Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-04-18
B[OOD[ESS VICTORY
PROVES AN EASTER
COUP IN IRELAND.


TRIO Sligo, ireland, April is CBy
Courier to DWbin) tAlD Maj Gen.
MCKcOwn, whose Chiyalry has made
him widely known rs the black
smith of Ballnalcc" divided honors
with Arthur Griffith rs the hero OF
Sundays trial of strength here IN
which the president of the Dali Fire
ann and his supporters Of the free
state treaty won a bluOdlcss victory.
II was largely Gen. McKcown's' ut
ter disregard Of his own danger that
saved the day from the free statcrs,
Hours before Mr., Grinith, in a spec.
Cial parlor car boldly steamed iutoI
Sligo with an escort of loyal members
OF the Irish Republican army the
town had been barricadcd against
him by treaty opponents, who OCCup-
led all hotels and public buildings cX-
cept the Jail. and including the town
hall, where Mr. Griffith intended to
deliver his address
Garrisons of young men armed
with rcvOlvcrs and rifles and wear
ing nOndesCript uniforms, took mp
positions at windows of public build
ings with boxes of rifle ammunition
at hand for what seemed to be an
impending clash Of arms,
SO real seemed the danger of a.
catastrophe, that the bishop UI Sligo
intorCCded for peace. Gen. Piking.
ton, commander of the Third West
ern Division of the Irish Republican
Army who prescribed the meeting
ten days ago and who is described .
ar a mere boy sent messenger
during the morning seeking a com
promise. hut Gen McNeOwn was
adamant and sent back word that
the one condition on which he would
meet the Republican chioftan was
evacuation OF the Communicated
buildings Apparently Gen PilkinG.
ton ignored this message, as the
town continued in state of nervous
apprehension,
Some Shots Exchanged.
Arrival of Free state reinforce
ments from Dublin during the morn.
ing Gained the oXuborance Of the
dissenters to some extent. for al.
though they held most OF the ave.
nl's Hhrough which JMr. Ctinth
and his party might enter the town
no attempt was made 10 interfere
with his progress.
There was some change of shots
during the morning. while a FREQ
State officer, Lieut.. Gen. O'Conncll.
wa stryinG to billet some of his men
in hotels The exchange lasted spv.
raI
publican soldier was badly wounded
and another soldier ana one civilian
less seriously.
Gen. McKcOwn. with his small
bodyGuard, later in the day occupied
rooms in SHOP overlooking the
square whore Mr. Griffith was to
speak. On every side there were
staggering groups OF Irish repu5-
lican army men, who brandishod .
weapons with much bravadO.
In this grim atmosphere Mr. Crit
fifth was escorted into the square by
armored cars and attended by free
state troops. With speakers and lis $
teners alike Drawing the dangers Of
the situation the president of the
Dali Eircann made his address, us
ing a military tender for a platform
Before Mr.. Griffith started to
speak Gen. McKeown made a speech
from the building he occupied, toll
ing the crowd that the army must
be servants and not dictators of the
public He said they had a duty to
perform, which was to fight the
enem within as you have fought
enemies without"
Mr. Griffith said those who OPP
posed the free state treaty had
raised the issue as to whether the
Irish people had a right to decide for
themselves their own destiny Those
who fought for liberty against the
british black and tans were not gO-.
ing to yield to the Irish black and
taEs. he asserted