NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XX, Issue 57, 9 March 1886, Page 2

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

THE RIOTS IN LONDON. full particulars. The starving mechanics of London held a mass meeting on February Brh in Trafalgar Square, around the Nelson monument, whicb resulted in a riot. Tba proceedings opened with the assemblage of ten thousand men. The police, who were present in large numbers, saw that the Socialistic element of London greatly predominated in the crowd, which was also managed by well-known Socialists'. Extraordinary vigilance was used to preserve peaoe at all hazard.". Conspicuous among the lenders of the multitude was Burns, who ran bs Socialistic candidate in Nottinghnm in the recent election. He sneered ab the police, and acted generally as if he wished to bring about, a conflict between the police and people. He asconded the pedestal of the Nelson column for the purpose of delivering an harangue. He was well aware the aot oould not be tolerated, and the police politely ordered him to get down. This he refused ro do, appealing to the crowd to resist interference with ihe exercise of popular rights. The officers, however, were determined, and pushed their way through the excited resisting mass, and by foroe removed Burns from the pedestal. By this lime the crowd had vastly augmented, aud the streets adjacent were packed with a surging mob. A stir in the elevated spot where the Burns incident took place was easily perceptible over almost tho entire area covered by tho vast concourse. Tho sight of the helmets and the officers' uniforms in the struggle was accepted as a visible proof of the commencement of a fight agaiust the law. The response wns a general fearful howl, and an attempted rush from all directions to the point of interest Burns had now been removed some distance from the position which ho had attempted to occupy, but having becomo emboldened by tho cries of the throng, he made a d.sperate effort to recover his lost ground. He was so effectually helped by the mob that the officers on the spot were brushed out of the way, and the orator was soon pressed up against ihe monument. He quickly reascended the pedestal, accompanied by a number of other Socialistic leaders. Burns bore a red flag, and waved it to the assemblage as the signal of triumph over the authorities. He was greeted with deafening shouts. Burns now leisurely finished bis address, and then read a fiercely-worded resolution, which denounced the authors of the present distress in England, and demanded that Parliament should start public works to give employment and bread to teDS of thousands of deserving men, who were out of work througb no fault of their own, bub because of misgovernmenb, and declared it was the duty of the Government to afford every facility for the employment of British capital at home for the profit of the B.iish people ; to give British interests advantages over foreign; and asserted thafc the time had arrived for Parliament to legislate earnestly for the relief of tbe depression iv tho English agricultural districts. The resolution also demanded the immediate appointment of a Minister of Commerce and a Minister of Agriculture. It concluded with a rider, to the effect that copies should be forwarded to Mr Gladstone, Lord Salisbury, Mr Parnell, and the Board of Public Works. The reading of the resolutions was accompanied by fierce comments and stout explanatory speeches by various speakers, who stood with Burns. Some of these speakers went so far as to warn the Government that, although the starving mechauics of London were now attempting to draw attention to their needs by quiet and peaceful agitation, they were bound to get ib by attacking tbe bakers' shops next if the Government did not come to their relief. Burns himself, in one of these side Bpeeehes, denounced the pmenfc House of Commons as a body of landlords and capitalists, for whom hanging wa. too good. Ho also declared that the people had assembled to summon Parliament to relieve afc once the distress of fche British working man ; and the people wanted the question settled at once— peaceably if possiole — otherwise a revolution was inevitable. All this aggravated the excitement of the huge mass, so that the police re formed with an increased force and made another assault. They succeeded in forcing their way up to fche pedestal, and reached this point jusfc as fche resolutions, which had already been proposed and seconded, were about to be submitted fco the mob for approval. The officers at onoe ordered the proceedings to be discontinued on the pedestal, and commanded Burns and his colleagues to come down. This they refused to do. The officers therefore dragged them down by force and drove them from the pedestal. It was evident that Burns expected that the application of violence to him would precipitate the riot, and it was also apparent that the officers who were engaged in removing the Socialistic orators feared an attack, but the men comprising the mob were not in a fighting humor, and contented themselves for a time with hooting the police and smothering them with flour, dirt, and garbage. The officers behaved admirably under this abuse, and showed no resentment. After this ejection, neither