ANARCHY.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 19, 5 January 1911, Page 1

ANARCHY.

THE HOUNDSDITCH RAID.

J DETAILS OF THE BATTLE.

INTERESTED SPECTATORS.

[PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.]

London, Jan. 4. I The police throughout were con-' vinced that the Hounsditch as- i sassins were hiding in MorountJ zeff’s neighbourhood. j Officers disguised as shoeblacks, i Jewish pedlars, and street hawkers were watching day and night. , They located two suspicious ’ looking foreign lodgers at No. 100 i Sidney Street. t The police plans were laid with the utmost secrecy. The other J tenants were quietly removed ear-1 ly yesterday without alarming the ■ suspects. The newspapers comment on the police refraining from rushing the suspects forthwith, and state that: they preferred to await daylight ‘ and probably superior instructions i in view of the fact that the dark-' ness of Houndsditch favoured the miscreants. Five of his comrades and a doc-, tor assisting in the removal of i Leeson were subjected to a hot' fire. The main part of the battle wasi waged between the besiegers’, windows and those directly oppo- ‘ site. At intervals the sharp cracks . of the service rifle were punctuated by the savage snaps of the automatic pistols returning the fire, i and it was possible to see the dust of the striking bullets as they chipped the masonry from the windows behind which the police and soldiers were ensconced. Eveiy window in the vicinity and many in the actual area of the conflict was filled with onlookers. t mostly women and children of the Semitic type. It is a miracle that the erratic' ricochetting of the bullets, many • fired at an angle, inflicted such little injury. I Dummy soldiers placed at one j window and a soldier’s cap, hoisted on a stick in other in-' stances drew the Anarchists’ fire,‘ the soldiers almost simultaneously I

responding. At one moment scores of police offered to rush the building, but Mr. Churchill forbade this, being unwilling to jeopardise their lives. A bullet struck a colour-ser-geant’s shin while kneeling in the street. He was medically treated, and limped back to his position in the firing line. A section of the Royal Horse Artillery in St. John’s Wood was summoned in order to demolish the house, and a party of Royal Engineers at Chatham were summoned to execute sapping and mining, but their services were not required, the fire solving the difficulty. One theory is that the besieged started the blaze, realising that their case was desperate, and being determined to destroy the evidences of their organisation. There was breathless excitement when at 1.15 the fire engines arrived. They were not permitted to act, though th house was burning fiercely. It was evident at 1.30 that it would be gutted. The approaches to the house were cleared, and soldiers and police lined up. Then a sudden heavy burst of firing occurred. An Anarchist, unable to stand the heat of the pursuing flames, appeared behind the glass panels of the front door. Instantly rifles flashed out, and the occupants of

the house opposite heard him shriek in agony. Almost simultaneously the spectators heard two shots in rapid succession within. It was apparent that some of the besieged at that moment had committed M>icide. otherwise a moment after wards they would have peri-me I under the collapsing roof md floors. The crowd showed that thO • sympathies were with the |-.i by cheering lustily on irscpg the miscreants’ fate The firemen then began work. The head, arms and legs of one

body were missing, but a skull was found separately. A cinematograph of the battle was exhibited last night. Leeson’s bullet was extracted, and he is progressing favourably. Two Mauser pistols and three boxes of photographs were found in the ruins. The landlady of the Sidney Street lodging-house pointed out to the police a front room on the first floor where the suspects were asleep. It is a curious coincidence that Beron, the man murdered on Clapham Common, lived in Jubilee Street close adjoining.

PRESS COMMENT. (Received 5, 8.50 a.m.) The “Times” states it is to be hoped there are not many such desperadoes in East London, nor is it very likely that there are. Other newspapers express the public widespread stupefaction and indignation felt at the abuse of British hospitality and the demand for rigid supervision of aliens. The “Daily News” protests against any possible attempt to identify East End aliens as a class with desperadoes such as this gang, who were a problem by themselves. What is needed is a notoriously efficient police as a deterrent to their landing, and continuation of the Government policy oi expelling criminal al’ens. IDENTIFYING THE DEAD. . A GIRL ILL-TREATED.

The police announce that the • third body found in the ruins is ' that of Peter the Painter. Others have been identified as ’ those of Fritz and an associate named Jacobs. There is definite evidence that the defenders set fire to the house. The police believe Peter the Painter and Fritz did not reside together, but kept up close communi- ■ cation between each other by 'means of women, including Bessie ! Gershon, in whose room in Sydney street the police discovered both Fritz and Peter. Bessie Gershon was arrested prior to the attack on the house. The “Telegraph” says an English girl was lured to the house by a couple of foreigners and ill-treat-ed. Information was subsequently given to the police and the men were identified as Fritz and Peter. A third man named Rozen was also concerned This circumstance led to the raid. The “Times” says the fact of a detachment of Guards sweeping the streets with bullets because two anarchists were firing pistols from a house from which they could not escape, needs more explanation than is yet forthcoming. Other papers express similar opinions. The Press generally demands closer scrutiny and more drastic treatment of aliens and more protection against desperadoes. Sir Robert Anderson, formerly head of the Criminal Investigation Department, insists upon the introduction of a stronger Aliens Act. (Received 5. 11.5 a.m.) Xewspapers recall the similitude of the Cato street conspiracy. February 23rd, 1820. Among the ruins two large automatic pistols were found. Sixteen of the police, troops, civilians. and firemen are being treat ed for iniuries caused by falling debris.

OXLY TWO BODIES FOI XI). (Received 5. 1.55 p.m.) London. Jan. 5. Owing to fragmentary recovery of remains, it is now definitely announced that only two bodies have been found. Peter the Painter is still un-1 captured.