The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1884-09-16 00:00:00

THE SCENE AT "THE NORTON" TRIALS.

After the annewhat Imetily-given order to " olear
the court" bad been oomplied with on Wednesday
morning the crowd, or the majority, It may be
naturally inferred, adj woe I to the adj cluing
preblic-
hou,ec to "talk matters rev,.'." The outcome of this
WWI the f ..f • ' t " Army, its it is
called in contra- listinoti m of ti, Salvation Army,
tad • couple of hue Ired of men marching font a•brealt,
preceded bye man bearing A fit:, on which, in rough
charatt ire, were the word.-- Wby rob • p >or M4O
of his bow," paraded the town. At interest. • halt
was made, and the well-known retrain of " General "
Booth'. follower.—" Fire away, it,. away' wee vine,
and showers 01 coding.. w the re-alt. Thews were
.pent at the neareet public-house. ahd undoubtedly it
was a fortunate thing for Mr. Nortoo an I his two
friends that this w so. I hid there been the
urgaiti ation th we o V. hi • ow .!ocht the scene
a▪ t
th• roller .y ntation W..•ii h .•• nerAt II from
comedy into tragedy.
The nuregistrate. were about cc h tir and a quarter
in arriving at their decision In the metnerhile the
public, who had been rwadmitt id, indulged lea good
hum oared chaff at Mr. Aldermen N ,n and hie men.
A Ironton Inc art crested r are of !aught • by shout-
ing nut the order—" I say, Johnny. gen I ma up •
baud, of fort-fools." It need hardly be added the
merriment did n =beide when another voice suppl•-
mantel it with the requwt—" And let Sammy (Baker)
irMg 'eta." Mr. Norton, however, took the Livia,
of a tbir I one in the Cr .w l—" koep Smiling "
which he did abut se naturally a• a Men under the
circumat mos. couid be expected to it ~
Among th 010 court WWI the Vicar of PACILItcee,
who, in hi. paper, the licotindtr, hal opt. kin out men.
fully, and i term. wnich etc...4;ly show the disgust he
innately feels at this un-English attempt to Jaime
people to offend against the leew.
After the Mayor had delivered the judgment of the
Booth, which he did very briefly, the crowd, which
hod been gathered in the Court quickly dispersed in
or 'Cr to be at the door, to witne., the exit of Mr.
Norton and tilt other two witcessee. Neither of the
throe, h ivire,yer, ventured f irth until their train was
due, M •. Norton haring an engagement at Eldisbury
that same bight, and the enqtdry agent, of cotirie
being de,irous I. visit "home, meat home's, riniciry
as they could.
On leaving the Court their appsaranos was the
eigna! for a perfect Babel of yell., grown, and Uwe.,
but the police acted a Imirably, atd In spite of the
attempts to get at the three men, manswel to take
them in • dety half-way a,. Markel-atreet on the road
to the et dion. Here, however, the crowd made •
det•rminal rush. The rear gutid of p .IM. turned,
and there we. a r .ugh up-arid- !own tumble light f .1. a
couple of minutes ; about five imlic :men eel • thriller
number of the moh were rolling together in foul
embrace. upon M ither Earth, bit no material
damage was dons. Its pi:ice tile matters very
co3lly. They saw their inuall fume would have but
title chime' with toe crowd, an I they, therefore,
wisely refrained from any exhibition of authority.
Just at this p dot, William., the rx•polmernan, drew
a revolver. Wriether it WCe loaded or not I. num-
but a constable at once wale him return it to
hi. pocket, a.king the fool if be •••de Ito be inUrilered.
Fortun.tely but few ia • thi•. A horse a'd tubed t
browned dray here boc *me restive. and ran amongst
the crowd. Thin meptrited the main body from the
E:dioe and Mr. Norton an I the other two 'non. A
rook' sergeant at police, upon whose arm Mr. Sort in
was kreedan, at wave ol the opportunity, and ma
"Now, Ur. Nrtt in, run, now. the time." Mr.
Sort in &wonted the advice. an I a" double" was the
oiler ref ttuf day. N however. bit ore the two 'pins
had dist their hate. 1 hem w mut dying about the
real, aci each of three gentlemen received we,s at
blowy.

-ineeospani-rf by Lbe p lic.lir. Nrrtoo arrival
at tle station chore, at a tro3, only jo.t ia than to
escape tb3 other in ON being nearly carried ia by the
omertablee who so ,p,rwi bins on either aide. bee fled
f 3r refuge into the tomato odic, of Sir. Politisr, the
stationmaster, who at oncs brouaht hia men np, and

posted • goard inside lb. rho.% which w.. Nipple.
Mente‘i hv SO' PAC% The mob aside St &Item rt to
get thruigh the gates, ,so I Sating thi,, futile be-leg -ri
the front eu.lesioe t the station. Sept. Cer•ie,
In c., maul of the pollee, IthCal • ivrral men
I • pro re,.lt, Stouee were them thrown, and Sup -re
b t out CSII4O. We reeret I. say, wes bit by ..ne
clean a cel eye. He wee stunned for • few minister',
.0.1 ti co ed ex I .re ot 0 .otriciot it the
occrr cc'. The Pap -riotendost said ble knew it was
at en- .nt ter him. and all stone throwing then
COMIC.).
In .Ireut hall-ao-bour, daring which the South-
Wes'ern Segel* and the pace had the reste4
difficulty in kespisc Vie door , the Salisbury train
arrived, and Mr. N clon and the two ages,. Wire
hu.tlrc ieto the train, leaving and I • tromen.lome
shouting, Mr. Nori...n' with the b at of taste, a. the
train eteeine I out of tiie station, Inking off his bat an I
wariow it to the baud sted mob.
At Wunborne a laarbabo joke wee played them.
Some wicked rogue pi ear,' • far signal under the
wheels f the curia,te ju.t before it started. Woes
they enpl 4.1 the way in whict, th t deemed
ab 'let, fancying they were briber blown up by dynamite
otos something rich, we bear. The two enquiry iwnta
Moe pluckier...A a bat each at T .pper's H 441. They
were charge I the modyst sum of • .methinc like half.
c-i err-Its lo • • c ,opie th4t Teoiere ha I bed in use
In *Melt 20 revs, cod which i he parted wiLl r. lat-
ently, as he thouzht after a few peers weer of adding
them I, his museum.