The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-08-16
EIX,.L,I3 I!
IRISH LEADER is
TAKEN BY TROOPERS
Is Taken Into Custody After Volley
From Machine Guns Throws
Crowd Into Panic.
5(By Associated Press Leased wire)


Ennis, County Claire, Ireland -
canon De Valera, the Republican
leader, was arrested by Free State
troops here today on his appearance
to address a Republican meeting in
the election campaign.
The arrest was made under sensa-
tional circumstances. De Valera was
addressing a meeting of electors in
the market square when Free State
troops came on the scene and fired
several volleys over the heads of the
crowds.
stampede occurred and several
arrests were made.
The troops then surrounded the
platform and took the opposition
leader into custody.
Kept Promise to Speak.
canon De Valera made his promised
appearance this afternoon at po-
litical meeting here. The Republican
leader drove up in an open car un-
Hdisguised. He was given wild well
come by crowd Of $500 people.
When De Valera appeared on the
scene there were many thousands of
people around the platform and he
was given a tumultuous welcome.
Then a voice was heard shouting:
"The soldiers are coming" And
Immediately large body of military
with armored cars surroundeds the
platform.
The crowd stampeded in all direc-
tions. The soldiers fired volley after
volley over the platform and over the
heads of the crowd.
The great gathering became more
panic-stricken~ as the shots were fired.
Women shrieked and tainted and SOME
of them were seriously injured in the
confusion. 1t was reported number
of people were wounded.
De Valera was taken to the county
jail.
Dodges Shots and Falls.
At the first volley De Valera was
seen to fall on the platform and his
collapse added to the excitement. He
was unhurt and his fall was ascribed
to his lodging at the sound Of the
Shots but the people on the out
skirts believed him wounded. De
Valera at the outset was surrounded
on the platform by me nand women
supporters but soon after the first
volIey the square which had contain
led thousands of men, women and chill
dren, was almost deserted. Addition
al shots were fired, however, and the
few civilians who still fingered were
turned away at the point of the bay
onet
After ten minutes De Valera was
brought down from the platform and
found to be uninjured. He was
promptly surrounded by the military
and armed plain clothes men, Hun
dreds of persons who had fed at the
firing rushed out of houses, pressed
through the ranks of the soldiers and
shook hands with the captured lead
err. 1t was with difficulty that the
troops made their way to the bar
racks with their captive, who was
wildly cheered en- route.
Intense excitement prevailed.
Makes No Resistance.
De Valera accepted arrest without
resistance. He arrived in a motor
car, and was accompanied by his
young son and a priest. He looked
thin and appeared nervous; his face
twitched repeatedly as he fdgetad
about on his chair prior to getting up
to speak.
introduced as the. president Of re-
public" he began his address, in Gaze
lie, but he had only gotten as far as
saying that he had never stood for
destruction, when the military arriv
ed, cleared the platform and arrested
him.
Everything was quiet shortly aft,r
the troops had departed with their
prisoner. 1t is reported some civil
ians were wounded while the troops
were clearing the square.