Burns nor any of his colleagues made any further attempts to get back. They at once left the street, proceeded to the wall of the National Gallery, which they mounted, and, pointing to the doors and windows, they bitterly denounced the inmates. This looked like an attempt to Bet the mob on the building. The mob was excited, but not up to the point of violence yet. Burns and his colleagues seeing this, vacated the National Gallery wall, and proceeded to the Carlton Club, where they repeated their tactics. By this time the mob was tremendous in numbers, and verging on desperation. Stories of what the police had said and done at the Nelson column had been circulated from mouth to mouth, and exaggerated with every repetition until the crowd was convinced that the authorities had actually dared them tp a conflict. Such fire as was ready for ignition, and within touching distance, was inflamed by the speeches delivered on Carlton Club steps, and the mob split up into divisions by being forced down different streets by thepolice from Trafalgar- square in endeavoring to get nearer to the occupants of the Club-house steps, and various divisions started off hooting and howling and challenging the authorities. The invaded streets were at once abandoned to tho rioters, who, finding themselves no longer opposed, vented their illwill against housed people and against the Clubs by stoning all the dwellings and Club-houses along tbeir way. Afc the present time all that part of the city in the neighborhood of the National Gallery, Carlton Club, and Beform Club is in possession of the mob. Several faction fights have already taken place among the rioters, A furious mob is now (at 7 p.m,) marching through St James-street and Piccadilly, on its way to Hyde Park to hold a meeting, the men cursing the authorities, attacking shops, sacking saloons, getting drunk, and smashing windows. On its way to the Park front the mob made an effort to enter the War but turned away when the sentinel at the entrance confronted the intruders with his bayonet. Conspicuous among the buildings attacked were those occupied by the Devonshire Club, and that occupied as a residence by Mr Arnold Morley, The police along the Jin6 of route to the Park were simply brushed out of the way by the rioters as if they had been so many men of straw, and many of the officers were terribly maltreated for interfering. That part of the Trafalgar-street mob which went to Hyde Park, was composed of hordes which . had filled up Cockspur-street, Pall Mall, and 3 St James-street, when Carlton Club was attacked. This long drawn up throng bent at Kegent-street, which begins at Pali Mall, .

ibout half way between the Nelson monument md St. James-street, and moved northward hrough Regent ef reet to Piccadilly, a quarter >f a mile away, and passing round Regent -ircus, went north again through Regent street, half a mile to Oxford Circus, and iurned here to the left, and went west down Oxford street to Hyde Park, a distance of .hree quarters of a mile. This route was undoubtedly chosen by the leaders for the purpose of keeping the crowd on safe ground, as they would be on the north side of the Park. If the mob had gone along St. James street to Picadilly, and thence to the Park, it might have run too near the barracks on the south side of the Park. It was that part of the mob whioh was drawn east through Sfc. James street to Regent street that attempted to enter the War Office opposite St. James Square. Mr Arnold Morley's residence is in Picadilly, a portion of this route. The house, being formerly occupied by Mr John Bright, was well known to the mob. When the rioters approached the house Mr Morley was in. He I loudly called for help. A number of policemen for a moment stood in the way of tho men, but finally they were cast aside like chaff by the host of desperate men, who rushed up Mr Morley's steps. He had locked and barricaded the door, but it was burst open, and tho house over-run, despite his frantic protests. When tho invaders wertt away they left scarcely a sound pane of glass in the building. A great number of oilier private houses along tlieir route fared much worse, including the Devonshire Club houso, which had been previously attacked in Bt. James street. The attack upon tbis building took place at tho very beginning of the riota and was very savage. HatchoU's Hotel, a well known hostelry, at 07 and OH, I'icoarlilly, was also assaulted. Whon the mob assailed thia locality, many ot tlieir rank and 111-., being hungry, made a riinh for tlio hotel. They had it in their posHOHsion in a moment ; sacked it of all food and drink, and I«.U thii building badly wrecked. As the mob were leaving they saw a carriage which had boen pressed up against tlio kerb hy tho pamiing procession und abandoned hy its frightenod oooupants. It was w.'v/M in tin itutanfc and broken up, tho whoclH, spokei., shaflt., and other good pieces being carried away for c \ubs. Tho Turf CluhlioiiHO, being in Piccadilly, presented another temptation to th c Motors, and as thoy went by they Hmanhed all tho front doors and window.). All along Regent-street and Oxford n treet, between Piccadilly and Hydo Park tho liouhqh were attacked indiscriminately and their windows smashed. After Burns had