Riot at Lyttelton.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4871, 10 December 1883, Page 4

Riot at Lyttelton.

ATTACK ON THE SALVATION ABMX\ AN EXOITING PUBBUIT. Tho only serious disturbance that has ocoarred in oonneotion with tba operations of the Salration Army in North Canterbury, took plaoe at Ljttelton yeßterday afternoon, and resulted, it is satisfactory to relate, in the utter discomfiture of the rioters. The affair was eridently the outcome of a carefully arranged soheme on tho part of the members ef the Ohristchureh " Skeleton Army" and their sympathisers, but did not terminate at all in the maimer expected by these gentry, who found that the residents of the " Marine Borough " were not by any means disposed to look with favour on an organised attempt to disturb the "Sabbath quiet" of their streets, even at the expense of the Salvationists. It seemß that a small detachment of larrikins proceeded to Lyttelton by a morning train, and going to the Oddfellows' Hall, where the Salvation Army were holding one of their earlier servioes, demanded admitsion. The doorkeepers, probably perceiving that the objeot of the visitors was not a " mistion of peaoe," refused to let them in. Ihey retired, uttering threats that they wonld

return and obtain admission for themselres. In order te oarry out this menaoe, and apparently in pursuance of a pre-arranged plan, a body of about 80 young men and lads left Chrutohuroh for Lyttelton by the 2 80 p.m. train. Unfortunately for the suocess of their campaign, Mr Inspootor Pender, who had business in Port, was a passenger by the same train. On arriring at Lyttelton, the " Skeletonians " were met by their adranoed guard, several of whom had employed the time, sinoe the morning in keeping up their courage for the ooming fray by sundry " nip?," and were consequently in a state of considerably more than mild exoitement. The wholo gang at onoo marohed to the Hall, where tho afternoon servioe was in progress. They made a demand to be admitted, and were refused. They then attempted to foroe their way past the doorkeepers, who strove to push them baok. This was the signal for a general onslaught. The compaot body of larrikins oharged the door and oommonoed to furiously assault the Salvationists. Constable O'Connor now appeared on the soene, and at once interfered to stop the disturbance, the immediate result being that an assault was made on" himself. However, he aeized ono of the ringleaders of the mob— a man named Harrison — and, in spite of the vielent struggles of the latter, held him fast. A number of residents of LytteltOH, attracted by the uproar, had by this time assembled at the Hall, and, with praiseworthy promptness, went to the assistance of the policeman. Constables Foreman and M'Cormack now oame up, and oollared two more of the rioters, whom, with the help of some of the bystanders, they scoured, though one of the prisoners offered a most ferooions resistance. Mr Pender and Sergeant Mason were at the soene of tbo riotrory shortly after its commencement, and the three prisoners were oonreyed to the look-up, aosompanied by an increasing and exoited orowd, who mani* fested the strongest hostility towards them. Their comrades, seeing that affairs had taken a moat unexpected and, to them, most unpleasant turn, retreated to the railway gates, where they halted, and held a sort of oounoil of war; Their deliberations were brought to an untimely end by the appearance of an army, oomposed, not of Salrationists, but able-bodied residents, who, headed by Inspeotor Pender and the police, were ooming to avenge the attempt to < desecrate the peace of their Borough. This sight was too muoh for the already shaken nerves of the larrikins, who fled in terror along the railway line in front of the station, with the obvions intention of gaining the Bridle path by olimbing the hills. Their fright lent wings to their feet, and they made some very creditable " time," but the strategy of their assailants was too muoh for many of them. While the three constables followed the fugitives, to prerent them from "doubling," Mr Pender and Sergeant Mason, with the main body of the pursuers, made for the Bridle path, whioh they reaohed in time to oapture seven more of the "Skeletoniana," some of whom afforded quite an excitiug "run" before they were oaught. The remainder of the gang, thoroughly panio strioken, scattered over the hills in all directions, and made good their escape for the present. The prisoners were oonduoted to the look-up, escorted by a crowd, whioh manifested its disapproval of their oonduot in a rery marked manner. The culprits | were, it is almost needless to remark, now [ rery different from the noisy ruffians who had assaulted the apparently helpless Salvationists. They seemed thoroughly oowed by the display ef popular indignation they had evoked, and doubtless felt somewhat relieved when lodged in the ignominious seonrity of the watoh- house. The prompt and effioient manner in whioh the police did their duty on the oooasion entitles them to great oredit, while the people of Lyttelton are to be, complimented on the ready and vigorous aid they lept in quelling the disturbance, and bringing the rioters to justice. The following are the names of the prisoners : — D. Harrison, Thomas Neary, John Brown alias Martin, Bobert Johnson, John Philips, Biobard Marsden, Henry Burns', Edward William EUwood, John Lord, and Thomas Nessone.