The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-30 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER.

THE RIOT AT CREMORNE.—Messrs. Reginald Herbert,
John Birkett, John Edward Savile, John Herbert Shaw-
cross, Charles Mott, and Charles Evan M'Dougal, were
charged on remand, severally, with being concerned in a
rict at Cremorne on " The Oaks" night, breaking glasses,
assaulting the police and waiters, and other acts of distur-
bance and disorder.

The court was densely crowded, and the bench was
covered with legal gentlemen, amongst whom were Mr.
Sleigh, barrister, who attended to prosecute.
After some conversation as to how the case should be
proceeded with,

Mr. Sleigh stated that the prosecution was taken up by
the solicitors to Mr. E. T. Smith, the proprietor of Cre-
morne, who had felt it his duty, both to himself and the
public, to bring this case forward. Annually on the occa-
sion of the Derby and the Oaks being run at Epsom there
was an unusually large attendance at Cremorne, and he
might say that invariably there was a great riot there on
that occasion ; although it was a well-known fact that for
propriety, regularity, and decorum Cremorne was second
to no place of amusement in the country. This riot oc-
curred on the night of the Oaks, and was of a most dis-
graceful description, and the breaking of glasses, assaults
upon the police and upon unoffending persons, even
the taking up and dashing down of pots contain-
ing most valuable exotics, shouting and whistling,
were among the least of the things that occurred. The
riot took place in the circular bar, and at a given signal
conveyed by a loud whistle Birkett shouted out " Now for
a jolly lark," Saville did the same, and the defendants
and numberless others who had escaped commenced a
general attack upon the waiters, the police, and others,
committing outrages such as would have disgraced the
lowest of the low, but which, committed by gentlemen,
respectably connected, were such as to bring a blush upon
the face of every one bearing the name of gentleman. It
was not necessary to elaborate the facts of the case, but he
would show by numerous witnesses that the whole
of the defendants were engaged in the riot, that, excited by
cries from Mott, M'Dougal, and others of "Now to the
rescue," charge after charge was made upon everyone sur-
rounding them ; sticks and every weapon was used, and the
damage done was incalculable. The riot lasted over an
hour, till at length the defendants were overpowered and
conveyed to the station. The learned counsel concluded
by observing that Mr. Smith had conducted every place
place of amusement he had been proprietor of with the
strictest regularity, and were such scenes as this to be per-
mitted all order at such places as Cremorne would cease to
exist; and, instead of being what they were intended
for—places of amusement—they would become perfect
bear gardens. If it were found that any of these gentlemen
before the magistrate had not committed the acts imputed
to them, then no one would be more pleased than Mr.
Smith, but as he anticipated all the acts imputed to them
would be distinctly proved, then it was for the magistrate to
say what should be the punishment these persons deserved,
and he hoped it would be such a punishment as should be
a warning to all others similarly disposed.
Several witnesses were then called, and the case was pro-
ceeding when our report left, and seemed likely to last
some hours.