Nearly all the victims of this massacre were invalided men
of experience who were employed on non-combatant duties, especially in connexion with courts martial. It is thought that the murderers hoped to secure the papers relating to the conspiracies which the officers were investigating, but they failed to do so. One party of assassins was captured by a lucky chance. Some police officers happened to be passing a house at the moment when the gang had murdered Lieutenant Mallon, and were trying to kill another officer. The police rushed into the house and caught four of the gang red-handed. Unhappily, two of the police officers who were sent for reinforcements were shot dead in the street on their way to the barracks. We are very glad to know that ten of the murdered officers are being given a public funeral, with full military honours, in London, while the others will be buried in Dublin with similar ceremony. They died for their country just as if they had fallen in France, and their countrymen will respect their memory.
