The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-08 00:00:00

Emu OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

THE MOLD RIOTS.-

" A majority of eighty against the bill." This, says 1 Six prisoners were on Monday brought before the Mold
the Times, was what we were promised on Monday, and if , magistrates, charged with rioting. The prisoners in cus-
the
peers who cheered on Lord Derby on Saturday had ode- are William Griffiths, formerly a collier, but now a
remained' teadfast, the threat might have prevailed. But "medical herbalist ;" Benjamin Tatham, gentleman's I
it was found that the minority of reason was more power- servant ; Isaac Jones, collier, Black Diemond (husband of
ful in numbers than any had suspected. First one, then the woman who was shot through the back, and who died
another; rebelled. In the afternoon sitting of the Lords on Saturday morning) ; John Roberts, driver; William
on Monday, a member of the late Ministry took occasion in. , Thomas Jones, collier ; and Rowland Jones, collier. The
the most pointed manner possible to disavow all approval two latter were apprehended while they were asleep in
of the policy of blind resistance. Lord Devon, in presenting bed at two o'clock on Monday morning, and were hurried
a petition from the clergy of Exeter against the bill, added into conveyances that were in waiting. They had to
that it would be disingenuous on his part if he dress themselves on their way to the county hall at
did not explain that be could not agree with the prayer of Mold ; the object of the police in making the arrests at
the petition. Lord Devon's courage encouraged many night being to secure their prisoners without giving the
another peer, and the brief sitting was scarcely over colliers the opportunity of attempting a rescue. The
before it began to be said that it would, perhaps, be better court-room was densely crowded, and the greatest excite-
to allow the bill to be read a second time by a small ment was.manifested by the public outside in the issue of
majority, and thus retain a power, otherwise lost for ever, the trial. Mr. Taylor, solicitor, Flint, appeared for the
of attempting to modify its provisions in committee. The prisoners Isaac Jones and William Thomas Jones. The
Times trusts the danger to the House of Peers is past. other prisoners were undefended.
Perfect confidence cannot, indeed, be feat in the stability Mr. Browne, Chief Constable of Flintshire, deposed that
of a body which thought of acting upon advice prompted on Wednesday evening- last a mob of about 1,!;00 colliers
in a mere spirit of criminal levity, and some time must commenced hustling and throw ing stones at the police and
elapse before the character and influence of the Upper soldiers who had in charge the two prisoners committed to
House will be thoroughly restored ; but we may gaol for committing an asaanit upon Illr. Young, manager
well hope that the danger it would have incurred is of the Leeswood Green Colliery. The first stone was thrown
averted. The experience of the last two clays has by a woman, and immediately afterwards the stone-throW-
done something more than re-affirm the old truth that in ing became general from all directions, the object of the
a direct issue the Lords must allow the national will to rioters evidently being to rescue the two prisoners, and
prevail. It has shewn that on the question of the day several of his men were struck with stones and knocked
compromise is impossible. The policy of the bill was sub- down. The volleys of stones hurled at the military and
mitted to the country hi November, and the vote in its police darkened the air, and he saw several of his men
favour then given by the constituencies of each of the bleeding from the face and head, the blood streaming down
Three Kingdoms, and by the majority of the electors of their uniforms. It was impossible for any of them to
each of the Three Kingdoms, was in effect to -ratify the go out and face the mob. If a magistrate had gone out
scheme of the measure. The nation is not so slack of of the station to read the Riot Act he would certainly have
purpose as might be imagined from the example of the been murdered. Life was decidedly in great and imminent
Peers. It has approved the bill as it left the House of danger at that moment in the station. The witness called
Commons, and as it has left the Bowie of Commons the upon Captain Blake, the officer in command of themilitary,
bill must practically be passed. to protect himself and his own men and the constables by
The Standard thinks that Lord Derby's answer to the firing into the mob. He refused to do so. The witness
deputation which waited upon him on Monday ought to thought it was necessary to have a magistrate's order to
be gravely considered by every Conservative and Church- justify firing, and he said to a magistrate, Mr. Clough,
man in the realm. His lordship has undertaken to lead "For God's sake give the order to fire, or we shall be all.
his party in the greatest struggle in which they have been murdered !" He then shouted out, as loudly as he could,
engaged since 1832. He is entitled to demand in return "Fire !" The commanding officer even then was very
the entire, unflinching, unhesitating support Qf every reluctant to allow his men to fire, although at that
member of that party. The House of Lords has under- moment his face was covered with blood, and blood was
taken to assert on this occasion the rights of the Protestant also streaming from a wound at the back of his head.
people of the empire ;it has a right to expect that the Some of the soldiers, who were very severely cut, were
people will support the House of Lords. Upon that sup- writhing under the pain they were suffering. They
port the result of the conflict must depend. There is no wished to fire, but the captain held them back. One
choice left. Some of us might have wished that a diffe- private who was wounded charged his rifle, and was
rent course had been adopted, and that the tattle had about to step towards the station-gate with his rifle
been fought on different ground and with different tactics. pointed towards the mob, when one of the officers
