1 Confidential TELEPHONE 2794. 34 14thOct
30 UPPER PEMBROKE STREET,
DUBLIN D1507/A/19/12 My dear Ned The situation here
is growing more dangerous every
day and I greatly fear that
Duke is unable or unwilling to
tackle it. You will under-
stand the situation better
if you read the enclosed which
is a copy of a letter I have
just written him. He is
desperately slow in making
up his mind & very weak.
To give you true illustrations 2 Hue and Cry for months was arrested a week
ago. I advised and Gen. Maxwell agreed with
me that he should be handed over & tried
by Court-Martial, as Civil Trials are at
present suspended in the case of all
offences against Defence of Realm Regulations.
Duke has now directed that this man
should be had summarily before the
Magistrates for unlawful assembly, but
I have protested against this as a farce
in the case of a man guilty of high treason 3 35 A man named Athy who was
the ringleader of every form of
lawlessness in one of the worst
parts of Co. Galway, led the
party who on Easter Monday
attacked the Oranmore Police
Barracks & fired upon the
police inside. Most of the
party were afterwards arrested
& got four years penal servitude
from Courts Martial
on charges under Defence of
Realm Regulations. This man
Athy absconded and after
being on the run & on the 4 36 again I prepared many weeks
ago elaborate directions to the
Police as to seizing seditious
publications, dispersing meetings
seizing disloyal pamphlets,
badges etc but I cannot get
him to express his approval
& meanwhile the Police are at
their wits end for want of a
lead. All this is private of
course but I thought you would
like to know how the land lies.
I hope to be over for the Irish
debate on Wednesday Yours ever.
James Don't refer in the House
to what I mention to
Duke about the
rather assurance
come about his dinner