The Sun.
London, England, 1831-11-08 00:00:00

RIOTS AT WORCESTER.

(FURTHER PARTICULARit.)
SUNDAY NIGHT.
Twenty-nine, instead of fifteen, rioters were takerr
last night, but cut of these only three are inhabi-
tants df this city. Three of them were firm Flood-
hury, a disiantte of sixteen miles. One of them
who was found pos§essoiti of a tinder-box, matches,
and aline gunpowder, said, when taken, that he had
heard the city was on fire, and ctme there to assist
in extinguishing the times. It smears that the
lltyor, H. Cifton, DI., and some or the most
,epec!able inhabitants, had had misgivings en the
übject for a few days pae, from seeing a great arum-
her of strangers, some of them well dressed,. loun-
ging about in the streets. On Thursday the Ma-
L4is!rates issued a notice to the inhabitants, the result
(3! which was the voluntary 3ttentlvice of from 300
to 40G of the most respectable tradesmen in the

town to lw Flvegf: in. 1,1 the mean time a commu-
nication was heM with the Home-tfrffice, the result
of which was the removal of a company of the Dlst
Foot fit:Ml Gloucester to Pershore, a distance of
nine miles, end of a troop of the 7th :Hussars, under
Captain Bathurst, Lord Dorchester, and the Hon.
Mr. Jocelyn, Lieutenant., from Kidderminster to
Droitwich, a distance of six miles from Worcester.
Marty of the inhabitants laughed at these prepara-
tions as pusillanimous, but the event proved that if
they bad not been taken, the property and the lives
of the inhabitants would have been placed in immi-
nent danger. The chief objects of attack seemed
to be the shops and houses where there was
a good prospect of plunder. With this view,
it would appear, the windows of Mr. France,
the Under-Sheriff, were completely smashed
(principally by bludgeons). The lower part
of his house is occupied by a perfumer and
jeweller, from whose premi,es the mob appeared to
think something valuable might be procured. About
seventy panes of the windows of Sir A. Leclimere•„
the banker, were also broken. The mob procee4ecl
to the Bishop's Palace, and tried the doors; but a
detachment of special constables, about twenty-five
in number, being there, and most of the valuables
having been removed, they give up their intention
of attack. They also went to Prince Elgar's Tower,
which is the entrance to College green, and the re-
sidence of the Prebends; but a good show of
constables prevented an attack there. The special
constables, however, being divided into detachments,
were, before the arrive' of the 7th Hussars, at about
one o'clock, completely inAequate to controul the
excesses of the rioters, The Mayor, Magivrates,
and members of the Corporation, sat at the Town-
hall. The Riot Act was read ; the Mayor ad-
dressed the mob in the most feeling monster, anti
every exertion was made to cause them to disperse ;
but about two hundred itinerant thimble and pea-
men, and low thieves, who were strangers, excited
the mob by every means in their power, and had it
not been for the timely arrival of the military, scenes
of great bloodshed must have ensued berore order
could have been restored. When they wired, and
the order was given to clear the streets, the soldiers
who, it appear'', behaved extremely well, merely pa-
raded up and down. The mob, however, soon began
to pelt them, and to reproach them with being only
sent to keep down the people. More energetic mea-
sures were then resorted to ; and the soldiers, find.
ing that mere riding was not sufficient, and being
pelted on all sides, attacked, with the fiat part of
their swords, all who appeared most active. The mob
then 'wrenched themselves in Bull-court, opposite
the hall, and continued pelting the soldiers with
stones, that must have been brought from a distance.
This was a strong hold to them, for it could only be
approached by descending a flight of six stone steps;
and many women as well as men stoutly defended
it with missiles. After the rioters were dislodged,
however, from every other quarter, the necessity of
taking that position by storm became apparent.
Two of the troopers were ordered to fire down the
court. One of them, however, humanely preferred
charging it. His horse declined the experiment
of descending the steps, and a loud " huzaa" from
within marked the trooper's retreat. The scldier
said to his horse," You must do it, Bob," and at
the same moment applied the spurs Bob answered
to the summons, west down the steps with the
safety of a cat or a dog, and was immediately
followed by another. This act so surprised the
rioters, that the most ridiculous scene of con-
fusion followed, women and men screaming anti
tumbling over each other, and sauce qui ',cut
being the only principle of action. After being
routed here, the mob assembled in Foregate-street,

