The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-01 00:00:00

FATAL RIOT 'AT SHIELDS.

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A riot took place upon South Shields sands on Wed-
nesday morning. One person was killed, and several
others are severely wounded. The races were held upon
those sands on Whit-Monday and Tuesday, and there
was a good deal of drunkenness in the publicans tents
that were pitched near the r ice•course. An Irishman of
the name of James Roe, belonging to the Castle-Garth,
Nee castleo,n-Tyne, had a tent on the sand, and on
Tuesday night it was pretty well crowded with his coun-
trymen. Riotous proceedings were threatened, and it is
evident that they were premeditated, as a number of
formidable bludgeons known as "Morgan Rattlers," pis-
tols, swords, and old blunder busses were taken from the
rioters after the affray. About midnight on Tuesday an
Englishman of the name of Evans and a peaceable deaf
and dumb lad, named Johnson, went into Roe's tent for
some refreshment. They bad no sooner entered it
than they were attacked by the Irishmen and fearfully
beaten. Evans ran for the police to come and rescue his
companion, but upon Sergeant Richardson and Police-
constable Kidd going into the tent they were imme-
diately knocked down, and on the three officers coming
to their assistance they were also beaten. One officer of
the name of John Mattison has ten wounds on his head,
two of his fingers are broken, and he is much injured.
Ant ther officer, named Atkinson, is also much injured
in the spine. After disabling the policemen, who were
left on the sands insensible, the rioters retreated to their
tent, where they commenced firing upon the persons
outside, but it appears that no one was injured. The
wounded officers were removed from the sands in
a cart, and were taken to the nearest tavern, whence
they they were convoyed to their homes in cabs. In-
formation of the riot having by tahprireser
tteoidmaeasssismbteatenhnye
sent to the Mayor, he gave instructions that rein-
forcements of policemen should be sent for from theruTyeannettilmouethmar.ndßßugiivaerrs,Ttyhnee policesup eri n t stations.ende
of
ot,hclooseekhien marched down to the
cmivuislitaenresdinatlol
his
service
eblaes force, and
2 aWndit3ll pauredp
scaivnidlsa,ubtehtowrieteiens.
found every one in the greatest l the morning, where he
continued to fire their guns, and arm,
as the Irishmen
sons passing, whom they beat rushed out upon per-
upon them to desist, but they unmercifully. He called
at him, and on approaching too answered by firing a pistol
thrust a sword into his leg. near to the tent a person
attack the tent, from Ysli Orders were then given to
immediately mulled out which between 40 and 50 rioters
bludgeons and guns • the upon the police, armed with
police closed up an them andsa
fearful encounter took'
tunately. place, in the midst of vglacihjs fc'r
the reinfore
ar-
rived. They charged' ednoi ewnut s
upon from
the Northrioters and cap-
tured 33 of them. The rest then fled. Most of the rioters
were tnuch wounded in the second affray, and they were
immediately removed to the station-ha.se, where their
wounds were dres.sed by the police surgeon, Mr. Coward;
25 of them have been removed to the hospital in Din'
Gaol, and six or seven of them are considered in a some-
what dangerous condition. On Wednesday afternoon
Peter Campbell, one of the men in custody, a beerhouse
keeper at Willington-quay, and the person who had
commenced the riot, died in one of the police cells. Ile
had received a contused wound on his head in the second
affray with the police, which had caused an eruption of
blood on the brain, producing death. Some bullets, shot,
and powder, with dangerously leaded bludgeons, were
taken out of Roe's tent, which, with other information
that hal come to the knowledge of the police, confirm
the impression that the riot had been premeditated.