Evening star., 1922-06-28
Regulars Open Fierce Attack
on "RebeIs" Barricaded in
the Four Courts.
SHELLS RUIN BUILDING;
RORY O'CONNOR WOUNDED
1rregulars Give Up Fowler's Hall
When Fire Breaks 0ut-700
Free State Troops in Battle.

On the lrlSh republican army lrfeSu-
lars barricaded in the Four Courts. at
Dublin, was still in progress at 1
o'clock this afternoon. Under heavy
fire from rifles and machine guns and
of high-explosive shells from small
calibered artillery the irregular
troops, under Commandant Rory
O'Connor, were reported to have been
diven to the rear part of the Four
Courts building, and the belief that
they could not hold out much longer
was expressed in official quarters.
Fowler's Hall. in Parnell Square,
held by the insurgents, also was be-
sieged, and after fire had broken out
there shortly after noon the irregu-
lars evacuated it and moved to a
hotel in the vicinity, where they be-
gan throwing up defenses.
Fifteen Reported Killed.
Unofficial estimates were that fif-
teen men had been killed and num-
berS of com batants wounded up to the
early afternoon. and it was rumored
that Commandant o'Connor of the ir-
regulars was among the wounded.
The artillery fire upon the Four
Courts was sparing in quantity, from
the desire to save the ancient build
ing as far as possible, and during the
hour from noon to o'clock not shot
was fired from the eighteen
from which the high-explosive shells
were being sent into the structure
AS early as $50 o'clock the copper
dome on the Four Courts had been
blown in, ambulances were dashing
about in all directions and the scene
was one of indescribable confusion.
Fowler Hall on Parnell square, oc-
cupied by irregulars, also was at
tackled by the Irish government
The official troops command the
Four Courts building from all sides,
but the nature of the structure made
, an assault difficult, and as the build
Iments there was no disposit ion to
lire the structure as a means of GUST
nS the insurgents.
Casualty List Heavy.
The number of casualties on either
side was not known definitely. but
fourteen had been reported up to
midforenoon. Three irregulars were
carried out of the Four Courts build
ing by the rear exit at $50 o'clock.
They were believed to be badly
wounded and 1t was rumored two
others of the irregulars had been
killed.
Five casualties among the Free
State troops had occurred up to
1880 o'clock. These were men who
had been wounded and taken to
hospital for treatment One woman
in the city died of heart failure from
excitement brought on by the fight
ing.
Artillery was re-employed to some ex-
tent by the provisional government
Of n-nnIIn6er
having been in action, and considerable
damage was reported to have been done
the insrgents' stronghold. The Four
Courts had been strongly fortified by
the iTregulars, who replied vigorously to
the fire of the attacking parties.
The Royal Dublin Society's buildings,
which had been chosen by the provi-
sonal government as the meeting place
for the new southern Irish parliament
l:ext Saturday, have been tightly closed
and the gates barred as a precaution
= against an attack by the irregulars.
Bursting shells Stir City.
The fusilade around the Four Courts
was punctuated at intervals by the
sound of bursting shells, and it was as
certained that two eighteen-pounders
were in action. Machine guns were be-
ing freely used by both sides.
The entire city was awakened by the
din, even to the remote suburbs.
Soon after o'clock this morning there
seemed to be a slackening in the in
tensity of the firing, but it revived soon
afterward, and the sound, of the ex-
ploding shells made 1t evident that the
conflict was still in progress.
The first casualty reported was
amongst the provisional government
troops ! Private Long was wounded
while on duty in Chancery street.
1t was learned during the morning
that the official forces were using
against the Four Courts two eighteen
with delayed action fuses. They fired
at first from the high ground in the
neighborhood of Christ Church Ca
1hedral at a range of 200 yards. BY
1880 O'Clock a breach had been made
in one wall of the building. The idea
of using high-explosive shells was to
minimize the risk of fire. The guns
later were moved to fresh positions
where the advantages Of direct fire
seemed greater.
The attack on the insurgents was
preceded by the sending of two ulti-
matums to Commandment Rory O'Con-
nor. One of these demanded the re-
lease of Lieut.. Gen. OConnell, assist
amt chief of staff of the regular
forces, who was seized yesterday by
the insurgents. The other set time
limit after which an attack would be
made.
building Turned Into Fortress.
Eager preparations were made by
OConnor's forces yesterday and late
last night to strengthen their de-
fenses in anticipation of the attack,
which their leaders boasted that he
desired and did not fear. He has held
the building since the middle Of April,
and has turned it into a fortress by
piling sandbags, law books and fur
niture against the windows, barring
several of the doors and guarding the
remaining approaches with barbed
wire.
About ZOO men were engaged on the
government side.
Orange Hall. taken over by the in
surgents as a refuge for Belfast
Catholics" was also attacked.
Newspaper men were not allowed to
approach the scenes of operations,
The surrounding streets being cor
'tioned with troops; consequently, au-
thentic details were difficult to OBJ
tain.
The arrangements for the invest
ment of the insurgents were in
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