The Sun.
London, England, 1852-07-01 00:00:00

EV_ENING, JULY 1,

FATAL RIOT IN STOCKPORT.

ONE MAN KILLED AND SIXTY WOUNDED.

THE MILITARY CALLED OUT.
We have received a more full and detailed account of
the riot at Stockport, of which we, yesterday, gave a
brief outline. Our _correspondent prefaces his notice
with a semi-official account from the third edition of
yesterday's Manchester Guardian, which is as follows:—
"For some time past there has been in Stockport a
bad feeling between the two classes indicated, partly on
trade quarrels, partly on national,, grounds, but chiefly
the result of religious differences between ignorant Irish
Catholics on the one hand, and as ignorant English Pro-
testants on the other. Collisions have frequently oc-
curred, which have come before the magistrates—
charges and counter-charges have been made—the
English have been attacked by the Irish; the Irish have
been assailed by the English; end it has been obvious for
some time past that there only needed the spark to fire
the train and explode theses ieflernmabl_e materials into
some extensive and bloody fray. That occesion has arisen
under the following Circumstances:—Sunday last was
the annivereery of the usual procession of all the
Roman Catholic scholars connected with the three
chapels in Stockport. The recent Royal proclamation
erinst Rican Catholic processions was much discussed,
and the Irish Orangemen and other Protestants, English
and Irise,
_eeinteneed that the procession ought not to be
allowed. Various respecteble residents of Stockport,
apprehensive that if the procession took place it would
lead to some serious breach of the peace, applied to Mr.
Sadler, chief constable of the borough, to know whether
the authorities meant to prohibit it, under the powers of
proclamation.
the The subject, w 9 believe, was also
brought under the notice of the mayor end the borough
magistrates; hut, from whatever cause, no orders were
given to forbid the procession, and it took place. Pre-
viously, however, the Rev.
Randolph Frith, of the Ca-
tholic chapel, Edgeley, who, we believe, is the senior
priest in Stockport, waited on Mr. Sadler, and gave the
most solemn assurance that no symbol or garb should
appear in the procession beyond what had been usual on
former anniversaries; or anything that could be deemed
a defiance of the proclamation. When it became
known that the procession would not be prevented,
party feeling amongst the lower classes ran high, the
Catholics
boasting they would not be stopped
and the Protestants declaring, that their procession
ought to be put down. Ilene Procession, however, did
take place on Sultan,' arternoon, and, on the whole,
passed off quietly. It started about two o'clock from the
Catholic chapel
at Edgnl9h which is a suburb of the
town near the railway Station, and proceeded down Ed-
ward-street, across the Waterloo-road, down Church-
gate and Park-street, through_
South; and so returnin
Warren-street, up Heaton-
lane, up the Wellington-road
again to the Roman Catholic . Chapel, Edgeley. The
procession was headed by the
at
priests,breas and a number of
Irish labourers walking 01 t ; then came the
numerous boys and girls in .
procession ; the priests
the eadily and day schools.
There wero no banners in theb
did not wear canonical vestments, but appeared in or-
dinary attire ; even the girls' handkerchiefs or vests,
which they usually wore on these occasions, were laid
aside ; and they only wore white frocks, and
round the neck by ribbons
little crosses suspended •
The only badges or symbols that might be supposed
to contravene the proclamation were a ball and cross,
and a gilt dove. As we have said, the procession passed
along its course, without the slightest disturbance,
beyond occasional groans and hisses from zealous Pro-
testants, and they finallydispersed without any breach
of the peace of which we have heard. Even Sunday
evening, which is often disturbed in Stockport by noisy
brawls, amongst the Irish population (who are said to
exceed 14,000 in the borough), passed over with more
Dot one individual having been
than usual tranquillity,
directly or indirectly con-
apprehended by the police)
cerned in any row.'
On Monday afternoon into.rmation reached the police-
office that an Englishman
and an
the liquor vaults of the an Irishman, both of them
i
in liquor, bad been fighting
Bishop Blaize.public-house, and that expressions had
been used, having relation to the procession of the pre-
vious day, and to . popery and Protestantism ; but it
seems that the combatants were separated, and went their
ways, neither being
apprehended. In the course of Mon-
day evening one of the police officers reported at the police-
office that a number of English and Irish were fighting;
but as this was by no means an unusual occurrence in Stock-
port it was regarded as a mere drunken row, and by no
means supposed to be of a more serious or riotous charac-
ter. The numbers, however, of the combatants rapidly
increased, and this affair taking place in the Hillgate,
one of the principal thoroughfares, information of its
continuance and increase was dispatched to the police-
office, and Mr. Sadler, who had previously sent two or
three officers, proceeded to the spot himself at the head
of a body of firemen; but on their reaching the place
they found the mob dispersed and everything apparently
quiet. During the remainder of the evening, and
throughout the night, all continued tranquil; there was
no renewal of the disturbance in any part of the borough.
On Tuesday morning, however, there were rumours
of much ill-blood amongst the .Roman Catholics, in con-
sequence, it is said, of their regarding the English as the
aggressors iu the first brawl in the Bishop Blaize vaults;
and Mr. Sadler resolved to take measures to put down
any fights that might arise, not having any reason at
that time to apprehend that anything more serious than
an Irish row would occur. During the whole of Tues-
day everything remained tranquil; but the Rev.
Mr. Forster, priest of St. Michael's Roman Ca-
tholic Chapel, in the Park, called on Mr. Sadler,
and stated that there appeared to be considerable
