The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-01-03
Irish Republicans
Picket City Hall
inConsulate Row
Free State Forces Continue to
Hold New York Offices
Mayor Refuses to Mix
in Squabble.

New York, Dec. 2.-Irish republi.
cans contesting with free staters for
possession of the Irish consulate. to.
night picketed City Hall, parading in
front Of the building with placards
denouncing Mayor Hylan's police. "
The unusual spectacle, occurring
as the homeward bound throngs were
passing through City Hall park for
Brooklyn bridge. attracted great
crowd.
What is Sir Basil Thomson's mis-.
sion in the United States?" one ban
ner was inscribed
Others read:
Sir Basil is here to teach Mayor
Hylans police black and tan
methods"
"Sir Basil Thomson of Scotland
Yard was entertained by Mayor Uy.
lans committee, while Mayor Hylan' 5
police assaulted Muriel MacSwiney.
Lieutenant Gegan acts as judge
and jury. The American courts to
the rear
England did not let Sir Basil
Thomson manhandle Mrs. MacSwiney
as Mayor Hylan's Lieut.. Gegan did"
Hylan Dodges Leaders.
Mayor Hylan was in his office when
the demonstration began, but he
slipped from side door, reached his
motor car without being observed.
and was driven swiftly away.
When n policeman informed Mrs.
Gertrude Corless. leader of the
pickets, that the mayor had gone
home, they disbanded after having
been ON duty for nearly two hours.
Tonight the republicans and free
staters declared a temporary truce
at the Irish consulate after a clash
for possession which stopped Just
short of being a riot during the
morning. But it was not a friendly
truce.
We're still inside" said Lindsay
Crawford, named as consul by the
free state. who has taken possession
of the offices.
Yes, and We are still standing
here replied Arthur Briscoe, lieu.
tenant to Mrs. Muriel MacSwiney, in
charge of the republican siege forces
who are trying to get their consular
nominee into the consuls chair.
Agreement Causes Near Riot.
A holiday agreement. signed by the
two factions last Saturday, was large
ly responsible for the near riot today
1t provided that no representative of
either side should enter the consulate
until 8 today.
Nine O'Clock brought Mr.. Crawford
accompanied by Professor Theodore
Smiddy, free state envoy to Washing
ton. They first heard. then saw a
crowd OF men and women packed in
the narrow hall outside the consulate
doors.
Some one recognized them and as
they pushed and pulled their way
through the throng to the office doors,
they were jostled around like human
footballs. Once at the door. Mr.. Craw
ford unlocked it and went inside. But
before he could close it. the repub-
licans went In, too.
Mr.. Crawford telephoned for police
In a few moments Lieutenant Gegan
and his bomb squad arrived and the
republicans evacuated. During the
evacuation Mrs. MacSwiney says she
was roughly handled. She had no
marks to prove it but she insisted sho
was casualty, and her followers
backed her claim.
About noon delegation of 13 irate
republicans visited Mayor Hylan. He
told them possession was nine points
of the law and he didn't want to get
mixed up in the affair in any way.
There the matter stood all day.
The free staters are inside. The
republicans are standing just outside
the door.