The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-03 00:00:00

THE RIOTS AT WIGAN.

The attack on the Saw Mills at New Springs, near
'Wigan, reported yesterday, appears for the present to
have concluded the series of disturbances in the town,
and it is probable that so long as there is an overwhelm-
ing force of artillery in the town, nothint, more will be
attempted. There are now in Wigan and
at the Saw
Mills a body of 240 men of the 34th Regiment of Foot,
and a full troop of the Ist Royal Dragoons, and there is
also at the Saw Mills 50 men of Sir John Gerrard's
Lancashire Yeomanry Cavalry,.under the command of
his brother. Captain F. S. Gerrard, of Aspull, from
Ashton-in-Mackerfield. The police fie, under the
direction of Superintendent Scott and Inlpectot:Gillett,
Consisting of 20 men, are armed with cutlasses and a
of
specialthe E
nixed for odfobrthye defence of Bofaitchaerr works.e:'sine n are
was
no There o rg
aas-
no disturbance whatever on Tuesday night, but the
horses of the dragoons were kept saddled in expectation
of an outbreak at Abram, about four miles from
the town, where there are some " knobstick" colliers,
that is, men who have gone in to work at the old
prices, against whom, of course, the turn-outs are
highly exasperated. They were, however, peaceable,
and, so far as we can learn, all is now absolutely quiet,
though we have heard of petty outrages, such as the
breaking of the windows of workmen who are obnoxious
to the turn-outs. The municipal elections for Wigan
took place on Tuesday, and there was some little ex-
citement arising out of the contests which took place ;
but the cheers with which the announcement of the re-
sult was hailed, when declared in the Town-hall, were
quite good-humoured, and the people separated imme-
diately after.

There is still great excitement in the town, and the
magistrates have cause for great uneasiness, however,
in the conduct of both factory operatives and colliers,
who on Monday commenced a system of begging from
door-to-door, taking with them carts to which to put the
food which people may be disposed to give them instead
of money. Large bodies of men accompany the two carts
that are now out, and the police have no control over
them, so that in truth this mode of begging amounts to
intimidation.

The colliers are going to work at various places, in
consequence of which the turn-outs are threatening
loudly what they will do.
Yesterday (Wednesday) morning the six rioters in
custody were brought up at the Moot-hall for further
examination.

The magistrates on the bench were Messrs N. Eckers-
ley (mayor), (J. T. Eckersley, E. Evans, R. Bevan, J.
Lamb, and W. Park.
The names of the prisoners are—Richard Clayton,
Richard Birchall, John Hughes, John Lacy, John Baker,
and Richard Norris, all of them boys, with the exception
of Norris, who is a young man, and has been in the

Mr. Ackerly, solicitor, appeared for the prisoners
Clayton and Birchall. The others were undefended.
After hearing evidence,
The magistrates discharged Clayton and Norris, re-
manded Hughes and Lacy, committed Baker to the ses-
sions for felony, and ordered Birchall to find two sureties
to keep the peace for twelve months.
After the business at the court was concluded, the
mayor and magistrates held a meeting at the public hall,
and though no decision was come to, it was determined
to put a stop to the begging in the streets, as acts of
vagrancy, and though noplan was chalked out, no doubt
the soldiers will be drawn off from the Saw Mills for the
duty. There are now 92 police officers at Wigan, 20 at
Ince, 20 at Pemberton, 17 at Abram, 20 at the Saw
Mills, and 15 at Standish-gate, all armed with cutlasses.
They are organised as armed patrols.
Since the above was written, it has been learnt that
the colliers of Messrs. Bancks, of Wirastanley, are going
in. The most important fact in connection with the
strike of colliers is, that on Tuesday night 1,000 men,
the colliers of Messrs. W. Bashall, at Farington, near
Preston, having gone into the latter town for their
weekly pay, and finding none, at once seceded rrom the
union, and determined to go to work at the old rates.
They made an offer to that effect to Mr. Bashall, but he
declined to decide until the meeting of the masters on
the 7th, though it is not unlikely the unconditional
terms of the men will be accepted before then. The
men were to have a meeting on Wednesday after-
noon, to pass a resolution to secede from the union, and
to go in upon the old terms. This secession will have a
most important bearing upon the Wigan strike.