The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-02 00:00:00

Tho business of the. day being thus brought to a con-
cluion, a number of the proprietors, directors, and their
friends dined together at the Crown and Sceptre
T..vc,,rn, Greenwich, where they sreit an agreeable
evening, and heard various able spoechcz delivered by
Mr. ll,eynolds, M.P., Mr. M. J. O'Connell, M.P., visi•
tors, Mr. Chambers, one of the directors, end others.

DESPERATE AFFRAY BE THE
MILITARY AND POLICE.
LIVERPOOL, JULY I.—Since nine o'clock last night
this city has been thrown into the utmost alarm and ex-
citement, iu consequence of a terrific military riot, which
broke out at the hour above-mentioned, between the sol-
diers of the 91st Rfsesiment, commanded by Colonel
Campbell, and the police of Liverpool, between whom
and the soldiers there has for some days past been
" bad blood" evinced on both sides, in consequence
Punishment inflicted on three soldiers of
at the instance of the police
on duty. Whether on that occasion there was any
of
fe
some
91s t Regiment,
real ground for complaint on the part of the soldiers
or not, they have continued to vow vengeance on the
" blue-bottles," as they term the constables, and the lat-
ter, on their part, seem to have been on the qui vice, to
meet
act; while some disinter-
ested promptly
witnesses g noy
soaggressive
a s
to
say that they did not wait
for an attack to occur, but
that in the desperate affray we
are about to detail the police, in every instance save one,
were the real aggressors. But., the evidence is so volu-
minous that it would be impossible to afford a clear idea
of the conflict of last night in any other manner than by
a careful and impartial epitome of the testimony adduced
before the magistrates to-day.
At two o'clock this afternoon twenty-seven soldiers of
the 91et Regiment were placed at the bar of the court
used for the nisi prius sittings during the assizes. There
were present John Crossfield, Esq., chairman, and a full
bench of magistrates. Colonel Campbell, Major Gordon,
and some other officers of the regiment, occupied seats
adjoining the bench; and during the whole day the court
and all its avenues were more densely crowded than on
any occasion whatever that we can remember for many
years past; in short, the general feeling is intense upon
the subject.
Mr. Dowling, the commissioner of the Liverpool police,
as soon as the usual charges had been disposed of (in
which was included one against Private John Trusler,
of the same regiment), addressing the Bench, said that
he had upwards of thirty witnesses in the present case,
whom he should call.
The following is the substance of the facts elucidated:—
About nine o'clock last night a number of men be-
longing to the 91st Regiment had assembled at Mr.
Heague's public-house, in Dale-street—one of the princi-
pal thoroughfares of Liverpool—in order, as some of
them were heard to express themselves, "to wipe off the
disgrace to the regiment which had been inflicted on
Saturday and Sunday night by the police." The
apprehension of some of their comrades for an affray
in which a policeman and a respectable civilian,
Mr. William Yates, warehouseman, were both se-
riously injured, seems to have given deep of-
fence to the soldiers, and many of them were
heard to say that last night would not pass
over without the blood of some of the police being spilt.
Issuing from the public-house above named into the
street, where were a considerable number of other
soldiers belonging to the same regiment, some of them
made up towards Duggan, 419, who was at the time on
duty in Dale-street, and unfastening their cross-belts,
they made a desperate attack with them upon the poor
fellow, who, it is stated by the police, was wholly un-
conscious of the feeling of animosity existing against
the force among the soldiers, and who was wounded so
severely about the head and body that he was considered
in very great danger when our report loft. On the
other hand, it is alleged that the soldiers were first pro-
voked by a policeman, asking "How that chap of theirs
was that was in the hospital?"—alluding to one who was
suffering from some injuries received in a previous con-
flict with the police. Be this as it may, after severely
and dangerously beating Duggan, they proceeded in a
body up Dale-street and Shaw's-brow, attacking every
policeman with whom they came in contact. But word
was passed to the Rose-hill police station, where a num-
ber of officers were in waiting; and these being joined
by others dispatched from the central station, and com-
manded by Mr. Inspector Towerson, speedily came to
the spot, and a scene ensued which wholly beffise de-
scription. The soldiers had by this time spread them-
selves in skirmishing parties of tens, probably
not expecting the concentrated movement of the
police. Attacking the military, however, thus in detail,
the civil authorities effectually cut off a junction of the
straggling parties; and although the conflict was kept
up with desperate resistance, as each fresh band was at-
tacked, and the whole neighbourhood was for nearly two
hours kept in a state of the greatest apprehension, cap-
tures of more than thirty of the soldiers were effected, by
the aid of' all the reinforcements of police which, under
the personal direction of Mr. Commissioner Dowling,
were eventually brought to the scene of the riot. At
length a demand was made at Everton barracks for as-
sistance from the officers of the regiment, who promptly
dispatched several piequets of 30 men to aid in quelling
the disturbance. Notwithstanding this, however, many
of the soldiers within the barrack, hearing what had oc-
curred, scaled the walls, and proceeded to the rescue of
their comrades, about 25 of whom had by this time been
lodged in Rose-hill Bridewell previous to their being
conveyed to the more secure prison of the borough.
Watching, however, the absence of the picquets,
who had been engaged in clearing the streets,
the scattered soldiers again assembled at Rose-hill
just as the van in which their comrades were placed
was being driven off, and a renewed conflict ensued,
in which the police would beyond doubt have suffered
the loss of many of their number, as the soldiers were
using their side-arms with horrible imprecations, just as
three of the picquets were recalled and ended the affray.
The van was then driven off with great speed, accom-
panied by :a large body of police, at double quick time,
and the prisoners were ultimately lodged in the main
gaol of the town.
Throughout the night, however, considerable crowds
might be seen throughout the line of streets in which
the affray had been carried on, and up to this hour the
interest has not subsided in the locality.
Upon the application of the commissioners, the men
were remanded until to-morrow, when the state of the
wounded police-officers, as well as those of the military
at present in the hospital, will be more accurately ascer-
tained.
A petition, very numerously signed, has been got up,
praying for the instant removal of the regiment from
Liverpool, it being quite certain that many lives will be
lost, and renewed conflicts of frequent occurrence will
take place between that regiment and the police, should
the former be permitted to remain in their present
quarters. The appearance of the soldiers before the
magistrates to-day certainly showed that they have met
with considerable injury, whatever may be the " set-off"
on the other side; and we understand that the poor
fellow Duggan. for one, is not expected to survive many
hours.