The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-10-22 00:00:00

Considerable excitement was manifested in Toronto
on receipt of the news of the arrest of Mr. Parnell,
MP.

All officers of regiments quartered in Ireland who
are present on leave have received orders to return at
once to duty.
Precautions against disturbance are, it is stated,
being generally taken in Ireland. Instructions have,
it is said, been telegra,hed to every military station in
the country to preserve the most watchful vigilance,
and to be prepared to meet any contingency which
may arise from the manifestations of feeling on the
part of the populace. Flying columns are ready for
an immediate movement. In Dublin the measures
taken are on a large scale, there being at present in
garrison in the city a division of over 5,000 cavalry,
artillery, and infantry, with 1,000 horses and 16 guns.

The New York Herald of Friday says :—" While
there will be universal expressions of regret that in a
free constitutional country it has been necessary for a
Liberal Minister to arrest a member of Parliament, it
is difficult to see how Mr. Gladstone could avoid the
responsibility." On Saturday the same journal says:
—" The danger of an act like Mr. Parnell's arrest is
that it may be imposed upon our politics, and have a
decisive influence in questions entirely outside Ireland
or England. From this point of view, taking a clear
survey of the whole situation, it must be conceded,
however much we may criticise Mr. Parnell and his
methods, his arrest was a great blunder. It will do
no good to the English Cabinet, and may affect inju-
riously the relations of England and America."

Writing on Monday, the Dublin Correspondent of
The Times says
The police had a very arduous task on Saturday night and
last night in keeping a turbulent and mischievous populace
in check. Many cowardly attacks were made upon them by
ruffians in the crowd, who threw stones, broken bottles, and
other missiles. Fifteen constables suffered such bad usage
that they had to be conveyed to hospital. On the other hand,
the police, in making charges, which they were obliged to
do to keep the footways clear, struck right and left, and in
some instances innocent persons, who were so imprudent as
to get mixed up with the disorderly crowd, received some
hard knocks. An outcry is raised to-day against the con-
duct of the authorities in making such a formidable display
of force. It is a cheap and easy way of obtaining popu-
larity to oomplain of harshness and violence on the part of
those who have a difficult duty to perform in maintaining
the peace against numbers who are ready to break it.

The subject was formally brought forward at the meeting
of the Corporation as a great public grievance, and a resolu-
tion was passed, in consequence of which the Lord Mayor,
Mr. Dawson, M.P., Lord Mayor Elect, Mr. Gray, M.P., and
other members of the Council, had an interview with the
Chief Secretary, for the purpose of inducing the Government
to withdraw the police force. Mr. Forster received the
deputation shortly before four o'clock at his office in the
Castle. Mr. H. Gladstone, M.P., was present.

The Lord Mayor having read the resolution adopted at the
meeting of the Council, said the Council did not presume
to interfere with the Executive or dictate to it what
were the necessary steps to be taken to preserve peace.
In other cities, the police were under the executive of
the municipality, but it -was not so in Dublin. As it
was, the Executive Government were responsible for the
peace of the city, and therefore they had decided to
form the present deputation. The newspaper reports
conveyed to himself and to the other members of the
Council that extra violence had been used by the police on
the last two evenings, and that such a great force was not
at all necessary for the occasion. Such a display of police
was only likely to irritate the people, and he had therefore
no hesitation in coming to ask the Chief Secretary to take
such steps as would make it impossible that there should be
unnecessary violence on the part of the police. So far as
their presence was not absolutely necessary, it was very de-
sirable that they should not be brought into contact with
the people, who were at present in an excited state.
Mr. Forster, in reply, said the Lord Mayor had truly
stated that the Executive Government was responsible for
the peace of that large city, which was, indeed, a great
responsibility, as it meant the protection of all law-abiding
people and the protection of property, From information
the Government received, they were convinced there was a
great danger of a mob taking possession of parts of the
city, and that there might be great injury to people and
property, especially in Sackville-street. The police did
their duty, according to instructions, in preventing mobs
taking possession of Sackville-street, and in cleaaing the
street it was quite possible that persons were injured; but
he trusted none were seriously injured; and 15 of the
police were also injured with stones and glass bottles. The
instructions were that they should clear the street, and it
was necessary that this should be done, and not allow a
mob to take possession of it. If the mob had been allowed to
do this the consequences would be far more lamentable
than they now were. If the military had been called out—as
assuredly they would have been if things had been worse—
instead of people being injured by blows they might have
had a considerable loss of life. He did not think till) Lord
Mayor or any gentleman present felt that newspaper
reports should be exclusively relied on. Ile had reports and
other information. The deputation asked that there should
not be a recurrence of an extra display of police. That
should, of course depend on the occasion, and if the occa-
sion were the same as yesterday and the evening before it
should be repeated. He regretted any individuals should
have been injured ; but he should remark that it was the duty,
it was right and wise that all law-abiding people should
leave a street when the police were about to clear it.
Mr. Gray pointed out that there was no collection of the
people in the street until the police display was made.
• --

Air. Forster : I cannot debate these things at present. If
you had the same information as we had before us you
would say we did right.
Mr. Dawson asked, was it possible that during such times
the chief magistrate of the city was not consulted?
Mr. Forster replied that the Executive was responsible for
the peace of the city and did not want to throw a portion of
It on the shoulders of others.

