The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-04-12 00:00:00

THE STRIKE AT KIDDERMINSTER,

RENEWED DISTURBANCES.

The hope of a friendly settlement of the trade
dispute at Kidderminster has beet rudely crossed
by the serious disturbance which occurred in the
town on Monday night, and for the moment the
prospect is not an Encouraging one. A. few clays
ago it was generally believed th tt the Strike which
has arisen on th • female labour question was all but
,nded. There had been fifty or sixty summonses
issued for assaults and intimidation connected with
the affair, and these w,-re all withdrawn on Friday,
and the alvocate for the defendants, who also re-
presented the Weavers' A- so3iation stated that six
men had been appointed to settle the question at
issue. The Mayor expressed his satisfaction at
the amicable a, rangernent come to, and the defend-
ants simply entered into their own recognisancee,
and the remissien of a sentence passed the previous
week was referred to as a desirable thing. Un-
fortunately, when the employers' and the weavers'
representatives met subsequently, in the expectation
of clenching the matter, friction arose, which was
not anticipated, and the men retired without the
purpose for which they met the masters, being
• ffected, Statements have got afloat regarding the
interview which have undoubtelly caused a feeling
of exasperation and sourness among a large section
of the operativss, and this seems partly to explain
the outbreak of violence on Monday night. There
had been rumours during the day that disturbances
were to be looked for in the evening, and in view
of the definite shape these statements took the
Watch Committee held a special meeting and re-
solved to send to Birmingham for twenty-five police
officers to strengthen the borough force. The men
art ived between six and seven, under the command
of Superintendent Stephenson, and there was a
'hostile demonstration soon afterwards, a number of
stones being thrown at them. It is ssid by the
weavers that the presuice of straneo police caused
the excitement which led up to the disturbances ;
but on the other hand it is alleged that but for the
extra help that arrived there would have been a
determined attempt to storm Mess:s. Dixon's mill
and fetch out "the blacklegs," as they are termed,
who have been at work in place of the men on strike.
A number of these new hands are permanently
lodged at the mill, and beds are provided for them,
and thar °Ulr wants supplied there. When the
members of the firm came up from the mill at a
later hour than usual, police escorted them through
the streets, the large throngs of people at the time
being in a very excited state, Many of these hooted
and yelled, and threats were used of a disquieting
kind. Mr. Henry Dixon entered the Police station
for a time, and afterwards drove home in a cab to
Greatfield, on the Bewdley Road, still protected by
the po:ice. A strong stream of people set out in
the direction he had taken, and it was feared there
would be something ill attempted. Several gentle-
men joined the police to endeavour to protect
Greatfield from any attack, and the mob tried to
rush through the lodge gate. They were kept at
bay, but stones were thrown and blows exchanged.
Captain Goodwin, the son of the Mayor, was one
of those present, and his hat was cut through, and
his head gashed by a atone. A weaver who was in
the throng is stated to have been seriously injured
by a-staff. The police eventually cleared the road
before them, and drove the crowd back into the
town. Stones were thrown at them on the way
and as the police came down Bewdley Hill, the
crowd had a position of advantage from the high
buttress of sandstone, and again hurled stones at
them. The men who have been at work at Messrs.
Dixon's, and who live in different parts of the town,
were in many cases singled out for attack, the ;nob
spparenCy divitting into sections for the purpose.
Windowe and doors were smashed in : one of the
worst cases being at the house of a man named
Oinecar, in Love Lane. The upstairs end down-
stairs windo As of the house front and back were
smashed in, and damage done to the furniture.
Linecdr was not at horn-, and Mrs. Lineear and her
children ha..l to leave the house. The fmniture was
removed on Tuesday, some of the onlookers ex-
pressing grim satislaction that the family were
driven from the neighbourhood. Mr. It. Gardiner,
er of Mesirs.,Dixott's, was one of those who
I,[ei some of his windows smashed by the workers
of mischief. Till towards evening, on Tuesday,
there was not much that was nrusnal in the
epoeorance f the streets beyond that of ordins.ry
days An attempt was made iu the afternoon to
form a pro.!essian in the Nov llostl. but this the
police sopped. A depufaCca from the weavers
aseaisi met Messrs Dixon in the afternoon, to se
if the e was still a possibility of coaling to an und
standing.

DUDLEY SCHOOL BOARD AND THE TEN
COMMANDMENTS.

turning officer, declared the result of the poll to be
as follows :—Mr. J. Conuop, 2,924; Mr. W. Bassano,
2,921 ; Mr. W. C. Barker, 2.891 ; Mr. Rd Green,
2,956; Mr, T. H. Robertson, 2,685; Mr. Josep,i
Round, 2 636; Mr. J. B. Hadley, 745 ; Mr. Charle •
Willetis, 730; and Mr. Samuel Cave. 578. The
first six are elected.