boon driven away from the Nelson monument by tho polico, and had Bpoken from tho National Gallery wall and Carlton Olub steps, a savage light took place between his adherents — tbe Socialists and an ti- Socialists. The battle raged for some time, but the Socialists proved victorious. They then lifted Burns to their shoulders and bore him aloft to Regent street, where with him they succeeded in sending the crowd toward Hyde Park, Burns leading the way. At Hyde Park, when the mob had all collected, Burns again addressed them. This speech waß even more violent than the others he had made, his language being exciting, and tho whole address calculated to set the crowd loose upon the town. Burns was followed by several other Socialistic speakers, all of whom did all in their power to stir up strife. Wheu the speaking was over the mob broke up intc parties, Tbe main boiy went back east along Oxford straeb again. The affrighted residents on this thoroughfare had nofc yei recovered from tbe panic, and the mob had bad fche street to themselves. They smashed every eound window they noticed, and the wine shops were broken into and their contents distributed freely to whomsoever wished to drink. Beer saloona they similarly treated. Tailors' Bhops were broken into, and clothes and rolls of cloth were thrown out into the streets to be taken by those strongest in the fights which resulted. Every person met who looked like a foreigner wae stoned or beaten from fche street. Scores ol times the policemen attempted to save the assailed property and to make arreats, but they were every time beaten and compelled to surrender their prisoners. Io tho meantime several thousand rowdies remained in Trafalgar Square, occupying, fche time in daring the police " io come on," and in making rushes afc the constables and at other obnoxious persons. In one of theße rushes the mob overthrew two heavy granite columns ; these fell across Charing Cross and blocked the traffic to and from the Charing Cross railway station. The police made several most desperate exertions to clear away the obstruction, but were easily resisted every time by the mob. The mob held their ground at Trafalgar Square until they voluntarily abandoned the scene. The entire power of the police proved insufficient to clear the way to one ol the most important railway stations in the world, sufficiently to permit even a single oarriage line to pass to or from fche station. Some time after dark the mob gradually left Trafalgar Square. They went away satisfied that, without having- actually been in collision with the police, they had won the day. As the mob dispersed, the various sections made havoc in the streets until they dwindled away. The scenes which characterised the retreat of that section of the Hyde Park mob which went through Oxford-street also attended the retreat of other sections of that crowd. Every street they entered surrendered to them. At midnight, the police reports concurred in stating that never before in the present generation has such a disturbance occurred in London,, yet with so little loss of blood. Some officials declared that upwards of fifty thousand men must have been rioting for at least six hours, with absolute possession of every thoroughfare they chose to invade. Yet no life is reported to have been taken. Had the police been strong enough to attack the mob at any point there might have been a terrible record, but at midnight everything was pretty much as it was during the day, and the whole thing appears to have been a sort of nightmare while it lasted. The city was thoroughly excited, but the mob was essentially English. It made a frightful demonstration, was not resisted, and went to bed at the usual time. According to the lowest estimate, 150,000 persons were engaged in the Trafalgar Square demonstration. Two-thirds of the crowd consisted of bona fide, unemployed working men, the remainder being Socialists. The two sections not being in accord, there were frequent collisions between them. On the secoud day fears were entertained that the riots of the Sth would be renewed. In anticipation of another demonstration, small crowds of roughs passed into Trafalgar Square from different points of the city, and at 2 p.m. the crowd numbered 3000. None of the loaders of the day before, however, mado their appearance, and most of the shops were closed. The roughs took advantage of a heavy fog to assemble in various parts of the West Bnd. They were bol i and impudent, One gang attempted to stop the ! carriages of members of the nobility, who were on their way to St. James' Palace to attend a levee given by the Prince of Wales. The police, however, drove them back, and dispersed them by 3 o'clook. The crowd in Trafalgar Square was 1000 strong, the majority being comprised of loafers of the worst class. During the afternoon a gorgeous equipage was driven near the mob, and someone shouted, " Turn out the Lord Mayor." The rioters at once made a rush for the vehicle, seemingly determined to tear it to pieces, and stamp its occupants to death. The police, however, by a vigorous charge, rescued the equipage and its occupants and got them to a place of safety, after a struggle and repeated charges. About 4*30 p.m. the police (Continuea on Third Page.)