After some further discussion, the deputation withdrew.
The .tone and manner of the Chief Secretary showed in-
flexible firmness, and it as clear to the members of the
deputation that the Government are not to be driven by
any such pressure from what they believe to be the line of
duty. A surrender to the mob of Dublin at such a time
would be a serious mistake. There is no reason why a dis-
play of force which they think it necessary to make in
order as much to warn as to overawe the disorderly classes
should give offence to well disposed citizens, for whose
protection it is in reality intended. The suggestion that
it is calculated to irritate the populace tends to justify and
produce irritation. The same complaint is made against the
police in Limerick for the measures they took to repress dis-
turbances in that city last evening. He admitted, however,
that they received great provocation, and the police
barracks, club-house, and other buildings show in their
shattered windows proof that stones were plentifully used."

A serious riot took place at Mallow on Saturday night.
When Mr. Heffernan was arrested in Cork he was taken
on as far as Mallow. The train did not go further, and
it became necessary to detain the suspect at the station
until the night mail arrived from Cork. In the meantime
It became known that the suspect was at the station, and
a bell was sent round the town to summon the people.
The local band, followed by a concourse of men, women, and
children, proceeded to the station and gave Mr. Heffernan
a greeting. The police were not prepared for a demonstra-
tion, and no additional force had been drafted into the town.
The mob being aware of that fact indulged themselves more
than they otherwise would have done, and a torchlight pro-
cession was formed. The local police force assembled
at the railway to guard the prisoner, and whn the pro-
cessionists arrived there stone throwing -c't mmenced.
Several panes of glass were broken in the refreshment
room of the station. Mr. Heffernan, addressing the people,
asked them to desist, as stone throwing would do no good.
The people would not take his advice, and the stone throw-
ing was continued with greater violence than before. A stone
was flung at Head-constable Farrell, inflicting two very
serious wounds on the temple and cheek, which will render
him unfit for duty for some time. A sub-inspeotor (Mr.
Lanyon) was roughly knocked about and received several
kicks, and his hat was knocked off. He appealed to
Mr. Heffernan to request the people to desist from
further violence, and though Mr. Heffernan did so his
appeal was unavailing. Sub-constable Knight also was
badl3 kicked and injured by blows of stones on
the body. Sub-constables Archibald and Toole also were
beaten. Five additional constables came by the mail train
from Cork, and these men with those already in charge
of Mr. Heffernan were roughly handled, and the sword of
one of them was taken from him. Mr. Heffernan having
got into a compartment in which were already two soldiers,
was followed by men of the Royal Irish. As site of the con-
stables was entering the carriage a burning torch was brought
down upon his head. On the departure of the train, cheers
were given for the suspect. It was evident from the
temper shown by the people that they would not disperse.
The crowd having arrived opposite Dr. O'Keeffe's, stones
were thrown and several of the windows broken. They
then threw stones at the windows of sub-inspector Lanyon's
house and broke several of the plate-glass panes. borne
windows of the Rev. William Johnson, father of the
Solicitor-General, were also broken. The Hibernian Hotel
was next attacked, and here 24 panes of glass were
smashed, as well as the chandelier in the dining-room,
and the glass in several picture frames. The Post-office
window was next broken, and a club-house also came in for
its share, but the crowd seemed to vent their violence on
the windows of Mr. Joseph Harold, where they broke 18
of them, including a valuable stained glass window. A
stone was thrown into the nursery, in which a baby of
fourteen mouths old was sleeping, and it landed on the
pillow within Oin, of the child's head. The only offence that
Mr. Harold is aware that he may be guilty of in the eyes of
the people is that, being a non-political man, he did not
pat up shutters as his neighbours had done last Friday
for Mr. Parnell. Great indignation is felt at the treat-
ment he has been subjected to. Other houses were
damaged.

On Monday Mr. Dillon and Mr. W. O'prien were
visited by friends in Kilmainham. After the arrest of
Mr. Dillon, the executive of the League decided that
the headquarters of the organization should be re-
moved from Dublin. Accordingly Mr. Dorris and all
the departmental clerks, with the books and nmni-
ments which appertained to the Central League, took
their departure on Saturday evening. They were under
the direction of Mr. Sheridan, of Tubercurry, who
will remain in Holyhead to assist Mr. A. O'Connor,
M.P., in the conduct of the League. The Land
League in Ireland will now be controlled from Holy-
head.

Seven additional arrests under the Coercion Act
were made on Monday, the prisoners being chiefly
secretaries and organising agents of provincial branches
of the Land League.—The rioting in Limerick was
renewed, and the constabulary again fired upon the
people. Additional troops have been ordered to
Ireland.

Mr. Whalley, M.P., addressed a large meeting at
Peterborough on Monday evening on the Irish ques-
tion, and an address to Mr. Gladstone was unani-
mously adopted, thanking him for the Land Act, and
approving of the arrest of Mr. Parnell and other
leaders of the Land League.

The Freeman says Mr. Sexton has declined the offer
of the Government to release him on account of his
health, if he will leave the country. It is not con-
sidered probable the members of Parliament at pre-
sent in Kilmainham will be detained beyond the first
period of three months.