Click above to go to Rushlight Main Page

(Belfast Born, Bred And Buttered By Joe Graham)

Chapter Six

The “Throw Away” Murderers.

“ A Throw Away” in any American gangster murder movie refers to a weapon that can be discarded and not traced back to the culprits who used it to carry out a murder. The unionist masters were faced with a similar dilemma in 1922 when they felt it expedient to call off their dogs of war, the working class loyalist monsters whom they had created to carry out their blood letting. A new beginning was dawning. “Northern Ireland” (Carsonia) had been established, it was time to polish off the rough edges ..time to throw away those that could be reminders of the murderous depths the unionists had sank in their murky recent past. They had to ’throw away’ their hired killers, their monsters, their job was now finished, they were expendable. The Carsonia ‘authorities’ had given guns, rifles and bombs to petty criminals and street hardmen, pointed them in the direction of Catholic people , telling them. “They are out to take over our beloved ‘Ulster’. And remember these enlisted thugs were not the brightest, “Buck” Alec Robinson, a nineteen year old labourer could not write or spell his own name, Fred Pollock and Joe Arthurs ,were 20 Year Old Heater BOYS !.. “Snatch” McCracken, an infamous Shankill Road gunman, as his nickname suggests was no ’catch’ for anyone, in fact even the unionists decided to ‘throw him back’.

Fred Pollock who lived at 23 Lord Street, was a complete nutter, and the R.U.C were not passed declaring this in their files when they felt he had outlived his usefulness and perhaps it was time he was ‘interned’’. (imprisoned without charge or trial, a practise they usually reserved for Catholic people), this is what the R.U.C wrote when petitioning that Pollock be interned....

” Pollock is a well known gunman of a bad type, with the most extreme views. Frequents the Newtownards Road, and mixes with Clonallon and Wolf Street gunmen. Was the man who shot dead Samuel Hayes and wounded Thomas Culbert, a Protestant “C” Special in the Brittania Bar on August 5th, last, but in an endeavour to murder two Roman Catholics, who to save their lives ran through the bar .. There will be no peace in the locality as long as he be left at large, and for the law abiding people, I recommend his internment”

An interesting point about the above statement, until I published it in Rushlight The Belfast Magazine , some years ago, it had been reported in many books that Thomas Culbert and Samuel Hayes were shot by the I.R.A, and there are many such cases as this. My point is, it does indicate how so many writers can be forgiven in suggesting through their books, etc, that one side was as bad as the other, in actual fact they were without proper information, and perhaps published too hastily,

On writing to suggest the interment and termination of Joe Arthurs’ services since he would not come into line,(hints of more recent characters, Billy Wright, Johnny Adair, etc,) the new ‘police’ the R.U.C, which came into being in June 1922, penned these lines on him...

“Arthurs is probably the worse gunman on the Newtownards Road, he holds extreme views. Was arrested for firing at soldiers during a disturbance on the Newtownards Road in June last. Was acquitted of this offence due to the weight of evidence, No doubt he was the right man. At July Assizes Jack Mawhinney was charged with shooting at Bridget McCormick. On conviction he called over a Head Constable to the dock and told him that Joe Arthurs was the right man, and that he was to be in court that day if Mawhinney was convicted. Arthurs is a menace to the peace of the locality and should be interned.”

The above again belies the assumption by so many past writers who suggested that only the I.R.A shot British soldiers, indeed if one studies the above paragraph a few ‘winks and nods’ jump out at you.

Buck Alec Robinson, the Dockland Bomber, Gunman and hard man was another who felt the fight was not yet over, the mission had not yet been completed. He had to be brought into step, his services were no longer required by the Orange Junta, who were now setting up their “Northern Ireland Parliament”. A Police( R.U.C) report recommending his internment read.....

“Buck Alec Robinson, was a stubborn, head strong young man of twenty three years of age by now, he seemed to be beyond anyone’s control, ‘ a loose cannon’ that the Unionists would have to harness, and perhaps a spell inside would give him time to reconsider his position, so they set about interning him, the case they presented makes interesting reading.....

“Robinson .. Of 31 Andrew street.. Is a dangerous gunman and leader of a murderous gang, and actually takes delight in killing. He is looked to as the principal leader, as he never takes intoxicating drink, He is suspected of killing and wounding many people all over City, and makes no secret of it, as he openly boasts doing so. He is suspected of throwing a bomb off the top of a Tram Car at the corner of Curtis and York streets at men standing there wounding some of them. He is also suspected at having shot dead a young fellow named Hughes on the top of a Tram Car going toward N.C Railway. On 17th inst, Jane Cafferty was shot dead in her own house, 11 Andrew Street, Robinson was heard to say immediately after the murder, “I have put another spy out of the way, I put three thro’ her head”, and it turned out that she was shot through the head. From another source of information, which is without doubt reliable, it was Robinson shot the man in the Picture House on Crumlin Road. He does not work. No matter what part of the City there is fighting in, he goes there to give a hand. He does not know what fear is, and would go any place to shoot and kill with either rifle, revolver or bomb ... He should be interned.”

