The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-10-29 00:00:00

THE AGITATION IN IRELAND.

EXCITING SCENES AT WOODFORD.-MR.
WILFRID BLUNT ARRESTED.

Placards were posted in the neighbourhood of
Woodford on Saturday, announcing that an inciiana-
tion meeting would be held on Sunday by the Eng-
lish Home Rule Union ' to protest against the heart-
less and cruel evictions carried out during the week
on the estate of Lind Clanricarde." Mr. Wilfrid
Blunt was announced to preside, and it was stated
that several English members of Parliament would
attend. The authorities determined to prevent the
meeting from being held, and a large force of con-
stabulary was drafted into Woodford during Saturday
night, as well as a detachment of Scotch Fusili-rs
from Loughrea on Sunday morning. The constabu-
lary were bu.ity engaged posting a proclamation to
the effect that the object of the meeting would be
intimidation and interference with and resistance to
the administration of Ireland, and that as the meeting
would cause alarm and terror, and produce a breach
of the peace it would be suppressed and dirpert.ed.
The proclamation was dated October 22 and signed
"Arthur Jas. Balfour."

From an early hour on Sunday morning bodies of
police armed with lyktons occupied the streets, the
military being kept in reserve in a building in a side
street. Thousands of people from the surrounding
districts thronged into Woodford in anticipation of
the meeting, and a few minutes before two o'clock a
small procession, consisting of Mr. Wilfrid Blunt and
Lady Anne Blunt, Mr. James Rowlands, M.P., and
Mrs. Rowlands, Mr. Sheehy, M.P., with several lead-
ing local Nationalists, proceeded to the platform,
vtich was erected in a field at the back of the main
street. A force of police, under the command of Mr.
Byrne, divisional magistrate, was already on the
spo4;.
As soon as the speaker proceeded to get on the plat-
form Mr. Byrne advanced with hi nica and said to
Mr. Blunt, "I wish to inform you that this meeting
is proclaimed, and I cannot permit it to be held. It
is my duty to tell you that." Mr.-Blunt replied, " It
is my duty to hold the meeting." Mr. Townsend,
resident magistrate, then said, " Suppress this meet-
ing ; " and the police at once proceeded to clear the
platform.
A most exciting scene followed. Mr. Blunt struggled
with several policemen, and the divisional magistrate,
who seized him, and was twice thrown from the plat-
form to the ground. Lady Anne Blunt and Mrs.
Rowlands were also hustled off, amid protests and
cries of" Shame" from the bystanders. After being
thrown down the second time Mr. Blunt, who was by
this time pale and nearly breathless, shouted to the
police by whom he was surrounded, "Are you such
cowards that you dare not arrest me ? " A district
inspector replied, "1 arrest you," and immediately
Mr. Blunt was marched off with a large escort of
constabulary. During the fight at the plat-
form a stone was thrown which struck a police-
man on the helmet and stunned him for a moment.
The constabulary then charged, striking right and
left with their batons. Several desperate hand-
to-hand conflicts ensued, and a number of people were
injured by blows or by being thrown on the ground.
As Mr. Blunt was being taken away Mr. Rowlands,
M.P., called out, "Three cheers for Blunt," which was
immediately responded to by the crowd. A company
of Scots Fusiliers, which had appeared on the scene
during the struggle with the occupants of the -plat-
form, were hurried up towards the exit from the field,
and as soon as the police had passed out with their
prisoner and Lady Anne Blunt, the soldiers barred
this entrance with their bayonets fixed. While the
police were moving off several stones were thrown, on
which the constabulary turned again and again

