building and even
tually made sortie. A regular battle
ensued
Reinforcements of crown forces
Kept arriving and under their protec-
ton the fire brigade got to work. but
their task was hopeless. Troops pour
ed into the district, Lewis guns and
machine guns from armored cars
We're elvelled on the building and ev-
cry effort was made to hem in and
capture the incendiaries. By 4 o.
clock about 50 men had been arrested
and carried away in military lorries.
Early estimates of the casualties
liked the number at five civilians and
one auxiliary killed and MANY wound
(Cop&inued IN Dana d-CoI- ~