angry feeling on the part of the Irish Catholics, and
that he was apprehensive that they would assemble in
the evening in considerable numbers in the locality com-
monly known in Stockport as Bomber's Brow (or Gar-
nett-street), and observing that Mr. Sadler was popular
amongst them, proposed to meet him at eight o'clock,
and that they should go together to the spot, as he was
sure that they could in this way prevent any disturb-
ance. Mr. Sadler agreed to meet him; but about half-
past seven o'clock in the evening Mr.'Forster sent to Mr.
Sadler, to say that ho had an evening service at his
chapel, and would be unable to keep his appointment.
Under these circumstances Mr. Sadler proceeded to
take such precautions as he thought advisable. The
police force of the borough is obviously too small for
such a population, consisting only of Mr. Sadler him-
self and ten constables, with two or three assistants,
or at most half a dozen, for duty on Saturday nights
and Sundays, the seasons when there is most dis-
order and brawling in Stockport. Mr. Sadler sent
three or four of his officers into the Hillgate, to ob-
serve whether there were any signs of assembling;
and about a quarter before eight o'clock on Tues-
day evening, one of these officers, named John Leigh,
sent a verbal message to the police-office, by Mr. Charles
Brown, agent, &c., to the effect that all was perfectly
quiet, and that there were no indications of any unusual
assembling. - Mr. Sadler contented himself with sending
a few more officers to the locality, and within a quarter
of an hour after receiving the former message tie re-
ceived information at the police-office (which is within
the Court-house, Vernon-street) that very suddenly con-
siderable numbers of English and Irish had simultane-
ously made their appearance in Hillgate, and had com-
menced fighting with sticks and other weapons. Which
party commenced the fray Mr. Sadler was unable, either
then or subsequently, to ascertain. Ho immediately got
together soma assistant constables, and was proceeding
with them to the spot, when information reached him
that the rioters had been driven back by the police and
others from Hillgate, and that a considerable number
of Irish had gone in the direction of High-street,
whi,ph leads to a neighbourhood principally inhabited
by them, and known as Rock-row, Petty Carr, Carr
Green, &c. On learning this, Mr. Sadler, at the
head of his small staff of atisistant constables, proceeded
along Underbank, down Chestergate, and so to Rock-
row, which he entered from the bottom, and saw a num-
ber of people collected at the upper end of the row
(which, with only one or two exceptions, is inhabited
wholly by drigh), and extending into a field adjoining
St. Peter's Church. They appeared to be in confiict,and
as he was proceeding towards them with his men they
were met by a considerable body of Irish, who assailed
the police with atones, brickbats, and other missiles,
while various sorts of projectiles were cast from the
houses, and, even women were seen upon the roofs of the
cottages hurling samba hrieks, &c. on the police. How-
ever, the small force under Mr. 2a:tiler's command suc-
ceeded in driving back and dispersing their assailants,
many of whom rushed into the houses; some -of them
being captured and conveyed to the police-office; and
ultimately comparative quiet and peace being restored,
Mr. Sadler left a number of officers, with some special
constables, in that locality, and returned to the Court-
house, whence he immediately dispatched a
messenger for the Mayor, Mr. John Boothroyd,
attorney, who resides at Shaw Heath, distant
about a mile from the Court-house. The Mayor soon
arrived, as did Messrs. P. E. Marsland, Thomas *i.
rigge, and Sir Ralph Pendlebury, all magistrates of the
tantly
borough. From them a communication was ins
made to Major Kennedy and Captain Hort, coneeni___wiffigig
detachments of the 4th Regiment of Infantry, now w lying
in the barracks, Hall-street, Stockport, requesting thone tog
in
house, with
send a detachment of troops to assist the 0 "el force
, tn officers,
maintaining the peace of the borough.
and several others, soon arrived at the Coled"
a detachment of about 60 rank and file. oranWhile, the
form of declaration, the reading of which., is usually
called " reading the Riot Act," was opted out in readi-
ness—[printed copies of this ought always_ to be in
Mr. Turner, we
rea-
diness in populous towns]—and the alenyor and the ,
number
for the
ma-
gistrates named, with the addition of
believe, with the police, andof special con-
stablesoccasion by the
Proceeded down Chester-
(just before sworn in
magistrates), and the; troops, P
gate to Rock-row and Petty
and There they found a
considerable assemblage, an the Riot Act was im-
mediately read; on which,
.aided by the efforts of the
police and special constables, the mob speedily dis-
persed. The civil and military authorities and
force then proceeded by St. Peter's-square, •nee 's
-square, through
High-street and Hillgate, up Edward-street, and
through Greek-street, to Edgeley, where they
found the large Catholic chap el completely sacked and
gutted, and the priest's house pretty nearly in the same
condition. The rioters here had brought the furniture,
&c., out of the chapel and the residence, and piled it in
the road and set fire to it. The mob had dispersed
before their arrival, and they only found groups of
persons standing quietly by theheaps of blazing ma-
terials. While the authorities were there, a messenger
arrived with information that the mob had proceeded_ar
St. Michael's Roman Catholic chapel, in the Parkr(eS3_
the Court-house), had broken the windows, 610de:we:II
stroying the furniture, &c. The civil and in,"'
dragged
u speed, and
au-
thorities and forces proceeded thither witah_titoen
6aind that some
on their arrival found that the furniture h
a large iron
out, broken up, and some of it set fire to; n
of the rioters had attempted to force open
silver used in
safe, supposed to contain various articles
removed this safe
(the Service of the chapel. The
policeffort of the
rioters)
(the lock of which had resisted the e

