Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1922-06-30
BIC GUNS BOOM
IN IRISH CAPITAL
Sixteen Are Killed and About
Same Number Wounded.
SMASH REBEL sTRoNGHoLDS
Free State Troops Use Light Artillery,
BOMBS and Trench Mortars in
Their Attack on Four Courts,
o'conner's Headquarters.

Duhlln. June 29.-The first shot in
the second battle Of Dublin was fred
at dawn when Free State troops
moved TO clean up the haunts of the
insurgents. All day the city was the
scene Of events no less historic than
the 1916 rising against the English.
Latest reports put the number of dead
at I6 ana about as many wounded in
attacks on the strongholds of the IN
surgents at Four Courts, Kilmainham
Jail, Fowler Memorial hall. Orange
hall and several hotels and houses, ali
in the center of the city.
The military activity really began at
midnight, when the Free Staters mus
tered forces and posted machine, guns
and trench mortars and arranged for
transport and ambulance work.
o'connor Ignores Demand.
At 3 80 the government sent Rory
OConnor a demand to surrender Four
Courts. He refused either by ignoring
the message or making direct answer
which course he took is not yet
known publicly-and at four o'clock
the attack was opened Dy the regulars
with trench Elortars, machine guns,
bombs and rifles directed against the
ppr,ncipal insurgent strongholds. Light
guns mounted on arnored cars also
came into action.
The roar a1d rattle of pitched bat
tie Immediately brought the popula-
tion to the streets. thousands rushing
to the scene of action from all direc-
tons. The crowds were held back by
cordons of Free State troops.
About 500 regulars We're concentrat-
ed against Four Courts, where 0'Con-
n0r's forces are believed to number
400. The FIRE was Immediately re-
turned from -Four Courts, where the
Insurgents, anticipating attack, had
perfected defenses with sandbags and
b2rbed wires. 1t was difficult to fol-
low the results of the early exchanges
of fire.
There were spasmodic fusillades
from Free State troops occupying
houses in the vicinity of the courts
and answering volleys from the win
dbwsyof the besieged building. with in
dications that O'Connor ordered his
men to nurse their fire carefully, al
though he is credited with possessing
sufficient ammunition to withstand a
long siege.
Bombs and Trench Mortars.
Their was a crash of bullets against
walls and windows ana the louder
boom of bombs and trench mortars,
shell from which exploded against
walls and dome of historic fame. and
a gradually increasing column of
spioke and dust enveloped the lighting
arena.
Now and then crisp military order
f0ated to the ears of the enthralled
spectators. There seemed to be no
danger as the crowds followed events
a few hundred yards from what might
have been a center of carnage. A
woman dropped dead in the crowd,
probably from shock. There were
weeping women, too-doubtless kin of
the men engaged in the action.
Between eight and nine o'clock in
the morning the fire slackened while
the people seurried across tHe city to
their days work, which was carried
on as usual everywhere except in the
battle zones.
Griffith Issues Statement.
While the conflict was raging Arthur
Griffith and Michael Collins sat in the
provisional government headquarters
in Merrien street. At an early hor~
they issued statement that. in ar
swer to direct challenge of the gov
ernment's authority, the army had
been ordered to take action.
The statement added that the de-
mand for the surrender of the law
courts was ignored and that. there
fore, the law courts and Fowler hall
would be invested The statement
characterized as false and malicious
the reports that British troops were
cooperating with the Irish republican
army.
None but Irish forces with the CO.
operation of citizens who are loyaIly
and enthusiastically supporting the
government are engaged in putting
down the disorderly elements who ar
tempt to tyrannize over the people and