The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-02-13
PASSENGERS TELL OF SHOOTING AT
 CLONES STATION
Casualties of Fight Between Ulster ConStabIes and Sim Feiners Are 4 Killed and
 8 Wounded
By Asaoeintad Prasa

By Associated FfeAA
 Belfast. February 17s-The to-
 tai casualties in the affray at
 the railway station at Clones late
 Saturday afternoon when . party
 of Ulster constables wss attacked
 were four special eonstabIes kill
 ed, eight wounded and six nains-
 ing. Matthew Fitzpatrick, leader
 of the sinn Feiners. was shot
 dead.
 There are many versions of the affray current, but inquiries among the civilian passengers of the train from which the special constables alighted show that the constables had 20-minute wait on the platform for the Dublin train during which time they paraded up and down the plat form on which there also were many civilians There was no sign of aay impending attack.
 When the Dublin train arrived and the constabies moved toward 1t, how ever, firing began from two machine guns posted on a wooden bridge spanning the railway track and thcn from g motor on the station premises large body of armed men rushed upon the train, and after some re- volver firing, ordered the frightened civilian passengers who were cover ing on the floors of coaches and under the seats, to get out.
 Marched to station
 All the occupants of the train then were marched to the station platfor m on one side and the special con stables on the other. Everyone was searched for arms. The civilians were ordered back into the train while the unwounded constables were taken away to an unknown des- tination.
 Meantime, the dead and wounded who fell at the first onslaught had been laid in rows on the platform. Only a few of the special constabl.s had time to draw their revolvers before they were over-powered.
 In the exchange of shots Fitz- patrick, who apparently was in com mand of the attacking party, was shot dead A peculiar feature of the affray is that a couple of regular Royal Irsh constabuiarly men on the train who were unarmed were al- lowed to proceed unmolested with the civilians. It is estimated that about 100 men participated in the attack.
 The special constables captured at Cicnes were released and reached Enniskillen today. Three of them were suffering from wounds, which makes the total number injured IL.
 Chief of Staff Duffy and Sean Mc- Keown, member of the Dail Eireann, arrived in Clones today to investigate the affair.
 Adventurous Career
 trfr ha l>o tn t- tack, who was Killed, has had an ad- venturous career. Before the truce he was twice wounded in the Irish republican army service and twice was rescued in exciting circum- stances by comrades after he had been captured by the British. The last time he was rescued was while he was in the Monaghan infirmary. where he was under treatment and military surveillance. This was in March. His comrades invaded the infirmary in a daring manner, over powered the armed guard and took Fitzpatrick away.
 There was sharp rifle and revolver firing in Belfast Sunday afternoon. These mingled with the rattle of cars. David Boyd. fs years old. was shot dead in the Old Lodge road dis trict.
 While Mrs. Page was serving cus- toners in her baker shop in North l Queen street Saturday night man entered the place and deliberately shot and killed her. District Inspc- tor Michael Keany of Cork City was shot dead by a gang of men at mid right Saturday while on weekend | visit to his family at Clonakilty. His ron. who was with him, was severely wounded.