But, after all, the consequences would have been caught hold of him round the waist and drew him hack
much the same, so far as the necessity of fighting is off his legs, at the same time crying out, " For God's
concerned. ' However violently Mr. Gladstone may resent sake don't fire !" The stone-throwing all this time was
the rejection of the bill he would have re-tented its amend- continued, the mob even coming round to the platform,
inent quite as violently. He would have listened to no and across the line oil the opposite side of the railway.
compromise ; he would have made no concession. It is The police and the military were thus surrounded by.
the proof be has already given of this—the peremptory the rioters, and he again called upon the officers to fire
and contemptuous refusal of every suggestion offered, of on their assailants. Immediately after witness heard the
every amendment moved by the Opposition in the Lower discharge of a rifle, followed by other shots. The officers
House—that has determined the course of the Peers. were holding their men back, and using every effort to
Formally, the responsibility of the collision is theirs, check them in firing, cautioning them not to take
practically it lies with Mr. Gladstone. 'I be Cabinet were human life. They said, " For God's sake,_ men,
determined to treat the amendment of the bill as tanta- don't fire where there's no necessity for it !"
mount to its rejection. The Lords have taken them at To the best of his judgment, twelve or fifteen shots
their word, and have considered it wiser to reject the bill were fired, and then the mob dispersed, and the few
distinctly, than to reject it virtually, after having seemed soldiers that were firing were ordered back to the plat-
to accept its principle. They exercise a constitutional form. The greatest number of shots were fired from the
privilege which it is impossible to question, and the exer- yard behind the station. One or two shots were fired
cise of which gives no one any right of complaint; and from the station gate. There was no volley firing, only
they call upon their country to support them in the fulfil- dropping shots, with long intervals between the firing.
ment of a public duty. Witness recognised Isaac Jones as being in the crowd in
What does 21.1 r. Disraeli say ? inquires the Daily News, the courtyard as the escort with the prisoners in charge
The action of the Conservative party in either house of were starting for the station, but did not see him throw
Parliament cannot, we imagine, Le taken without some atoms. lTe could not speak to any of the other prisoners.
regard to the opinions of the late Prime Minister. Does Sergeant Hughes and several other police officers gave
he advise the policy which has been at least provisionally corroborative evidence, and identified all the prisoners as
adopted, or has he been overruled, or simply ignored? Ho having taken part in the riot.
makes no sign. The cordial and sustained cheering with Captain Blake gave evidence that his men did not fire
which the Liberal party in the House of Commons on until the magistrate ordered them, No blank cartridges
Monday expressed the fidelity of their adhesion to were used.
Mr. Gladstone roused no defiant response from the ln cross-examination, Captain Blake said the soldiers
other side of the House. It was met by blank looks and marched to the station with arms trailed. He did not
dead silence. The Conservative minority in the House hear the Riot Act read. Stone throwing was continued
of Commons, who are in closer contact with the consti. over a quarter of an hour before lie had an order to
tuencies and can better interpret the symptoms of public tire. No blank cartridge was fired. The men fired into
opinion, do not share the sanguine hopes of the Conserva. the mob, but not without his order, although they were
tive majority in the Lords. They know very well that irritated.
the judgment of the natien was given at the polling. The witness Price, on being recalled, fenced with many
booths, and is not expressed in meetings of the beaten questions, and at last said lie was afraid to give evidence.
party. An active and noisy minority remains a minority, He did see Tatham throw one stone. In the case of the
Mr. Disraeli is still the leader of the Conservative party, other prisoners, Police-constable .Tones, Robert Ellis, and
if he has not been set aside for the more con. Sergeant Hughes gave evidence sliewing that they were
genial chieftainship of Mr. Gathorne Hardy ; and present. Dr. Williams and. Mr. Trubsbaw spoke to the
he is responsible for the conduct of that party injuries inflicted, the former having dressed the wounds of
in Loth Houses of Parliament* Lord Cairns is twenty soldiers, and the latter attended the police.
his lieutenant and nut Lord Der7,y's, :whatever The case occupied the magistrate for seven hours, and
may be the personal influence of that nobleman. If Mr. ultimately Mr. Thylor applied for an adjournment till Wed-
Disraeli is anything he is a tactician. if he has one nesday, in orderto evideucefor the clerence,which was
eminent political virtue, it is not, perhaps, consistency of granted. Mr. Toy hr p:ied for hail on behalf of Isaac
principle, ur scrupulous regard to means, but fidelity to his Jones, who wanted to ace la:s icife buried, and after some
party associates. He must know that in-robing or per- consultation the Bench granted it, requiring two sureties
witting the territorial aristocracy of England to engage of £5O each, and the prisoner iu £5O. The other prisoners
in a conflict with the representative Chamber and with were ordered to find bail in £r:o fur their reappearance.
the constituencies, he is leading them to the brink of a
precipice,. or suffering them to wander thither without
w
raising a arning voice. The House of Lords, in assent-
ing to the principle of life peerages, has proclaimed its
insufficiency as a second Chamber. Yet it finds in the
very moment of this confession the occasion for straining
these powers to the uttermost. Why does not Mr.
Disraeli interpose?

