RACECOURSE RIOT.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 306, 30 December 1909, Page 7

RACECOURSE RIOT.

VIOLENT SCENES IN VIENNA,

JUDGE ESCAPES LYNCHING,

The famous trotting course on the Prater,. Vienna, was recently the scene of such scandalous excesses as have never/before been_ witnessed there. A racecourse crowd is notorious^ ly prone to give vent to its feelings, especially when it thinks that an injustice has been done to its pockets, and it was this idea which led to a battle royal, in which a good deal of blood was spilled, heads were broken,, and much miscellaneous damage done Ito property. Th© cause of this display of violent passion was a false start, owing to "which the first three horses; to reach the winning-post were disqualified, and the fourth arrival was declared to be the winner. He was a rank outsider, and to his fortunate backers the "totalisator" paid odds of 60 to 1. The decision, however, did not find favour with the public, who' promptly began to create a disturbance. Stands were reduced to match!wopd, iand stones, beer glasses, and other missiles were hurled at the heads of the judges. With cries of "Lynch them!" the infuriated mob sentenced the judges, to death, but these unlucky individuals just managed to escape before the sentence could be carried outi _ The windows and door of the Imperial box were smashed. Authority in the shape of the police arrived on the sce"ne, but met with such a hostile reception that the order "Draw swords!" was given, and many people received a taste of cold steel, some being seriously injured. The riot put a stop to. sport, and the re~ | mainder of the programme was not carried out. After a brief struggle the disturbance was quelled, 54_ persons being arrested. The remainder ruefully dispersed, some ©punting their losses, others'.their bruises, .and1 on the scene of the riot lay a hetrogeneous collection of hats, sticks, matchwood, and broken-glass. r