Hj the Aasoc.atcd
Dublin, March 23.?Twenty-tout per
sons were killed and nearly thirty
wounded In a.ir.buscades reported to-day.
The multiplication of the ambusc&dea
is believed to be largely due to reprisals
for the recent executions. The Sinn F"eln
is said to regard their men as belliger
ents and the execution of those captured i
as a breach of the laws of war and 1
punishable by reprisals. The execution !
of Whelen was followed by the killing ,
of two policemen In his native town of !
Clifden. The deaths of the policemen
were avenged in Clifden by house
burning.
F'or every man executed vengeance Is
anticipated, and as the Government has
in custody many men liable to the death
penalty and Is said to mean to carry
out executions, the piling up of deaths
on each side if considered here as
Inevitable.
The telegraph wires between Belfast
and Dublin were cut last evening, and \
the Government authorities expressed!
belief that this act was in preparation |
for possible Sinn Fein activity during
Easter week.
A party of lancers was a:nbu*hed this j
morning by a force composed of about ,
200 between Stokestown and Longford, j
Capt. Peak was killed, and Lieut Tenant I
se-lously wounded, and four soldiers1
wore killed, while others were wounded. ;
The military forces were conveying prls- !
oners when fired on from a wood.
A police inspector and eight men were ?
ambushed near Dingle yesterday. in
the fight which ensued, lasting three
hours, eight of the attacking party were
killed and twenty wounded. Three of
the police w?re slinhtly wounded
Police Sergeant Coghlin was killed and
three policemen were severely wounded
in an ambuscade near Harrow Kennedy,
County Mayo, last night.