LAW AND POLICE.

THE BLAKELY QRDNANCE COMEANY.—III the Equity
Courts, on Monday, the MastLr of the Rolls gave judg-
ment in the case of the Blakely Ordnance Company
(Limited). The question was whether the Metropolitan
and Provincial Bank, holding as securities thirty-two
debentures of the Ordnance Company for £250 each, and
two acceptances of that company for £2,000 each, were
entitled to prove. for the amount of the securities or the
amount of their claim (DI,000) against the company,
which is now being wound up. His lordship held the bank
was entitled to prove for £4,000 only.
THE WILL OF THE DUKE OF PORTLAND.—On Monday
Vice-Chancellor James rave judgment in the case of
"Topham v. the Duke of Portland." The question at issue
was whether Lady 'Popham, the sister of the Duke of
Portland, was entith-d to a moiety of £50,000,
which her father, the late duke, left to he
divided between her ladyship and Lady Darriet
Cavendish Bentinek, his other daughter. The
late duke had placed the money in trust for his
daughters, subject to a power of appointment in his son,
the present duke, to whom he confided his wishes. The
present duke, in the conscientous fulfilment of those
wishes, had involved hin:self in the past and present liti-
gation by appointing the whole of the property to Lady
Harriet. The Vice-Chancellor remarked that nothing
had occurred to affect the previous decision of the House
of Lords, and that that decision was binding on every
court in the kingdom. Judgment must therefore be for
the plaintiff, Lady Topham, including the costs of the
suit, as she had the costs of the former litigation.
BAKERS' WEIGHTS.—Two cases respecting the sale of
bread were tried on Monday in the Court of Queen's
Bench. In the first case the question was whether "fancy
bread" must be sold by weight. The baker was convicted
for not doing so, and he appealed. The case was
argued before Justices Lush, Hayes, and Hannen, and
Mr. Justice Hannen dissented from the conviction.
The court affirmed the conviction: In the other case two
bakers appealed against convictions for selling bread
under weight, and these convictions were also affirmed.

The Post, in discussing the distinctive features of our
great races, says that Ascot in point of character as in time
now holds an intermediate position between the Derby
meeting and that at Goodwood. The repose of the Heath
is gone for ever. The railways, the spirit of the times,
and the freaks of fashion have done their work. People
who hardly know the difference between a handicap and a
welter race consider it the right thing to go to Ascot, and
it is nearly as hard to see or to move on the Lawn as on
the Downs. Even the off•days, which used to console
those who really enjoy racing, are apparently doomed to a
similar fate. In a racing point of - view, however, the
Ascot meeting- is interesting. The Derby and the Oaks
have pretty clearly indicated the best horses of the year.
But the running in these races is not unfrequently upset
by the bill at Ascot. Then there is the meeting of the
best Derby and Oaks performers to look forward to; and
the winner of the Grand Prix in France sometimes joins
in the contest. Besides, at Ascot, the best horses of the
year have to meet the celebrated runners of prey ions years
at weight for age, and the question of superiority becomes
intensely interesting. Then, again, the youthful aspirants
to fame in the ensuing year's Derby and Oaks very fre-
quently make their debut at this meeting. Ascot has
therefore not only in a general point of view, but in some
special points,.an importance peculiar to itself. On the
whole, this year the sport promises to be up to the
average 'of an Ascot meeting, and it is to 'be hoped that
there will be no greater drawbacks during it than the
•
inevitable crowds.