1852.

° them, as well as of various books of prayers which were
lying strewed about. These were lodged in safety at
up.t
vir hitrheatkhieng aid an
odfthe
to the police-office, for safe keeping. Some portions of
a paters, a pyx cover, &c., 511 of silver, were picked up
inside :the chapel, and Mr. Sadler took possession of
the police-office. The police arrived in time to appre-
hiinn thee l ovcekry ac
s-
of
police, quiet was speedily restored, and a considerable
number of men and youths, who were known to have
taken part in some of these riotous proceedings, were
apprehended and conveyed to the Court-house. Many
heeanddedand several
lodged
men
ed
de-
stroying furniture in the chapel, and these were appre-
hended
these were severely wounded, and from four o'clock
in the morning till noon, four medical men were more or
less engaged in dressing their wounds and hurts. These
were Dr. Rayner, M.D.; Mr. Walters, surgeon; Mr.
Rigby, house surgeon at the Stockport Infirmary; and
Mr. Brooks, surgeon.
Tans far we have given a semi-official account of the
riotous proceedings of the night, from information
which was most readily communicated to us by Mr.
Sadler and some of the officers under his control. But
as the police force was generally too late to come up
with the rioters while their reckless acts of destruction
were being committed, we have endcavoursed to ascer-
tain from other sources how the proceedings arose.
Great confusion prevails, both as to the order of events,
and the time of any particular attack; but we believe
the following to have been the order in which the events
occurred. After the police had dispersed the mob in
the Hillgate, the Irish, in a tolerably compact body, re-
treated towards Rock-row, the lower end of which opens
upon St. Peter's-square. At the corner of Rock-row
and the square stands a large house, the residence of
Mr. Graham, surgeon, who, we believe, has in some way
incurred the hatred "of the Roman Catholics. They
assailed this house with volleys _of stones and brick-
bats, smashed most of the lower windows, and the ss r-
vent man received a severe wound in the forehead from
a stone. In this attack, the next house, belonging to
Mr. White's factory, also suffered considerable injury in
the lower windows. The mob then turned their attack
upon the Sunday-school connected with St. James's
Church, which stands opposite to Mr. Graham's house,
on the other side of the square, and they had broken
some of the windows in the building, when they were
overtaken by the English, who attacked and drove them
up Rock-row, and then seem to have proceeded in reta-
liation to Edgeley, gutted the Roman Catholic chapel
and priest's house there, and thence.. to St. Mi-
chael's Catholic chapel in the Park, which they
also sacked, as already stated. Here the more serious
outrages to property seem to have been stayed; but
fights between small bodies of both factions continued
for some hours afterwards. In these fights one life
has been taken, and it is not improbable that other
very severe injuries may terminate fatally. Between
11 and 12 o'clock a party of police succeeded in cap-
turing a stout athletic young Irishman, whose name is
said to be Darby Searle, about 24 or 25 years of age,
who was said to have wounded three or four men with
a pitchfork. When apprehended, however, he had re-
ceived a severe fracture of the skull and other injuries,
and as he was evidently dying he was removed from the
other prisoners and placed in a room below the Court-
house, where he expired about a quarter before two
o'clock this (Wednesday) morning.
It was after midnight before the disturbance was
quelled.
The following is one of the sad casualties reported to
us as having occurred during the n
ev - g
A man named Jas. Ogden, a block
printer,ni was charged
by Mr. Sadler to assist the constables in preserving
the
peace, and was for some time on duty with others pro-
tecting the Mersey Inn from a riotous attack. Returning
thence, he heard a great noise down an entry in Mrs.
Walker's Square, Back
Brook-street. He ran down
the entry, and found a number of Irish and others fight-
ing in a low cellar. He entered it, but was immediately
assailed with stones, kicks, &c. Finding' himself in
danger, he attempted to escape, and laying hold of the
door for that purpose, some one behind struck at his
hand with a sickle or reaping-hook, and completely
severed from his right hand the whole of the fore finger.
The poor men went direct to the Stockport Infirmary,
where his hand was dressed, and he then returned to the
cellar, which he found deserted, and, looking about, he
picked up his finger, where it had fallen behind the door.
He is in great distress, as he told us it was the very
finger he most required in his trade, and be was afraid he
could work no snore. To add to his sufferings, he is a
married man, with a family of six children, and his wife
will shortly again be confined; and so much was he
afraid of the effect upon her, that at first he dared not
acquaint her with what had befallen him. We trust
this case will have the benevolent consideration of all
the well-disposed.

