The Express.
London, England, 1862-10-17 00:00:00

THE BIRKENHEAD RIOTS

(mom out owl' 001

LIVERPOOL, Tarsal)Ay,

Another riot of a more desperate character than
the first occurred in Birkenhead last night, attended nnfor.
safely with a frightful amount of bloodshed and reckless
destruction of property. For several boars the town was
in the hands of the mob ; no person in the vicinity of the
disturbed district. was safe ; and several of the Liverpool
reporters and newspaper correspondent., amongst whom was
the representative of the Timer, were severely handled, the
miter unfortunately receiving several severe cute about the
bead and face. The polies force, too, had many of it.
members badly bastes, and two or three of the constables
and one inspector were so dreadfully injured that their
lives are considered in imminent danger. Indeed, up to an
early hour this morning the greatest excitement and conster-
nation prevailed throughout the township, the mob appear-
ing to revel in their act, of lawless and unrestricted outrage.
This riot, like its predecessor, originated in the attempt of
the Roman catholic* to prevent • local parliamentery de-
bating satiety from discussing the question of "Sympathy
with Garibaldi and Italy." The magistrates advised the
members not to hold their meeting, but they persisted in
doing so, and accordingly, in order to afford protection to
the society and to the township, • large body of special eon-
stables was enrolled, the assistance of the county conics,.
bulary (under Captain Smith and Superintendent Ham-
mond) obtained, and • military force stationed at Monks-
ferry, about • mile from the scene of the riot. The
schoolroom where the meeting was held was guarded by
a detachment of the Birkenhead police, and by • volunteer
force of Liverpool Orangemen, and the proceedings were not
interrupted except by the noise and commotion which pre.
wailed outside the building and in the adjacent streets. The
chief display of violence took place in Price street, where
the Holy Trinity Church (Rev. Dr. Bayles) stands, and in
the small streets branchiag from it, which are inhabited
chiefly by Irish. The most active and mischievous of the
rioters appeared from their drew to be Irish " navvies," and
they were armed with bludgeons and other dangerous wea•
pons, but they were abetted by crowds of women and girls,
who, whenever small parties of police officers made • "raid"
upon the rioters, hurled stones and bricks upon them
from the windows of the houses, and from obscure
0011111V1, where unobserved they could collect and discharge
theme dangerous mistiles. Throughout the Irish quarter,
too, evidently by some preconcerted arrangement, the chim-
neys were fired at frequent intervals, and after the temporary
glow had subsided, the clouds of smoke sod soot which
filled the sir were so dense, that the efforta of the police to
cope with their urgent. were baffled, while new outrages
were perpetrated under the shelter of the darkness. We
were present from the commencement to the close of the
riots, and are abbe to state that, though the police and
Racial constables outnumbered the rioters in an immense
proportion, the want of tact and energy oa the part of the
leaden of the force—in fast, the absence of • resolute com-
mander at all—rendered the police all but useless in quelling
the net, and in apprehending the chief instigators of the
mischief. There were certainly a few instances of
great bravery and determination on the part of
the officers, but unsupported in their Weeks by
large bodies of their comrades they could do little in tie
way of capture, and in most CAIN received Severe injury,
Amongst the special conetables were large numbers of
volunteers, accustomed to military movements, and milieus
to rush upon the mob and crush the riot before it somized
much force ; but the "epeeists" and the main body of both
county and borough police were kept in masses in front of
the Holy Trinity Church, and positively, though well armed
and " eager for the fray," were little better than so many
dummies would have been from a " national clothing'
artabliabraeot. Serious sad indignant remonstrances have
been made on all hands in Birkenhead with regard to
the conduct of the local magistrates, in not either calling
out the military or allowing the police and constables to
take more vigorous action at an earlier part of the affray.
It any magistrate had dared to show himself on horseback
and lead on a large body of men in quick time through the
streets moat infested, the whole disturbance might have
been quelled in half an hour, and at least • hundred of the
more daring and prominent of the rioters apprehended.
Several gentlemen of Birkenhead who have been celled
upon to-day positively declined to act as special constable.,
stating that unless the force is more efficiently
handled it is unless to expose themselves wine
cesearily to danger. The volunteers who have been
Morn in have, in a great many instances, declared that
if the magistrates do not act with greater vigour, they (the
volunteers) will take the law into their own hands, and
that--{should the riots be renewed to-night)—at whatever
risk and coat, they wall attack the rioters with as large
• force as they ma raise. Last night Superintendent Ham-
mond, of the county police, was felled to the ground with a
bludgeon whilst endeavouring to arrest a Roman catholic
priest, who WWI addressing and instigating the mob in Oak.
street (off Pries-street). The women and elder boys attached
to the rioters broke open several shops, and either plundered
or destroyed the goods.
During the whole of to-day business was almost entirely
suspended, particularly at the north or Irish end of the
town, where bands of truculent navvies and women paraded
the streets, openly uttering threats to proceed to further
acts of violence. In the neighbourhood of the Holy Trinity
Church and the adjacent streets many of the shop windows
were smashed in, and the proprietors very prudently kept
their shutters closed the whole of the day. Crowds were
also congregated in the neighbourhood of the Town-hail,
where in the morning eleven prisoners, including two
women, were brought up, charged with being concerned
the rioting of the previous night. They were all remanded,
after • brief examination, and conveyed under • smog
escort of police to Cheater Castle, in order to prevent
attempts at rescue. They will be brought up for further
examination on Wednesday next. Two of the {coal police,
who were se brutally ill-treated by the "swage friary,"
are in • most critical condition, and their recovery is exceed.
jogly problematical.
Mr. Coulter and Mr. Martin, together with other trades
men, whose shops at the north end of Price-street were
broken open and pillaged last night, have appealed to the
magistrates for protection. The shopkeepers said that tbsy
understood that the riot was to be renewed, and that the
navvies engaged on the dock works were organising for
rescue of the prisoners. In consequence of this commum.
cation the Birkenhead magistrates sent a deputatiou to the
Liverpool Watch Committee to request We aid of • strong
detachment of the Liverpool police, by whose aid it is hoped
I the designs of the rioters may be frustrated, and due protect
tion afforded to the inhabitants.
BIRKENHEAD, liea.
Contrary to general expectation, the rioters did not renew
their attacks. It is believed that this was owing to the
advice of some of the leading priests, and to the fact that
in consequence of the arrival of • considerable body of the
c police force, • riot would have bees speeddr
quelled, and the ringleaders apprehended. large numbers
a of people, however, crowded the streets up to • late boar.
6
5

