The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-09-15 00:00:00

a ROYAL GATHERING AT COPEN-
HAGEN,

The consecration of the Russian chapel at Copen-
hagen took place with great ceremony on Sunday
morning. The principal streets were gaily decorated
with flags and thronged with crowds of spectators.
The Emperor and Empress of Russia, the King and
Queen of Greece, the Princess of Wales, and all the
members of the Danish Royal family, with their
children were present, except the Duchess of Cumber-
land, who was indisposed. The members of theßussian
Embassy and Baron Mohrenheim, the officers and fifty
of the crew of the Russian Imperial yacht Derjava,and
the suites of the Russian, Greek, and English Imperial
anti Royal visitors also misted at the ceremony,
which was performed by the Father Confessor of the
Empress of Russia, assisted by the chapla'ns of the
Russian Embassy and the Derjava. At noon a State
' luncheon was given on board the Derjava, at which
the Emperor of Russia proposed the health of the
Danish Royal family. The Kng of Denmark, in
reply, proposed the health of the Imperial family of
Russia. The Czar afterwards drank the health of the
King and Queen of Greece and of Baron Mohrenheim,
the present Russian Ambassador in England, and
formerly in Denmark, and the founder of the chapel.
The Royal family returned to Fredensborg at half.
past two.

POLICE RAID ON A GIPSY
ENCAMPMENT.
Late r n Sunday night Isaac Smith, the King of a
notorious gipey tribe, or family, well-known through-
out Warwickshire, and neighbouring counties was
arrested at Yardley Wood, near Shirley, for a
desperate outrage on the keeper of the " pound " at
Milverton. A son of the prisoner was also arrested
on the same charge, after being pursued sqveral
mil3s. The elder prisoner, together with several sons,
daughters, and daughters-in-law and grandchildren,
altogether numbering about a hundred persons,
have for years led a thorough gipsy life, keeping
four large caravans. About the middle of last week,
when the tribe of "Smith family" were encamped
between Coventry and Leamington an attempt was
made by the keeper of the " pound " to impound some
Ot the gipsies' horses which had strayed upon the high-
way. The attempt was, however, unsuccessful, the
gipsies severely assaulting the pound-keeper, nearly
breaking one arm, besides seriously injuring him about
the face and head and leaving him insensible. Imme-
diately after the outrage the elder Smith and the son
who has been arrested abscorded. The police being
informed of the occurrence at once scoured the country,
but without any satisfactory result, and upon going
early next morning to the place of the encampment,
found to their surprise that all the caravans together
with their occupants, had gone away. Telegraphic
communication was at or .e opened with the police.
stations within a radius, the result being the discovery
that the gipsies had tramferred their encampment to
a rural 'place a few miles from Rugby. Sergeant
Hawkea and Sergeant Court, of the Kenilworth
division of the Warwickehire constabulary, at once
made for the encampment, and upon recognizing the
" king " and other of the assailants, made an attempt
to arrest them. The gipsies now turned out in a body,
and pelting the officers with stones, and striking them
with railings, caused them to retreat. The officers
went as fast as they could to Rugby, returning to the
encampment with a large body of police. To their
astonishment, however, they found on their return
that the gipsies had disappeared. Despite the vigi-
lant search made by the police, nothing was heard of
Smith or his fa-oily until Sunday, when Inspector
Carliss, of Solihull, and Serheant Caly, of Shirley,
found the caravans were near Yardley Wood, about
a quarter of a mile from the metallurgical works of
Mr. Webster. As was the case at Rugby, the officers
found the gipsies too strong for them and hastened back
to Shirley, where Mr. Thompson, of the Saracen's Head,
kindly provided vehicles in order to fetch police officers
from various parts of the county. The arrival of one
of Mr. Thompson's "floats," carrying seven policemen
in uniform naturally caused great excitement among
the inhabitants of Shirley, the total number of the
police force in that place being one officer. The police
procession, to take by storm the encampment, was fol.
lowed by hundreds of persons, no one apparently
knowing the reason of the wholesale presence of police.
Under command of Inspector Oarlike, the police made
a cordon around the encampment, upon seeing which
the gipsies, some who were "wanted," and others who
were not, made a Aamnede. Two of the " king's "
sons, named Isaiah and Micah, after being pursued a
long distance, dived into the canal, swimming across
and escaping the officers not venturing to follow.
Several arrests were made, but the two mentioned
were alone detained. The " king" strongly objected
to being arrested, and it was only after a sharp struggle
that he was secured.