Interestingly, at this point, they then listed “Buck’s” previous convictions, as listed earlier in this book ..is it not strange that his previous convictions did not bar him from becoming a ‘Special Constable’, nor were his previous convictions mentioned when the Lord Lieutenant , “Highly Commends Alexander Robinson .. for his good police work “, shortly before his internment papers were sought?.

It appears the woman murdered was named Rafferty, and not Cafferty, perhaps this is an indication of the lack of interest shown by the ‘authorities’ were when investigation the cruel murder of the unfortunate Catholic woman, who was married to a Protestant seaman. She lived only ten doors from “Buck Alec”, a soft target if indeed it was carried out by “Buck” as the secret file states..

Apparently on the streets people were openly saying that “Buck” had done the shooting and many say that what happened next was only a smoke screen to take the heat of him, it was only the Loyalists ‘looking after their own’. The R.I.C promptly arrested a one legged man and charged him with the murder. They claimed this one legged man climbed over several back yard walls to get into the back yard of the woman‘s house, entered through the back door, shot her and then walked out the front door of course the whole case was threw out the window, and a ruse was created , a fudge, everyone was asking did the one legged man really do it or not, “Buck’s” name became less prominent when the poor woman’s murder was discussed, and news of new horrific murders overtook in any such discussions as the gruesome topic of the day.

The “Young Fellow .. shot on the top of a Tram Car“, was twenty year old Owen Hughes from 16 Skegoniel Street, he was shot at York Street, 4th March 1922 . “Buck” at a later point moved into 12 Skegoneil Street, two doors from his alleged victim‘s house.

“The man shot in the Picture House” referred to by the R.U.C, was sixty five year old Peter Mullan from 109 Joy Street in the ‘Market’ area of Belfast, he was shot dead 29th August 1922, at the “Crumlin Picture House” where he worked as an usher, needless to say he was a another innocent man whose only crime was that he was a Catholic.

In June 1922, with the setting up of the new R.U.C it was agreed with the various Loyalist militant groups to tone down the murder campaign but you will see by the above date, the August shooting of Peter Mullan, “Buck” and some of his gang had carried on with their campaign and bad blood was building up between them and their former partners in the R.I.C/R.U.C. And indeed the U.V.F. The very fact “Buck” had to travel all the way to the Crumlin Road to shoot Mr Mullan (if it was he) suggests that a local gunman could not be found to undertake the murder. One could not be blamed for suggesting there are similarities between “Buck” Alec Robinson and the more modern Loyalist hard men, Billy Wright and Johnny “Mad Dog ” Adair. “Buck” Alec, just like “Mad Dog” as you will read later, was put out of the country, and like Billy Wright he had seriously fallen out, for exactly the same reasons as Wright and Adair had, with main stream militant loyalism.

In 1922 the new R.U.C was attempting a zero tolerance policy to loyalists who continued to riot, who they seen as ‘out of control protestants‘, renegades. Even the U.V.F having had secret discussions with the Unionist Government agreed it was time to call of the ethnic cleansing campaign, their “Ulster”, (Six County), was safe. Now the new police force had a new task, to call of their former dogs of war, “Buck” and his cronies. The R.U.C ran over one Protestant rioter in their caged car, and on 22nd September 1922, they shot dead fifty year old Protestant James Spratt, of 21 Wigton street, Shankill Road. The writing was on the wall for “Buck” and his gang, they were no longer needed, now that the statelet had a ‘tailor made’ force to protect its interests. But the boys went hard at it to score a few more murders before they would even consider handing back their guns. “B” Special, Eddie Gill, organised a bombing in the Catholic Falls area in which thirty year old Louisa Cannon was killed, around the same time “Buck” is alleged to have shot dead four Catholics, three men and a woman. Joe Arthurs is said to manage two more murders and Fred Pollock three more murders under his belt, including the Protestant “C” Special mentioned in the report, in thinking he was a Catholic in the Britannia Bar. The Unionists monster was out of control, so its creator’s had to do something quickly to bring them to heel, if their new statelet had any hope of survival ..the candles burned late in the mansions of the War Lords.!

