The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-01-05 00:00:00

ORANGEMEN AND NATIONALISTS AT

DROMORE.

The Dublin Correspondent of the Daily New:,
writing on Tuesday night says
The Nationalist and Loyalist meetings at Dromore,
county Tyrone, to-day, were attended with rioting of
a serious character, and it is feared some of the rioters
received wounds which will prove fatal. There were
determined efforts made to cause the authorities to
proclaim the Nationalists gathering, bu without
success, and as the Qrangemen had threatened
to disperse the meeting very stringent precautions
were adopted, and a force of soldiers and police
sufficient to secure the public peace was con-
centrated in and around the small town of
Dromore, which was occupied by nearly a thousand
bayonets. In addition to this large force there was an
assembly of troops at Omagh, Trillick, and other points
of the county in anticipation of disturbances. Some of
the infantry were brought from Dublin for the occa-
sion, others from Belfast, Enniskillen, and Derry ;
the entire force being under the command of Colonel
Bennett, commander of the North-Western District.
The 16th Lancers and the 18th Hussars were engaged
in scouring the roads for miles around Dromore, and
escorting to their respective meetings the contingents
from the outlying districts. Mr. Tbynne and Mr.
Hamilton, resident magistrates, had charge of the ar-
rangements, and tiny had a very difficult duty to die-
charge. The Orangemen came by special trains from
Omagh and other places in large numbers. Their
meeting was held in a field beside the parish church,
from which a view could be had of the Nationalist
meeting. There was a great deal of cheering and
defiant shouting on both sides. Cavalry were
drawn up on the roads to prevent the Orangemen
entering the town, and the Nationalists were pro-
hibited from passing out of the town towards the
Orangemen, and in that way the parties were kept
asunder. This they succeeded in doing until the even-
ing, when all the efforts of the troops and police with
bayonet and baton were unable to enforce the arrange-
ment. Notwithstanding their exertions, a number of
the Orange party got into the town. A serious col-
lision seemed imminent when some of the Nationalists
were arriving by a road running close to the Orange
meeting, and the soldiers were obliged to charge the
Orangemen with bayonets. Sticks were brandished on
both sides, and some stones were thrown. The
police searched some of the processionists for arms.
Three Nationalists were arrested, but afterwards
discharged. Beycnd an occasional display of green
ribbon in the hat or button hole, the Nationalists dis-
played no emblems. The Orangemen, however, ap-
peared in their full regalia and carried theirflags—orang e
and crimson and blue flags—as well as a number of
Union Jacks, large and small. In the afternoon, at the
close of the meeting, notwithstanding all the efforts
of the magistrates and soldiers, the Orangemen, by
a dgtour across the fields, came within a short dis-
tance of the Nationalists, and a serious fight was
waged for some time, during which the cavalry and
infantry charged several ti s, Revolver shots were
ez,,htsmre,i, ntone. wc,r. 11.tEtc, awl btCks were used
with violence on both sides, It was not until the
Lancers and Hussars charged across the fields and
wounded a number of the Orangemen that a check
was put to the fight. The Nationalists were escorted
by the infantry, with fixed bayonets beyond the reach
of the Orangemen. A number of persons on both sides
received lance wounds.

At Cootehill, on Tuesday, a meeting announced to
be held by the Nationalist and prohibited by Govern-
ment proclamation was prevented, but there was none
the less a very considerable demonstration. Mr.
Biggar, M.P., arrived at Rockcorry Station, four
miles from Cootehill, at twelve o'clock. Just AS
the train drew up, a large contingent from Rock-
corry, with bands and banners, arrived, and,
during the brief delay at the station cheered the
hon. member loudly. Cootehill was reached at twenty
minutes past twelve. There was a large crowd on
the platform, and Mr. Biggar was warmly cheered.
Captain Mansfield, R.M., and Mr. Gibson, RM.,
with a large force of police, were present, and Mr.
Biggar was presented by Captain Mansfield with a
copy of the proclamation prohibiting the meeting.
Mr. Biggar got on a car, and, followed by a large
crowd and by about sixty policemen and the resident
magistrate on cars, drove two miles out of town in the
direction of Rockcorry, to meet the contingent from
that district. They then turned and came back
to within a mile of Cootehill, and, again with the
police and resident magistrates still in their train,
wheeled round and went to the Forth, about three
miles from that place. Here a large crowd had
assembled, but before Mr. Biggar had arrived they
had been dispersed by the police. Mr. Biggar again
turned, and the procession walked back to Cootehill,
where an exciting scene took place before entering the
town. All, however, passed off quietly.