The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-07 00:00:00

MILITARY RIOT AT CHATHAM".

ROCHESTER, DEC. 6

Early this morning a most violent outrage mil coin,
mitted by a large party of soldiers belonging to the 18th
(Royal Irish) Regiment, by which several police con-
stables belonging to the force of this city have received •
serious injuries, and one of them—police constable
Tassell—of such a nature that his life is despaired of.
Since the 18th Regiment has returned from India it
has been quartered at Chatham Barracks, the men, on
the whole, bearing a good character in the town for
their orderly and peaceable demeanour.
Lately a great many volunteers have been taken into
the regiment, chiefly from the 24th Regiment, as the
former corps is ordered to the Crimea. These on Thurs-
day last were marched from Brompton to Chatham
Barracks to join their new regiment. On the men
having been told off they resolutely refused to leave the
ground until they had received 11. bounty money, to
which they were entitled for having volunteered. Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Edwards promised them that they
should be paid in full the following morning, and the
following day each man was paid. Since that time the
town and neighbourhood have been one scene of
drunkenness, debauchery, and riot.
On Tuesday night, soon after " tatoo" had been
sounded, a number of the 18th commenced scaling the
barrack wall, and proceeded to visit the several public-
houses, making a disturbance in each. Several of them
were observed to he armed with bludgeons and pieces
of wood, with which they paraded the streets, finally
making their way into this city, where several of them
entered the North Foreland public-house between 12
and 1. The landlord, seeing their conduct was likely
to become violent, called in police constable Tremaine,
and that officer after much entreaty persuaded them to
leave. As soon as they had reached the street, their
conduct became very violent, and the constable, being
by this time joined by several others, followed them for
some distance, t© see that no breach of the peace
was committed. Whilst so following them, one of
them hurled a large flint at police-constable Smith,
which struck him in the eye, and partially deprived
him of his sight. The assailant was at once
secured by the officers, and was being conveyed to
the station-house, followed by about a dozen of his com-
rades. On their way thither the constables were fre-
quently assaulted, until they arrived at that portion of
St. Margaret's Bank facing the Custom-house, where
the soldiers fell upon the constables in a most savage
manner. The latter blew their signal whistles, and Po-
lice-constables Jenkins, G. Treroaine, Tassell, and others,
were soon on the spot to render assistance. By this;
time the soldiers had quite overpowered the peace officers,
whom they were striking with bricks and stones whilst
they lay upon the ground. They also got the truncheons
away from them, and with these they inflicted terrible
injuries. Police-constables Smith and Tremaine were
so injured, that :it• :will be some time before they can re-
sume their day. Pace-constable Tassel], however,
received the .most serious injuries, as whilst he lay on
the ground, after being knocked down, he was repeatedly
struck on the head with a brick, which was afterwards
foUnd covered with blood and hair, and also kicked about
the'face. When rescued he was quite insensible, and
though Dr. Ely has been unremitting in his attendance
upon him, he is not expected to recover from the effects
of the violence he has endured.
Superintendent Tuff, seeing the force at his disposal
was not sufficient to cope with the soldiers, sent Off
to
the barracks for the assistance of the military, a strong
party of which soon afterwards arrived. During the in-
terval the soldiers continued their brutal outrage on the
constables, and were only stopped by the arrival of the
soldiers, when, several of them made their escape. The
sergeant succeeded in arresting six of those who appeared
to be the ringleaders, and marched them off to the bar-
racks for confinement.
This afternoon the six prisoners, giving their names
John Cavanagh, George Clark, Michael Leahy, Thomas
Stikzly, George Summers, and James Sullivan, all pri-
vates belonging
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before the city
of outrage and attempted murder. Evidence was given
to show that Tasseil, the constable, who was so ill that
he was not expected to survive ; and the statements of
the other constables injured having been given, the whole
of the prisoners were remanded for a week, to ascertain
the fate of the unfortunate ivolice-constable.
The prisoners were escorted to the justice-room by a
strong body of the military, through a great crowd which
lined the neighbourhood.

POCKET-PICKING IN A RAILWAY CARRIACM—Two
ladies from Chesterfield had their pockets picked by„
" two gentlemen of very prepossessing appearance,
whilst travelling a short time since in a railway earring()
from Nottingham to Derby. Oo arriving at the latter
station the 10.. s was discovered, but not until the
" gentlemen," whose agreeable conversation had be-
guiled away the time en route, had disappeared amongst
the crowds of pagsengers who alighted. Au instrument
had been used, which had cut through the dress and
Bkirta as well as the pocket, of the ladies,
• .