On the 23rd of October 1922, some loyalists were arrested and interned, brought to Derry Prison, among them were Buck Alec Robinson, Joe Arthurs and Fred Pollock and Geordie Scott, of Downing Street who was the Officer Commanding the Shankill Road Brigade of the U.V.F. The very thought of being in Derry jail must have been a nightmare to the loyalists, for the prison housed many hundreds of the most dedicated republicans, so perhaps the sending off them to Derry by the ‘authorities’ was no mere coincident. The loyalists felt vulnerable in Derry jail they could easily be got at by republicans. Immediately the loyalist hard men pleaded to be removed to Belfast Prison, and within two weeks of his arrival in Derry jail “Buck Alec” lodged a petition against his internment, reminding those in authority that he had been “..highly recommended by his Excellency, the Lord Lieutenant for his good police work”. ”Buck” went on to say, “I have always considered it a great honour to be loyal to my King and country, I beg of you to investigate ,my case and release ,me as soon as possible”. The petition had been written by the prison Governor and “Buck” signed it with an “X”, as “Buck” was illiterate.

Fred Pollock, whom the secret papers state murdered 44 year old Catholic Mary Sherlock of Vulcan Street, Short Strand, she was one of the last , if not the last victim of the 1920 troubles, also petitioned for release, He pleadingly wrote the following....

“... I am a Loyal Subject and I have done nothing wrong. I am quite willing to be released on any conditions you might think fit, I am willing to join the army if they will accept me.”

Three days later, 26th October 1922, Dawson Bates, Northern Ireland Minister, and the man who incorporated the U.V.F into the infamous “Specials”, received a note from a Loyalist spokesperson, a Mrs. A. Armstrong, The address on the note was premises on Peters Hill (rooms above Robert Adgey’s pawnshop), the note read....

“Dear Sir Dawson, I have received an assurance from the Boys on the Shankill, Newtownards and York Street Districts that there will not be a shot fired or a bomb thrown, or any other act of intimidation, if Scott and Robinson are released. If you would be good enough to grant me a personal interview, I could explain maters more fully. I make this application in the interests of the peace of this City“.

The meeting took place and no doubt Mrs Armstrong explained fully, and clearly , the hidden message contained in the note, she brought an iron clad guarantee that the U.V.F who had already entered into a deal to ’stand down’ , would see to it that these boys would toe the line. Bates readily agreed to what really was a suggestion that suited the Unionist Party extremely well, here he had a chance to isolate those who just weeks earlier could not be reined in, once again thanks to his loyalists cohorts, who were always there when the Unionist Party needed them. A package deal was offered to the renegades and no doubt Mrs Armstrong prompted them to accept it or face the wrath of the U.V.F. It would take one to be blind not to draw comparisons with what went on away back then and what is going on today( 2005) with the loyalists, Johnny Adair and his brigade put out of the country, and others permanently removed.. by their own.!.. And they say there was no collusion?, history is repeating itself.

As part of the deal “Buck Alec“, Arthurs and Pollock had to agree to effective ‘deportation’, go away to England for a period , expenses paid for by the new “Northern Ireland Government” , so as to give time for things to settle, but they were warned, if they returned before they were told they would be re-arrested. (Smacks of modern day events that surrounded Johnny Adair and his loyalist cohorts), Each man was given a Five Pound Note, a sizeable amount in those days, as they boarded the boat for England. Some years later “Buck” threw this secret back publicly in the faces of his masters when he was once again arrested he declared, “What the hell are you lot playing at, first you pay me £5 for killing Fenians now you are arresting me”?.

Employment was set up for the three in England, but it seems Arthurs could not settle and so returned back to Belfast for Christmas without his handlers permission. He was received on the Newtownards Road, much to the embarrassment of the Unionist Party, with cheers and he was carried shoulder high like a returning hero, although the U.V.F were displeased with him. He was quickly rearrested from his father’s house and sent back to England, only to return once again without permission setting the R.U.C on a mad frenzied search to get him out off the way again, but he returned to Liverpool of his own accord. A Confidential file by the R.U.C to their Unionist Bosses kept them abreast of Joe Arthurs shenanigans, issued from “E” Barracks, Mountpottinger, no prizes for guessing who the ‘civilians’ are mentioned below in the file, which reads as follows............

R.U.C. Belfast 13th April 1922....

“I beg to report that Joseph Arthurs was arrested 5/10/22 for internment and deported shortly afterwards. He returned to Belfast shortly afterwards without authority before Christmas. I re-arrested him 6/1/23 and he was again deported . He returned to Belfast about a fortnight ago and having heard this I searched for him as he was keeping out of the way. However the night after I searched for him he left again for Liverpool, where I believe he is at present. This is an extremely dangerous man and is nothing less than a Criminal Maniac. I am perfectly satisfied that his return would lead to renewed conspiracy’s and outbreaks of violence and shooting, as he was one of the most fanatical gunmen in the City. His return to Belfast would be at once followed by applications to return from the interned and deported gunmen. I have received requests from other civilians to keep this man out of Belfast.”

A child could sense the panic