The Star dtclares that Mr. Gostlett's plan, as now
modified, legalises compounding, but corrects its abuses.
Its object is to introduce a regulated unifurin system
throughout the country, and there is a prospect of its
successfully accomplishing that purpose. It is, perhaps,
best for Parliament to pass lightly over some reminis-
cences, and to say with Mr.. Bright, that in 112,67 the action
of parties was greatly embarrassed, and somehow the cppa-
pound househOlder
.became the victim of parliamentary
troubles: But no good reason can be given for banning thecom-
pounding system. The motives which led to its prohibition
become more and more contemptible as time elapses, and
the conduct of. the Derby-Disraeli Ministry in the matter •
becomes more decisively condemned by experience. As to
the remedy proposed, it has already received the sanction
of thow! most interested, and it bids talr to) receive the
sancti,ai i•f Parliament. It is a general bill ; it is a bill
wiali secures local freedom ; it I,MerVeS all that was
good in cowpouodin ; it renderS impossible all that was j
bad in compOunding; and whip, leaving parishes at liberty '
to adopt or ;eject, the conveniences of the old small tene-
ments system; it absolutely guards against the possibility '
of any householder losing either the parliaMentary or the
municipal frauChize in consequence of rating arrangements.

AN . AWKWALD CASE.—A case of some importance
to persons intending to place money cut on mortgage
was heard in the Bail Court on Monday. The
plaintiff wished the defendant, a Solicitor, to find Lim a
security for £2OO, which be Wanted to put out on mort-
gage. There was a delay of a few days,' and on the
plaintiff's calling at the defendant's office, he saw his
clerk, who told him to leave the money with him, and
gave him a receipt. This clerk absconded with the money,
and the defendant contended he was not liable for the less
as he had not gi% en authority for the payment to his
clerk. The jury found a verdict for th,, plaintiff for L2OO.
CHM:GE AGAINST A' IN Tlle Court of Com-
mon Pleas on Monday gratify(' a rule calling upon at,
attorney to answer the somewhat singular charge of having
pretended to negotiate fur the purchase of land' for no
other purpose than that of ultimately obtaining a bribe to
forego his contract. The attorney is said to have been in
the habit of answering advertisements for the sale of land,
and afterwards raising all sorts of vexatious objections to
~ht, —cat-lc:1'1 title.

Haymaking has teen commenced in the 3outh-

8 r)IoNn Br.ACEti

At 11;c ntrdl (%iminkl

'rut*, ii.n charged
"ith ,',.euling a divumad bracelet, ,SOO, from Hunt
and Roskell's. They drove up in a brougham with
another man, and examined some costly jewellery. When
they were gone the bracelet was missing. Some amusement
was created by the shrewdness of the commissionaire
who attends to the carriages arriving at Hunt and IZos-
kell's, wbo gave evidence identify-lug the male prisoner.
Jlia attention was drawn to him by a slight failure in Vs
manners, which induced him to think he was not a gen-
The man was found guilty, and was provud to
ltjlacsi-Ilaneb.coi in pcoal servitude. Svntvnee was deferred.
The woman was acquitted.

11'.‘1

ti i

i tit c 4 t.it-

appe...riug• in the Times cu F reuett arc iruni
4.lyth pen of M. Prevost Paradol.
THE litisn Cnriten DILL—The intelligence as
to the decision of the Lords on the subject of the Irish
CLarch Bill has created comiderable excit,ment and sin--
in Birmingham. An influential requisition, signed
I y tit' .% 1)f 1,-10 inhaleitants, haq a!ready !wen pre-
sentyd to the Mayor, who has promptly cafled a town's
meeting, to be heid in the Town Hall, on Monday even-
in next, the 1-11 h instant.

A L. DY MissioNAHY.— A somewhat novel pro-
-1,04:t1 has come before the Primitive 'Alethodist Conference,
holding it;; sittins at Grimsby. The Missionary Com-
mittee reported that a lady had uffrred herself to go to
Africa as a missionary in any capacity in which a lady
could scr,e. We are not informed whether the offer was
secep!..ed, and are therefore left to infer that the lady's
claims to attention in the capacity suggested could not 1;.
tleeMed upon \\ thout full and ample. cousiderati,.n,

A telegram frcm Irchind. states that summomes
lave been is,ued ng:iinst the polico for tiring
on the p •ople. WBS wounded. The iiugh•wlers see
rocovering. Constable Cron toy, who had his skull frae-
tured,ls slowly improving. Dunn, who smtaincd a bayonet
wound in the thigh, out of danger. The case against the
Police was heard ou Monday at the sessions. •