The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-01-14 00:00:00

A CROFTERS' RAID IN' *LEWIS.

A Stornoway correspondent writes that a body of
Highlanders, locally estimated at 1000 in number,
marched on Monday at daybreak from Portnaguran
and other places for Aignish sheep farm for the pur-
pose of driving off the sheep. The entire body con-
centrated at a spot three miles from Aignish, and
then marched in formation of fours, preceded by
musicians and flagbearers, for the scene of action. A
force of the Royal Scots, Marines, and police came up
with the Highlanders, who refused to disperse. Sheriff
Fraser thereupon read the Riot Act, but the High-
landers proceeded with their work, and succeeded, it
is said, in clearing the entire stock off the farm. The
rioters several times came into conflict with the police
and military, and a number of them were wounded,
but none fatally. Mr. John Ross, Procurator Fiscal,
was struck with a heavy stick and badly wounded,
and the officer in command of the Royal Scots and
several policemen were wounded severely. Eleven of
the raiders were arrested and taken into Stornoway at
four o'clock under heavy escort; but the bulk of the
Highlanders are reported to be still on Aignish farm,
and to be threatening to leave not a single sheep in
the whole district. The island is in a state of wild
excitement., and a serious conflict is feared.
A later telegram says that, after the 13 prisoners
were lodged in gaol on Monday night, the Marines
and military left town again for the Melbost and
Aignish farms, in company with the Deputy Pro-
curator-Fiscal, Sheriff Fraser, and the superintendent
of police. After seeing the several members of these
forces comfortably settled for the night, the Sheriff,
Procurator, and superintendent returned to Stornoway
at a late hour. They anticipated a renewal of the
disturbance at several parts of the island on
Tuesday and the following days ; as the people
threatened a clearance of all the farms in Lewis
at once. The crofters, on the military and
police marching to town from Aignish with
their prisoners, took charge of Mr. Newall's entire
stock and drove them on to the extreme point of the
Knock district, there to stray at their own sweet
wills, and the stockman was in a state of entire
ignorance on Monday night as to the whereabouts of
his live stock. The names of those apprehended on
Monday are Alexander M'Donald, fisherman, of Aird,
aged 60; William M‘Leod, fisherman, 63; Alexander
AVDonald, sailor, 21; Donald . M'Kenzie, fisherman, of
Aird, 51; John 1114Leod, ditto, 51; Donald M‘Leo d,
ditto, 29; Colin Nicholson,' . ditto, of Bayble, 31;
Allan M,Donald, sailor, of Newmarket, 32; Malcolm
Mackenzie, fisherman, of Aird, 43; Wm.Orichton Mason,
of Knock, 28; John M‘Leod, fisherman, of Knock, 30;
William Macleod, sailor, of Aird, 26; and John Mac-
kenzie, fisherman, of Knock. The cell accommoda-
tion being limited in Storonoway, it was expected that
they would be sent on to Dingwall or Inverness. The
Sheriff and Fiscal, it is said, displayed great coolness
and tact in the management of the whole expedition,
without which, it is admitted on all hands, blood
would have been shed. The police on Monday night
were at Aignish under the control of that veteran
officer, Sergeant Smith, of the Ross-shire police force.
It was understood that the Government, recognising
the inadequacy of the naval and military force in the
island. would largely augment it without delay.

On Tuesday a crowd of about CO people, chiefly
composed of young men from Coll township, marched
in procession to Stornoway in order to have an inter-
view with Lady Matheson's chamberlain, Mr. Mackay,
with a view of having the land now forming the farm
of Coll, tenanted by Mr. John Hunter, apportioned into
crofts, and let to them at fair rents. The deputation
first went to the chamberlain's office, but finding
that that official was attending a parochial
board meeting in Lochs they declined to pre-
sent the petition to any of the other officials, notwith-
standing that they were told that it would be duly
considered. They re-formed fours and marched direct
to the Castle, where they were courteously received by
Lady Matheson, in the presence of Mr. Miennan and
Mr. Gillander, both of the Chamberlain's office. Four
of their number, who were elected by the main body,
were ushered into the library of the Castle, and they
there presented their petition to Lady Matheson, who,
having cordially shaken hands with them, read the
petition, and afterwards asked the representatives—
three of whom were young men of about 22 or so, the
fourth being about 35 years—if they had paid their
present rent, to which they replied that they had
not. Further inquiry elicited the fact that about 60
years ago—long before the late Sir James Matheson
purchased the island—only 20 crofts were in Coll, but
that through the increase of population and want of
migration the increase is so great that almost four
times that number are now in it. Lady Matheson in-
quired how it was that squatting was permitted and
encouraged by the people themselves, when they well
knew that it was the means of impoverishing the
tenants, while, if they educated and encouraged their
children and grandchildren to emigrate or migrate,
benefit would accrue to all concerned. The deputation
replied that that was a question they would rather
not answer, as it was one difficult for them to solve.
The main complaint seemed, however, to be that
their lands were now, from incessant cultivation,
almost entirely run out, and they would like to get
those lands now in the hands of tacksmen previous
to any attempt on their part to emigrate. Lady
Matheson having again shaken hands with the mem-
bers of the deputation, they expressed themselves
much obliged for the kindness of their reception and
the frankness with which their circumstances were
entered into, and then retired.