charged wherever a few people were standing
together.
After leaving the field and entering the main street
the police were groaned at and hooted by an excited
crowd, and here again charges were made, and two
policemen were seen leading off a woman with blood
pouring down her face from a wound on the head. A
short but desperate fight took place outside the house
of Mr. Keary, a leader of the National League.
Several men were standing in Mr. Keary's doorway,
and the police, who had received orders to clear the
streets, made a rush at them with their batons. The
occupants of the doorway resisted, and a hand-t o-
hand combat ensued. One of the men in the crowd
was armed with a huge blackthorn, with which he
dealt a policeman a desperate blow on the head.
The constable reeled under the stroke, but his helmet
saved him from severe injury. The attention of the
police was wholly concentrated on this spot for a
time, and Mr. Blunt, with Lady Anne Blunt
leaning on his arm was left to walk slowly
up the street without any police escort whatever.
The fight, however, was soon at an end and the pri-
soner lodged in the local Bridewell. Lady Anne
Blunt accompanied her husband as she had done from
the beginning. When Mr. Blunt was thrown from
the platform and lay on the ground in an almost
fainting condition his wife struggled to the spot where
he lay and placed her arms around his neck and tried
to restore him.
The military were now marched from the field, a
half company being drawn across the street near the
Bridewell with fixed bayonets and the other stationed
in the main street just opposite Mr. Keary's house.
While the police cleared the people to the outskirts of
the town, Mr. James Rowlands, ALP., who was stand-
ing near the military, said in a loud voice, "I will
make England and the House of Commons ring with
this. I don't blame the soldiers, because they have no
taste for the dirty work." Another arrest was made
shortly after Mr. Blunt had been lodged in the lock-
up, Mr. Roach, Poor Law guardian, being taken into
custody charged with assaulting the police.
A dramatic incident occurred during the clearing
of the town, a policeman named Connor throwing
his baton in the air and declining to take part in a
charge. He was at once placed under arrest.
It is difficult to discover precisely how many
persons were wounded, but the number is probably
about 30. The worst ease is that of a young married
woman named Shanny, who was strjick twice on the
head with a baton by a policeman. The unfortunate
woman presented a most pitiable spectacle, being
covered with blood, which streamed from the wounds
on her head. She states that she was looking for
her husband at the time she received the injuries.
Mr. Keary, to whom reference has already been
made, also receised a severe blow on the head, but
most of the injuries appeared to be scalp wounds.
At five o'clock Mr. Blunt was brought before two
resident magistrates, Messrs. Paul and Townsend, and
charged under the Crimes Act with wilfully and un-
lawfully resisting Mr. John Byrne, district magis-
trate, and Sergeant Thomas Walton, in the execution
of their duty. Sergeant Thomas Walton deposed that
Mr. Blunt attempted to address the proclaimed meet-
ing at Woodford. He resisted Mr. Byrne a little.
Mr. Byrne said, "Put this man down," and witness
seized him by the collar, but Mr. Blunt shook off his
hold. Witness then with some others took hold of
him behind and put him off the platform.
Mr. Paul: Do you wish to ask the witness any
questions.
Mr. Blunt: No.

District Inspector Murphy, in reply to Mr. Paul,
said that what he asked for was a remand until the
petty sessions.
Mr. James Rowlands, MX., who with his wife and
a local Nationalist were the only members of the
public present, said he wished to ask if Mr. Blunt
could be released on bail.
Mr. Paul: You have no locus standi here.
Mr. Rowlands: Not as an English citizen?
Mr. Paul: No. Mr. Blunt must reply.
District Inspector Murphy: I will oppose bail.
Mr. Paul: On what grounds?
Mr. Murphy: Owing to the excitement there is at
present. The case will be heard at the petty sessions
to-morrow, so there will be no inconvenience.
Mr. Paul (to Mr. Blunt): Will you give an under-
standing that no meeting will be held here to-night if
you have bail?
Mr. Blunt: No. I consider that the proclamation
which is said was issued on sworn information was
issued on lying mid perjured information. On that
ground I refuse. The Lord-Lieutenant-----
Mr. Paul: We cannot go into that.
Mr. Blunt was removed in custody.
Mr. John Roach was then brought up and charged
with assaulting the police. District Inspector Wade
deposed that he was passing up the street in Wood-
ford escorting Mr. Wilfrid Blunt, who was in custody,
and just as he reached the corner near the barracks
he saw some civilians and several policemen outside
Keary's house. He saw Mr. Roach strike a police-.
man a blow on the back of the head with a stick.
Mr. Roach was about to make a statement, but Mr.
Paul said it was not the time, an application for bail
having been made and opposed. Mr. Roach said he
would not accept it. There was now a number of
people in court who cheered this remark. The magis-
trate ordered the court to be cleared, which was at
once done, and Mr. Roach was remanded.
After the people had been cleared from the town a
meeting was held in the outskirts, corsisting of
Woodford Nationalists and also of men from Clare
and Tipperary. The Tipperary men crossed the
Shannon in boats about four miles from Woodford,
and managed to evade the police. Dr. Tully, who
acted as chairman of the meeting, vigorously de-
nounced the conauct of the authorities at Woodford.
A meeting was held in another district, which was
addressed by Mr. Dacon Wright, an English Radical.
The resolution which was to have been proposed at
the proclaimed meeting at Woodford was as follows:
"That this meeting expresses its heartfelt sunpathy
with the tenants on the estate of Lord Clanricarde in
the severe suffer iags they have undergone, and trusts
thnt the action of the English people will enable them
shortly to obtain that justice to which they are
entitled." Shortly after dark Mr. Blunt and Mr.
Roach wore removed by car to the gaol at Louehrea,
about 15 miles away, there being no accommodation
at Woodford. They were accompanied by a largo
escort of police. Soon after the meeting had been
dispersed the town became quiet again, many of the
country people proceeding to their homes. The
streets were occupied until nightfall by strong bodies
of police. The popular feeling against the police
owing to what has taken place is exceedingly bitter.
Two constables were injured in the affray, both having
received blows on the head. There were 70 men of
the Scotch Fusiliers and upwards of 100 policemen
on duty in Woodford during Sunday.

MR. WILFRID BLUNT BROUGHT UP.
Mr. Wilfrid Blunt and his co-defendant, Mr.
Roche, were brought before the Woodford magistrate
on Monday. An application was made on their be-
half for an adjournment for a fortnight. The magis-
trate, however, decided to take the case next day.
The defendants were admitted to bail. In the
course of the proceedings a cross-summons was
applied for on behalf of Lady Anne Blunt against a
constable and the divisional magistrate.