CIVILIANS V. POLICE

Evening Star, Issue 14415, 11 July 1910, Page 4

CIVILIANS V. POLICE

ALMOST A RIOT.

FIVE MEN ARRESTED. The arrest of a man after nine o'clock on Saturday night was the prelude to a disgraceful and riotous scene in. Princes street, which continued for an hour and a-half, and readied a dangerous stage {with several hundred people participating in it) at one time. As a sequel, five men appeared at the Police Court this morning, and it was then hinted that others would presently appear on summons. Sub-rnspector Phair made an exhaustive statement of the facts as supplied to him by the principal police officers who took part in the struggle.

It appears that one John Wilson was seen by Constable Sweeney in High street about ten minutes past nino in drunken condition, and wanting to fight in front of the Commercial HoteL Sweeney advised him to go home, and two bystanders led liim away. The constable walked to Manse street, and was there informed by a lady that a man in Manse street was making use of obscene language. Constable Sweeney called Sergeant Eccles, and the two found tin's man Wilson lying against the wall of one of the buildings. Sweeney arrested him for drunkenness, and proceeded to take him down High street. At the corner of Princes and High streets Eccles and Sweeney attempted to get Wilson into a cab, when another person (his brotlier David) appeared on the scene. Owing to this man's conduct ;ind that of a section of the crowd present John Wilson began to resist violently.

Mr Bartholomew, S.M.: Was he very drunk ?

Sub-inspector Phair: Yes. sir; not'helpless, bnt "quarrelsome" drunk He resisted for ten minutes, and it took the combined efforts of four men to get the two of them into a hansom.

This was the beginning of a disgraceful scene. 'Die conslablee were jostled, hooted, and yelled at, winch caused Wil«>n to resist the more violently. Something like 300 persons witnessed the affair or took part in tho jostling and yelling. Finally the accused was got away to the station in the eub, the crowd meantime waiting and yelling for the policeman (Sweeney) who had arrested him.

Magistrate: Was there anything in the mode of the arrest to cause this?

Mr Phair: Nothing! The accused was treated as any other arrested man would have been. . . . Had it not been for the attitude of the brother, backed by a section of the public, there would have been no trouble. The Sub-inspector added that before the cab left the corner a stone was thrown through the window, and an attempt was niade'by another person to undo the harness of the horse. The disturbance continued for about an hour and a-half in tho streets, and more men would yet appear to answer charges. As a matter of fact the worst partof the disturbance took place shortly after ten o'clock, when a man named John Pringle was taken by Constable Sweeney for disorderly behaviour while drunk. Pringle himself gave the police no trouble, but the crowd jostled the officers so seriously that the utmost difficulty was experienced in getting the man away. As a result of this, one Charles Graham was seized for obstructing the police, and later on, when Sweeney, accompanied by other members of the force, and followed by a hostile crowd, was going down Lower High street to the station a fifth arrest was made, Walter Rae Spenco being collared for allegedly inciting persons to assault the police. The men were charged before a crowded court this morning as under : —John Wilsons-drunkenness, obscene language, and resisting the police; David Wilson—obstructing the police, obscene language, assaulting and resisting the police ; Chas. Graham, obstructing and assaulting the police; Walter Rae ■ Spence, drunk and disorderly, and inciting to create an assault.

Mr B. S. Irwin, who represented the Wilsons, asked for a remand. Mr W. G. Hay .and Mr Hanlou appeared for the other accused persons, and Mr Hanlon announced that he would have at least twenty witnesses and possibly twenty-five to call. The Magistrate said he would remand all the cases till Friday.

Mr Hay asked the magistrate to fix the bail for Spence.

Mr Bartholomew said that it would be £SO, and two sureties of £25 each.

Mr Hay asked if that was not rather stiff, and mentioned that the police had been satisfied with a bond of £ls. .

His Worship : I cannot help that. The men are charged with a serious offence, and I am responsible. The bail will be as I said. Similar bail was fixed in the other cases.