The Mayor of Manchester has received a Tel
interesting letter from the Belief Committee of South
Australia, accompanying the snood donation in aid of the
distress fund. From this communication it appears net
although affairs are not in the most flourishing condition
our southern colony, the committee have suced in
obtaining the large sum of 9,5501., and they hope dye a
to transmit a further amount.
A novel case was decided yesterday by the
ft ruagis•
skates of Ashton-Lyne. A father had appnticed
his sea to • hat manufacturer. and received his wage+. It
appeared that he bad quarrelled with his son sad tumid
him out of doors, and both had demanded the wages from
his employer. The amount hod been paid to the When
and the son summoned his employer for the sem so Paid.
The magistrate decided to allow the claim.
A WHOLE FLOCK 07 SHEEP LOST. Some time
between the 9th and 11th of October, twenty_ hali-beel
ewes, in capital condition, the property of Br. Henry
Sturges, farrow. Salford, Bedfonlehire, got out of field
from • flock at 71 and strange to say have sot sim•
been heard of, although the most energetic P"*.
'craws to discover some trace has been &played
by Mr. Sturre's neighbours and the Bedfordshire cor
stabidory. This is the more extraordinary when it is stated
that the sheep are all plainly marked " H. S." co the kit
aide, and there is a deep notch on the left ear. Haedtald
have been freely distributed, mid the whole roust/
within 36 miles of Salford has been well *d,__"‘.
i Used. It is bow feared that the sheep DAV 1.1
fallen in with some drove (going to a fair, pert)**
and so have got driven away sad sold at • comidereble der
1. lanes. Farmers should look well, therefore, at the store
stack ibey may have purchased within the last week.
full dee:optima of the sheep appears in the Olteial ohet
the
Gazette of the 13th inst., so tint the police throughout
country are well apprised of the fact : therefore, if the heeP
should have been driven away_ oat of the circle which hi,
bees advertised by the hoodhalle, they can hardly fail to he
discovered. though perhaps some abort time may defle
before the event so mock to be desired can take pime