and a proposition was made to attack the county
gaol. The intentiou spread like wildfire; but on
some person saying that Mr. Lavender, the respected
Governor, had a considerable force of sheriff's
javelin men, militiamen, constables, and plenty of
ammunition, they altered their course of pro-
ceeding. They afterwards went to the house
of Mr. Cripps, wine-merckaut, in Broad-street,
and clamoured for money or liquor. Mr. Cripps,
however, got rid of them for this time by telling
them that he also was a Reformer. The rioters
then directed their attacks against private indivi-
duals, and, in gangs of from twenty to thirty, robbed
and beat every person of respectable appeal ance
who fell into their hands. The above-mentioned
Mr. Cripps, being on duty as a special constable,
was severely attacked. Ile defended himself stoutly,
I and was assisted by his friend, Mr. Clarke, an iron-
! monger of this city. Mr. Cripps, however, was
knocked down, and robbed of all the money in hi-
pocket, and a gold eye-glass, but he preserved his
gold watch. About two hundred criminals were
confined in the county gaol, and would doubtless
have been of great service to the mob if they had
been liberated, as several of them are suffering the
punishment of being ringleaders of the rioters at
Kidderminster last year. The gaol is guarded, how-
ever, by about forty soldiers, who have several
rounds of ball cartridge. A similar guard protec.,
the city gaol, the Governor of which, Mr. Griffiths,
being at the same time confident that even his pri-
soners, who are few in number, would assist in repel-
ling any attack. After the above-described outrages,
the mobgradually dispersed, us the constables and sol-
diery paraded the principal streets. Of course a great
number of broken heads was the result of these con-
flicts, but we never remember to have seen so vita.-
lent a crowd dispersed with less mischief. Oue
man had his hat cut through by a sabre, and his head
very slightly wounded, and a countryman was neatly
frightened to death by the blood from a trifling
sword wound in the fleshy part of the chest. This
evening, with the exception of there being a few
more countrymen than usual in the streets, lac'
were probably attracted by curiosity, nothing extra.-
' ordinary is to be seen. The Magistrates are still
sitting, and the troops under arms, and ready io act
'r at a moment's notice. The company of the 91,,t
Regiment arrived from Pershore et about half-past
two o'clock, and by their presence, although they
were not called upon to act offensively, contributed,
no doubt, in a great degree to the preservation of
order. It is supposed that the riot could riot have
originated with the china-manufactureis of this city,
as they are in full work, and many of them earning
at least 255. per week. I cannot close this account
without observing that the inhabitants of the city
are highly grateful to the Magistracy for their prompt
and energetic measures, and to the soldiery for their
temper and forbearance. The disturbances may be
now said to be at an end, as at twelve o'clock every
thing is quiet.
of , -

CAMBRIDGE ELECTION.—SO completely
unacquainted were the freeholders of this county with the
person of Captain YORKE, the Tory candidate, whom the
Aristocrats and conservators attempted to thrust upon !he
county, that in the city of Peterhorouzb, a few da) a t efore
the election, a naval officer, named --. was aetea!'y
presented to the freeholders as Captain YORKE, with Ott
gentleman's card, and in this, his assumed n Ane, he went
through all the formalities, introduction, &r., of a canvass.
This deputy candidate was quite as unsucces6 !II in t iw torts
canvassed
ntyliaessredea.l Captain This e inc
ttiihmotsrmg ruse was the suggestio-iae parts of the county which he
of
one of the Anti-Reforrn.agents, atitt perbls wt rthy of
better came.