" MAN'S OPPRESSION."

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13947, 30 April 1909, Page 2

" MAN'S OPPRESSION."

TOM MANN RELEASED.

By Electric Telegrapß. — JapyrfgH. BTDNBT, April. «. The judge, summing op in Tj9m Mann's case 1 , said Mann's speeches wow material^ against him, for they showed that he was Si all times prepared to offer resistance to 4b* pdKee. [ The jury, after, five horns' deliberation, returned a verdict of not guilty. Tom Mann addressed a crowd shortly after his acquittal. He said he would not have whimpered if he had got fifeyears' for the job. They were once more released frbm man's oppression, he' **kT, and by ihe God that made them he wonld let the capitalist crowd know it in future 1 ..

[Inspector. Roche, at present A«tmgSuperintendet of Detective Police', air . the trial deposed that on January 4 h* was in charge of. a^sqjnad of about 30 police, which was marched op Sulphide Street during ihe afternoon tb the , Hippodrome, where there was acrOwd of probably 3000 or 4000 persons. Hoofc~ ing and boo-hooing were indulged im as the squad passed through the crowd* and several policemen were struck wim itticks and stones. The order was giren to turn round, and the police faced the mob and marched it -through again. This operation was carried out twice,, and the squad was then jnarched to* the police station. Witness saw Una following the police. When the police* _ returned from the station^Mann walked., up the street in a theatrical style,- and on reaching the crowd, of. abowtj^ooo people he waved his hand and said, "Let the police pass through — we bare. no quarrel with them — but nobody' eke. At the picket line some of the pickets were armed with sticks and " | pieces of iron piping. ' Some of the> I crowd were similarly armed. Witnesa went nearer the crowd, and accused, and two or three others were walking, round, apparently half mad. He saidT : "What are you going to do, Roch^r?. < Witness answered, "It appears to iri6 v you are looking for trouble; if you want fight, yon will get all yon want. Maim exclaimed, "Allow nobody else through." Defendant went up to where two mounted men were on duty, ana hurrahed and* waved his hat in fnrafc of them. The horses became restive;, and nearly trampled persons near them.. Mann said, "Take those damned-troop-ers away; if you don't, there mU'.oer trouble." About that time Dr. »«uk« came v? in a sulky. Witnesa took twelve officers; to try and get the cwntor through, and Mann said that i»%~~ they attempted to get the doctor through there would be bJooiwpeS' " "For God's sake,? said Mann, "withdraw your men." There was a bit ot a free fight round the sulky, owing to an attempt to oreirtnrn it. Witness told the police to keep qniet, andiwithdrew them. " Mann then got into, the sulky with the doctor, and difcveM%. the direction of the Trades H»IL A. few minutes later Mann mounted m old tank and told the crowd that the* had been within an ace of bloodlhoa,^ and that they were to keep *001. The. doctor, he said, had got a pass, andifc was all right now. Inspector Roche* wj* examined as to the trouble that occurred between those in the procession of strikers and the police at_the chancing of pickets on January 9* Witness stated that when the procession approached the police lin*» f Snperiii-,. fondent Mitchell stepped ont and*Md, "Either way, Mr. Mann," pointftig^tO; the right or left. The accused turned to the right; but several of the crowg shouted,' "Go through; go thrdogH: Superintendent Mitchell said something, and Mann said, "No; <we a*e going through here," or "I am gome throngh here." Accused turned and went straight on to the police linesHe tried to shoulder- his fay through, and was arrested. Following «M» *he> arrest there was an assault by tnemen on the police, and by the police upon: the people.] •