The New York herald., 1922-02-12
NEAR CIVIL WAR
Republicans Capture
20, Wound Others in
Raid That Leads to
Killings.
MACHINE GUNS USED
Craig Sends Strong Note to
Lloyd George, FitZalan
and Churchill.
BRITISH TROOPS ON WAY
Frontier a War Zone, With
Armed Bodies Watching Each
Other Like Hawks.
BRITISH TROOPS ON WAY

BELFAST. Feb. II (Associated Press).
-Four Ulster special constables were
shot to death, a number wounded and
the remainder of party of twenty
captured at the railroad station at
Clones late this afternoon.
| The specials on their way to Ennis
killen. were waiting at Clones for
the arrival of a train from Belfast.
The train had entered the station
and some Of the specials were in the
act of getting into the carriages when
a party of Irish republican army men
with rifles and a machine gun came
on the platform. They Immediately
opened fire on the specials with their
rifles and machine gun, and four of
the constables were shot dead. one
of them having his head blown off.
Some of the others were wounded,
some were taken prisoner and the
remainder escaped. The republican
army men then fed. Taken absolutely
unawares the specials had no tS1Is
to fire a shot at the attacking paHE.
Clones is in that part of Ulster
which is included in the Free State
territory. 1t is very near the border.
Protest to Lloyd George.
Belfast received its first intima-
tion of the tragedy through a mes
sage to the station master at the
Great Northern terminus to the ef-
feet: Send no more troops, regular
police or specials by train Then
followed the news of the shooting
and the casualty list. The Belfast
police declare the specials were lined
against a wall and moved down.
Sir James Craig, Premier of Ulster,
has addressed an urgent remon-
STRANGE to Premier Lloyd George,
Winston Churchill and viscount
Fitzalan, in which immediate action
Is demanded.
Reports were received here to-day
from the Ulster border that 1t was
understood none of the captives taken
in this weeks kidnapings would be
freed before next week.
These reports said the Ulster special
constables and the contingents OF the
Irish republican army were watching
each other like hawks across the Fer
ranagh- Monaghan line. Policing to-
day was so rigid that business was en-
tirely suspended. The border specials
were halting every passing vehicle at
Newtown, Dutler and Rosslea. while
at Clones the republican army was
practicing the same activity.
british Troops Coming.
Sir James Craig returned this norm
ing from London. announcing on his
arrival that he had been assured four
additional battalions of troops would
be sent to Belfast Immediately.
Sir James said he had set no time
limit on the British action TO secure
The release OF the Jnionist Jrisoners
taken in TIE recent raids. This state
ment was supplementary to his decla-
ration before leaving for home that in
the event of failure Of the British au-
thorities TO secure the release of tho
kidnapped men he would carry out his
own plans.
I'VE have to consider the whole
situation carefully" he added to this
mornings statement.
Shooting occurred in the North Queen
street area OF Belfast this morning. Police
reinforcements were sent TO the scene.
The Belfast Telegraph In an editorial
this afternoon regarding this weeks
KIDNAPPING episodes, says:
We charge that these abductions
were made with the knowledge and au-
thority OF Michael Collins We charge
that they were done by men wearing
che uniform OF the Provisional Govern
ment. We charge that the victims were
carried off. In tho main. in motorcars
recently handed over by the British Gov
ornment 20 che Provisional Government.
We charge that the Provisional Govern
ment Is well aware where the abducted
men are at this moment"
IoNpoN Feb IL ASSOCIATED Press.
Conflicting reports are coming out OF
ireland concerning the attitude OF the
Southern Provisional Government toward
the recent kidnapings Of prominent
Ulstermen.
The whole machinery OF the Pro-
visional Government Is being employed
to secure the release" Of these men, ac-
cordlng TO the Dublin correspondent OF
the Times. who savs the raids arc de-
plored by every member of that Gov-