New-York tribune., 1921-06-13
Assassins Slay
Four i'm Belfast:
Two Die i'm Riot
Many Wounded as Police
Battle Rebels; Woman Hit
by Bomb; Aged Pastor
and 3 Others Butchered
King May Cancel Visit
Half Million Damage Done
in Clare Arson Outbreak;
Cork Murders Continue

BELFAST, June IL (By The Associ-
atcd Press) Sharp rioting occurred
in the York Street area here to-day,
resulting in one man being shot in the
stomach and thirteen others otherwise
wounded. Four men were found shot
to death in various parts Of the city.
The disturbance began yesterday
evening between a few people and rap
idly spread until both factions received
reinforcements. During the rioting
many bricks were thrown and revolver
shots were frequent. A bomb thrown
by one of the rioters blew off mans
hand and seriously injured woman.
The police then fred a volley of
shots among the rioters, finally clubbed
the mob into Quietude and dispersed
them. When the curfew was rung
fourteen persons had been treated in
a hospital.
York Street tonight was again q
battle-ground, the police being COM
PEELED to fire on the crowd. Several
cases of bullet wounds were sent to
the hospital. Special Constable Sturdy
died of his wounds.
Disturbances also occurred in the
Kashoir Road, Falls Division, the chief
storm center of the riots last July,
and here the police fired on Sim Fein
snipers. An unidentified man was shot
dead.
May Halt Kings Visit
The question is being widely raised
in Belfast as to whether the killings
here over this weekend will interfere
with the visit of King George to par
ticipate in the state opening of the
Ulster Parliament on June 90. The
series of tragedies during the week
end eclipsed the savagery Of any pre-
vious shootings.
The victims included an aged clergy
man and three young business men,
the latter being found dead in the
northern section Of the city, The Very
Rev. James Finlay, Of Bamboy, County
Cavan, eighty years old and former
dean of Leighlin, who had been a
clergyman since 1867, on answering a
knock at his door last might, was con-
fronted by number Of masked men.
Without parley they took him outside,
shot him dead, then battered his head
to pulp and burned his residence
The other three men killed were Will
liam Kerr, barber; Malachy Half
penny, postman, and Alexander Nc
Bride, saloonkeeper, all residents of
Belfast. AS their deaths occurred dur
ing the curfew hours, the killings are
generally believed here to have been in
reprisal for the shooting of q police
sergeant and two constables On Friday
All Taken From Beds
Many strangely attired were con-
cerned in the grim episodes. In each
instance the assassins arrived in
motor car, took the intended victim
from bed apd riddled him with bullets
outside his house. Then the body was
placed in the car and removed to the
northern heights of the city, where it
was placed in lonely field. The
relatives say the murdered men were
assured they were wanted for idcntif-
cation purposes and would be allowed
to return to their homes. Kerr and
Mcbride leave wives and infant chill
dren. Halfpenny was unmarried.
DUBLIN, June 12.-An outbreak Of
arson occurred in the Scariff district,
County Glare, Saturday. Several
private residences, the Scariff work
houses and the Galleyhead and King
Bar coast guard stations were burned
to the ground. The damage exceeds
100000.
CORK, June 12.-John Lucey was
shot dead by crown forces here last
night for failing to answer challenge
after the curfew hour. Head Con
stable McElhill was shot on his way
to church at Killeggan, West Meath, to-
day. He died within an hour.
A shoemaker named Fitzgibbon was
taken from his home in Liscarroll,
Cork, by armed men and shot to death.
The usual spy notice was pinned to the
body forbidding it's removal.