-_™_-_-__--M-___-»-____a_--___»_i Mß-_*aaa— •-■■—•—"■ ■ •» (Continued from Second Page') succeeded in pushing the mob into the side streets and thus splitting it up. The police followed up their work and drove each fragment of the broken mob until ita elements were dissipated in the alleyways and byways of the city. Sparling, the Socialist leader, and Hyndman, the President of the Democratic Federation, were interviewed on the 9th, Both disclaimed any connection with the riots of the Bth. The former aaid that while he did nofc approve of rioting, he'conld not but rejoice at an event that showed society to be insecure. In regard to the Btone-throwing at the Carlton Club, Sparling said the members of that body brought the attack upou themselves by appearing at the windows and coughing and J jeering at the mob. In explanation of the rough treatment to which a lady had been subjected by the rioters, he said the carriage had been stopped because the lady bad been heard to order ber coachman to " Drive over those dogs." The mob, Sparling said, v selected and attacked three shops which exhibited the Royal arm?. Eyndman pre- : diotslihat trouble of a very serious purport will ensue if the distress existing among the working people is not soon relieved. On the third day the dense fog continued, and favored the congregation of roughs. A second orowd of loafers assembled at the street corWs. Hundreds of genuine workmen out \i employment wandered about Trafalgar Square during the afternoon. At 3 o'clock news was received in the city that they were smashing the windows and wrecking the fronts of houses along the route, and a panic prevailed. Shortly before 4 o'clock this mob reached the Hop Exchange, in Southwark, • nearly five miles from the starting point, and increased by constant accessions during its progress north. The mob rested in Southwark, between London Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge. The police held all the bridge approaches. Warned by the authorities, the tradesmen in the Strand, Cockspur street, Pall Mall, and Regent street closed their places of business. The Deptford mob was largely composed of thieves and ruffians who had organised to attack the city emporiums and banks. On its way toward the Thames it' passed through New Kent road and Newington Causeway. The small shops were sacked along tho wty. The rioters stopped at the mammoth establishment of -Win. Tamand and Co. This establishment '. covers the ground from nnd iucluding numbers 5 to 21 on the Kent road, anu 165 to 1/4 on Newington Causeway, and is devoted ' to- trade in linen, silk, men and women's clothes, boots and shoe*, carpets, ironware, .bedding and furniture. The building was under police protection, but the mob. over-ran the officers and sacked 'the etore. When they retired, the building was badly wrecked. The mob was dispersed by 6 p.m, but thß streets were thronged with people. Some time after a Socialists' meeting was advertised to take place "the same evening in Cumberland market. Many thousands assembled, the lowest classes of London being represented by a strong contingent. The Socialist leaders, Hyndman, ■Williams, and others, after consulting together, came to the conclusion to abandon the attempt to hold the meeting, because j they saw that the dense fog that prevaihd prevented them distinguishing the unemployed working men from the loafers. The meeting adjourned till February 15th. The police. were more active in dealing with the mob than on the preceding occasion, and by midnight the city was quiet. The official estimate of the losses by these riots amounts to _£30,000.