A GHASTLY SPECTACLE

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 287, 2 December 1911, Page 17

A GHASTLY SPECTACLE

i , * CHOLERA RIOTS IN ITALY. 1 HOSPITAL RAIDED. I Scgnl, a town not far from Rome, ha? 1 Just been the scene of grave cholera riots, 1 j the origin of which was the same as that .I of the recent troubles In Calabria. I I The municipality took steps to prevent the ; I spread of cholera. A hospital was formed ,! in which there were five cholera patients. . ! and 111 the quarantine establishment In . ! connection with It were housed four persons I'v.ho had been In contact -with the case*. ; The Idea spread among tho Ignorant people .'that the municipal authorities, the Oovcrn--1 ment, and the carabineers were In league ,i to poison them, and had organised '!a SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS. 'A mob of, 300 persons marched on the town ' i hall, shoutlug for the release from hospital of their relations and friends. The attitude of the crowd became threatening, and soon ihe whole military force of the town, consisting of only five carabineers, was overwhelmed. The carabineers were pulled with ', stones aud Injured, and. deeming It futile to •use tbelr arms upon the mob, retired, and 1 tie rioters, who .by this time numbered several thousands, battered down the door of the town hall, intending to SACK AND DESTROY THE PLACE and mnrrler those whon. they imagined to be responsible for the cholera. The chief j objects of their auger were the mayor and , his clerks, who, however, escaped by the ! roof and succeeded In reaching the honses of friends, wbTe they barricaded them- ' sc:vcs in. Meanwhile the carabineers, not- I withstanding the rough handling tbey had ! rectlvtil, returned to lace tbe rioters. The ; i wc.uien were particularly ferocious, and one I of them seized a carabineer by his tunic] mid threw him to the ground. He was j disarmed, trampled upon, and wounded. He succeeded, howfver, In Joining his com- ' pur.lons, aud the- summoned reinforcements. . Once they were nisstcr.'. of the situation, 'the mob broke into tee town ball and threw all they could lay their hands upon out ' of the windows. A woman seized tbe muni- , cipal flag and shouted: j "TO THE HOSPITAL." ; Her cry was taken up Immediately, and the : i .mob surged through the town crying, I "Death to the doctors and nurses!" The medical staff escaped. On reaching the lazaretto the rioters removed three of the patients who were suffering from cholera, as well as the persons in quarantine. They carled them in their arms in possession to their homes. The scene was ghastly in the I extreme Two of the patients were on j the point *: death, and they were raised ' Bhou-Ider high and almost thrown from j one bearer to another In the crowd. Troops sent from Rome later occupied the town Many arrests were made, and order rei established.