The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-31 00:00:00

ORANGE RIOTINGS IN GREENOCK.

We regret to find that a series of systematic assaults,
arising out of religious differences, have been again pre-
vailing on Saturday and Sunday evenings for some
weeks back, and with such organisation as, in all cases,
to enable the real offenders to escape. We are informed
it is now the practice for the young members of the
Orange body to assemble at street corners, and when
any unfortunate Irishman who does not belong to that
politico-religious party passes, he is savagely attacked
and maltreated. The plan adopted is to have some
boys along with the skirmishers, and whenever the
object of their ill-will passes, the boys make a run at
him, which as a matter of course at once collects a
crowd, and before the victim can get disentangled from
the mass, unseen or unknown hands have completed
the work—the poor creatures been frequently disfigured
very much, as may be conceived , from a specimen
of a skull cracker taken from the person of one of
them on Sunday night, which was composed of
strands of rope plaited and twined round a
mw of iron or lead, the opposite end forming a loop
for the hand, and the whole constituting a most for-
midable and murderous weapon. Some. lads accused of
being concerned in the assaults were brought up yester-
day before Bailie Spiers, and on being found guilty, one
was sent to gaol for a period of thirty days, and three
were fined in twenty shillings each. This may act as a
warning to others ; we hope it will ; but if, as we have
heard it said, the fines inflicted at the police court are
contributed for by the members of the society, and made
up in that way, such a punishment, it must be evident,
is a mockery of justice. Since the above was in type,
we have this further unpleasant and threatening
intelligence to record—Last night " St. Patrick's band'
held • concert in the Mechanics' Hall, St. Michael-
street, for the purpose of raising funds to pay their
musical instruments. About the hour of meeting an ill-
assorted group of boys and youths gathered in the neigh-
bourhood of the hall, for the purpose of annoying parties
going to the concert, by hooting and jostling, and cries of
"Down with the Pope." At intervals the heavy showers
of rain helped to keep the motley band in check ; but
about nine o'clock the crowd assembled at the foot of
Ann-street, and came along Tobago-street in the direc-
tion of the hall. The police, a body of whom were sta-
tioned at the institution, hearing the noise, came down
the street, and drove the mob back to the foot of Ann-
street, and partially dispersed it, but as the officers retired
they were assailed with groans and missiles. Captain
Mann gathered all the force at hand, and charged the
crowd, which was again passing along Tobago-street, and
one of the policemen got himself seriously hurt in the
face in the melee, being knocked down with a stone.
The mob rallied again at the foot of Sir Michael-street,
and kept the officers in constant employment for some
hours. The shop of Mr. Mays, pawnbroker, was attacked
by one of the bands that were scattered up and down,
and he, it is said, threatened to use a pistol for his pro-
tection, which had the result of enraging them still
further, and in a few moments his windows were broken
in, his shop ransacked, and his goods thrown about and
destroyed. In the course of the evening several men got
themselves cut and hurt, one having three teeth knocked
out by a stone.—Greenock Advertiser.