In Charleville county Cork, yet another attack on a woman was carried out during a robbery on the home of a man named Bennett.

The raiders knocking on the door claimed that there were military and requested that they be admitted at once. Sensing that they were military, Bennet refused to open the door. Kicking the door in, the raiders claimed that they had carried out a similar raid on a local judge some nights previous. Demanding money they were given £2, but not satisfied with the amount they became increasingly violent. In the ensuing melee Bennett’s daughter was knocked to the ground, dragged by her hair and ill-treated in a merciless fashion. A cloth saturated in liquid was forced down her throat. The men knelt on her chest and threatened to shoot her if she did give them more money. More money was eventually found for the raiders. Miss Bennett, in evidence given after the attack claimed to recognise some of the men present, including one an ex-soldier. During the raid several articles were broken in the house and there was a considerable damage done. Having made their way from Bennett’s they attacked another farmer on the same night. Owing to the Curfew Law, which curtailed the night time movement of people, the Volunteers vigilante committee had been disbanded allowing midnight raids for money to commence. It was obvious that a certain section of the community were making the most from the troubled times albeit running the risk of been intercepted by the military or the IRA.  

Source: Irish Examiner 1841-current, 09.09.1920, page 5

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