The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-04 00:00:00

SCENE OUTSIDE THE HALL.

By a quarter after 7 o'clock a crowd of at least
1,500 cabmen were assembled in the Strand, clamouring
for admittance to the meeting. On some of the members
of the committee inside being informed of this the 7 at
once proceeded outside, and attempted to hold a meeting
in Exeter-street, at the side of the ball. As this, how-
ever, was a public thoroughfare, the police, of whom there
wee a large body on duty, interfered, and prohibited the
meeting. The committee then decided to proceed to Tn.
falser-square to bold the meeting, whither they were ao-
cornpanied by the whole body of cabmen, by this time
augmented to nearly 2,000 men, 'and a large crowd of the
general public who had been attracted by the novel
scone. On arriving at the square, several lighted torches
were procured, and the speakers took up a position on the
platform of the Nelson Monument from whenoe the re-
form meetings were lately addressed. Hr. Case, • large
cab-proprietor, took the chair, and the meeting was ed-
drooled by several proprietors and driversonthe grievances
of the trade, the same resolutions being proposed and
adopted as those paned at the Exeter-hall meeting.
Shortly before the termination of the meeting, a cab
was observed passing by Charing-cross, near Northumber-
land-house. A cry was raised of " Turn him over." It
was answered by a much more general cry of " No, no ;
no violence." About 40 or 50 persons, however, separating
themselves from the meeting which about this time num-
bered 1,000, rushed at the vehicle. The luggage was re-
moved from the roof, the passenger ejected from the
cab, the horse unharnessed, and the cab upset. Mr.
Crompton expressed his deep regret at the oommittal of
such an outrage, which, he said, would greatly damage
their cause. This the meeting unanimously applauded.
Shortly after nine o'clock much excitement was created
amongst the residents of Norfolk-street, Strand, in conse-
quence of a cabman who, defying all opposition, dared to
bring passengers to one of the hotels there. The cabman
in question had ventured to take up • lady and gentleman,
foreigners, who bad arrived at the Charing-onus Motion,
and who engaged the cabman to drive them to Calvet,
well's Hotel, in Norfolk-street. As he passed along
the Strand crowds of people rushed out upon him from
the neighbourhood of Exeter Hall, where ;the indignation
meeting was being held, and threatened to overturn the
cab, which was heavily laden with luggage. The cabman
whipped his horse, and proceeded at as rapid a rate as it was
possible for him to do, but by thetime he reached the corner
of Norfolk-street, between five and six hundred people were
at his heels, threatening all sorts of violence. Strangely
enough a very considerable number of the poor cabman's
persecutors were women. The hotel for which the driver
was bound is situate at the extreme end of the street, by
the Thames, and as the cab made its way down from the
Strand the howling and yelling of the mob became more
furious, and although police protected the cab on either
side, some rough work was apprehended. Happily the
passengers got safely into their hotel with their luggage,
with strange notions, no doubt, derived from their first ex-
perience of • London cab strike. Meanwhile the cabman
drove away under the protection of the police, followed by
the yelling mob, who threatened him with annihilation.
How he escaped no one seemed to know.