THE COURT-HOUSE, YESTERDAY.
The Stockport Court-house presented an extraordi-
nary scene yesterday morning. During the night it had
been converted into a prison hospital, and at one end
were penned up about 108 ruffianly looking fellows, up-
wards of 60 of whom were suffering from wounds re-
ceived in the riot or in their encounters with the police
when taken into custody. One with a dislocated shoulder
was yelling under the manipulation of a surgeon, and
another was shrieking under the pain of handling a dis-
located ankle; others were writhing, moaning, and bleed-
ing; and as the surgeons moved to and fro amongst them
dressing their wounds, the place presented a singular
picture. The man who had been killed was in the cellar
underneath the Court-house; his name was Darby Searle,
aged 24, and his wounds were a fractured skull and a cut
on the head 4 inches long.
The following is a list of the wounded prisoners:—
James Paton, 29, fish dealer, 17, Bock-row, cut be-
tween eyes. _ _

Owen Doyle, 54, labourer, ugh Bankside, two cuts
on head.

William Donovan, 30, Carr-green, a cut on head.
Darby Mulkeeny, 40, Walker's-yard, three cuts en
head, and fracture of shoulder blade.
James Davies, 17, Swan's-street, bruise on head.
Martin Mulligan, 18, Daw-bank, two cuts on head.
William Riley, 40, Rock-row, two cuts on head.
Michael Morris, 14, Carr-green, a bruise on head.
John Bloyd, 38, two cuts.
William Shepherd, 45, one cut on head.
Patrick Stanton, 46, stranger, three cuts on head.
Patrick Naughton, 18, Shepherd'i-huildings, a cut on
head.
John Cuddy, 28, Rock-row, one cut on head.
Patrick Curly, 45, stranger, two cuts on head.
James M'Donald, 23, stranger, four cuts on head.
Patrick Flaherty, 23, stranger, one cut on head, ankle
injured.
Walter Welch, 23, Rock-row, one cut on head.
John M'Owen, 22, Rock-row, one cut on head.
John Brennan, 20, stranger, one cut on head.
Michael Quin, 21, stranger, one do.
Patrick Quin, 24, do., do.
John Griffin, 22, Rock-row, three do.
one do.
Michael Gallagher, 40, High-street,
Michael Garvin, 16, Carr-green, one do.
Patrick Tester, 40, Rock-row, one do-
and nose
Patrick Crocan„2o, Brown-street, one do.,
injured. & one do.
Patrick Riley, 20, Kay-street West,' do.
Patrick Reynolds, 50, Rock-row, one
John Kennedy, 24, Carr-green, one do.
Michael Shaughnessy, 30, Rock-rw, cue do.
John Donnelley, 50, Jackson's-gle one do
o.
do.
Barney Kelly, 30, Carr-green, ene
James Foot, 27, Rock-row, two do.
Thomas Fearock, 21, Jackson's-alley, one do.
Michael Doran, 17, High-street, two do.
James Cain, 17, Millgate, a cut on face.
John Finnigan, 22, Rock-row, a cut on bead.
Patrick Brett, 23, stranger, throe cuts on head.
John Oban, 23, one ditto.
Wm. Burns, 29, Carr-green, two .cuts On head, one
on lip .
Patrick Welch, 26, High-street, two eats On head.
John Fearock, 15, Rock-row, one ditto.
Thomas Murphy, 30, St. Peter's-gate, one
