The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-05-27
CUSTOM HOUSE: IS
DESTROYED BY FIRE
Important Papers and Records Re
ls.ting to London Lost-Number
Number OF Persons Kill
cd, Wounded and Cap.
tured i'm Fighting

Dublin, May 26.-The Dublin GUS
| tom house is in ruins tonight and all
the most important documents of
the government relating to Ireland,
with papers and records, the value
of which can not be estimated, have
been destroyed.
| This distinctions the officials
announced, 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 prisoners, vast quantities
Of petrol were poured over the in
terrier Of the. building and the light
was applied. Soon military lorries
appeared and a pitched battle en-
sued. =
The Sim Feiners occupied the Gus
tom house and from the windows
met the soldiers with 8 heavy fire.
Machine guns and rifles responded
and a strong Gordon was thrown
around the building.
= When the flames became too hot
the raiders attempted to make their
escape through the various doors,
but several were shot down and kill
ed and many were wounded. Accord
ing 20 the official statement, seven
civilians were killed, II were wound
ed and Ill captured. Four of the
auxiliaries were wounded.
Crown forces in sortie entered
the building and made many cap
lures. Some of the raiders were
! saturated with petrol and it; is be-
lieved that several met their death
in the raging flames. ..-..
/ London, May 26-The Irish Office
tonight issued the following official
report on the custom house fire at
Dublin:
"Three tenders carrying auxiliary
cadets and accompanied by an ar
mored car, approached the Dublin
custom house. shortly after 10
o'clock this morning. AS they ap-
preached the building a number Of
bombs were thrown at the leaders
from the railway bridge, while re-
volyer fire was opened on them from
the windows of the custom house,
which was occupied by large force
of Sim Feiners.
"The cadets dismounted under
heavy fire and surrounded the GUS
tom house which was seen to be
burning. Fire from the auxiliaries
and the machine sun of the armored
car was poured into windows
of the custom house from which the
rebels replied vigorously and a Sc
ries of desperate conflicts followed
between crown forces and seven or
eight parties of rebels, who rushed
from different doors Of the building
making dashes for liberty and firing
as they ran. The first party to
emerge consisted Of three men, only
one of whom esc&ped, the rest be-
ing killed or wounded.
"Some of the auxiliaries then
stormed the blazing building, where
many of the rebels surrendered.
Some Of them were found to be, sat-
urated with petrol and several were
probably burned to death before the
crown forces entered.
"The fremen were held up at the
first station by retels so that the fire
engines did not arrive until 2 o'clock
| by which time the fire had taken hold
of the entire building.
CAT the conclusion of the fight,
dead and wounded rebels lay about
on all sides of the building, where
the ground was strewn with broken
glass and empty cartridge cases.
"Four auxiliaries were wounded:
seven civilians were killed, eleven