ditto.
Thomas Ryder, 18, St. Peter's-gate, one ditto.
John Luddon, 18, Adlington-square, cut on forehead.
Side cut on leg.
Thomas Owens, 21, Piccadilly, cut on head.
Bank
on a
face.
Michael 'Nally, 71, Lower
Lackey Tally, 21, Rock-row, cut on head.
Michael Hart, 26, stranger, two cats _nt S S
Edward Dorraby, 28, Rook-roe three cuts on head,
one on leg.
Bomber's brow, cat on eye and
227
vbridge~ cut
hand.
John Michael
cnha czeluinCanna,,
35,
John Thurles, 53, Rock-row ditto
Patrick Regan,- 3 $ Uhestergate, cut on nose.
John kt`NallY' 19, She her'a-bridge, d '
shoulder bruised. p out on head,
Patrick Flannigan, 7
2 , Rock-row, cut on head.
Michael Bark, _
34 Rock
•-row, two ditto.
Patrick olia
sabre cUt on hand.
ra, 30, C hestergate, cut on head, and
Roger
,L, head, M'Dermott, 50, Low Bank-side, two cuts on
'"" and one on the nose.
___Francis Tully, 19, Rock•row, cut on head.
Patrick Kelly, 45, Chestergate, cut on head, on leg,
and on buttock. . .
Michael Connor, 19, Carr-green, one on head.
Win. Lawless, 10, Grape-street, cut on head.
Darby Kelly, Rock-row, fire cuts on head, one on
shoulder. and
Thomas Griffiths, Carr-green, eight outs on bead,
one on lip. i hours in
Our correspondent was kept waiting sore" ee before
the Court-house for the proceedings to soniTenhaif
the magistrates; and it was not until „„,37 Yentoe6Past
7 d; Es tic)n
two o'clock yesterday afternoon th-11,01; "
the bench. The Mayor, John' Boom P.
E. ,
mg., pre-
sided; and the other magistrZ
sy: Marsland, arslatid,
Esq., Ed. Marsland, Esq., II a Howard 3cl.'
Tatum, Esq., Alderman eCePhe 9 Dr. Turner,
and S. R. Carrington, Esq
s were called
The following pri:
, :tilerin the disturb
as having takePalsh, Michael __ nce : - Thomas
Briany, Walter _..szgan, Mottery, James Hag-
gerty, Timothy PI IJames Welsh, Owen Doyle,
r
John Blyth, R°ge s Macdermot, Michael Cunyan. Tho-
mas noel, ;time Herretty, Patrick O'Hara, Patrick
iofrael M`Derra ,
Curley, 31 . ot, lhomas Garver, James
trick Lochert
Flyo, y, Thomas Morris,
Richard
Rhodes, Thomas Rider, James•
Finn, Matthew Mulls an
aii,e9 Paton, John Btannan, Thomas Owen, Johng
' '4,,prally, Patrick Kelly 9 Michael Flynn, George Bell,
geittael Boyle, Nu
Ich
33 in all. uel Burke, and James Foley-

The following were bound over on their own recog-
nizance of 51. each, to keep the peace and appear when
called upon :—Jobn Griffin, Lacky Tully, John Cuddy,
James Gaunan, Wm. Crofton, Jos. Foster, Michael Free-
"an. Thos. Sumner, Michael Connor, John Quin, Mar-
tin Finnigan, Thomas Finn, James Smith, Wm. Law-
less, Wm. Nixon, of Runcorn; Michael Gallagher,
Darby Mulchieny, Michael M‘Nally, Patrick Flaherty,
Patrick Stanton, of Pretcott, near Liverpool; Joseph
Cecillin, Patrick O'Connor, Michael Dowar, John Dut-
ton, Patrick Mangle, John M'Owen, James Cade,
Patrick O'Brien, Patrick Goghan, James Connoly, Pa-
trick Lowany, Michael Gregah, Thomas Fearaob,