The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-30 00:00:00

BANKRUPTS.

Peter Williamson the younger, grocer, Salford, to sur-
render June 13 and July 11, at twelve, at the Manchester
District Court.
James Alfred Axtell, William Rudd Knights, and Wil-
liam Axt9ll, tanners, Bermondsey, Surrey, June 8, at hulf.

John Williams, draper, Cardiff, June 12 and July 10, at
eleven, at the Bristol District Court.
John Hyndman; licensed victualler, Newport, June 12
and July 10, at eleven, at the Bristol District Court.
William Tyson, flour dealer, Liverpool, June 11 and
July 6, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court.
John Wellington Welch, warp sizer, Manchester, Juno
21 and July 12, at twelve, at the Manchester District Court.
Richard Barnes, publican, :Norwich, June 9, at eleven,
and July 6, at half-past one, at the Court of Bankruptcy.
SCOTCH BANKRUPTS.

James Petrie, farmer, Auehinblae.
James Norwell and Son, auctioneers, Glasgow.

SERIOUS MILITARY RIOTS AT HAMILTON.

The burgh of Hamilton has for the last few days
been thrown into a state of considerable excite-
ment by an extraordinary display of insubordina-
tion on the part of the West York Militia, at
present stationed in the town, by, their refusal to
permit a number of their comrades to be appre-
hended by the police. ,The particulars are as follow :

About, five o'clock on Thursday afternoon -last a
rape was perpetrated by five privates of the West
York Militia upon the wife of a workman residing
at the Camp, a village near Motherwell, in the
parish of Dalzell. The outrage occurred on the
banks of the Clyde, in the same parish, and it is
said the woman was under the influence of liquor
at the time. Peter Stewart, a constable at Mother-
well, having on Friday got intimation of the deed,
immediately communicated the intelligence to the
county police at Hamilton, and instructed by Mr.
Mackay, the chief constable of Lanark-
shire, he proceeded to the camp to see the
woman who had been abused, and endeavour
to obtain a clue to the perpetrators, but she
was not to be found. He, however, found
a man, named Johnstone, who had witnessed the
occurrence, and accompanied by this person and
another policeman, who, as well as Stewart, was in
plain clothes, they proceeded to Hamilton to try to
identify and apprehend the guilty party. They
found three militiamen in the street, one of whom,
named Joseph Wilstonholm, Johnstone identified
as having been concerned in the rape, and without
acquainting them that they were policemen, the
latter asked them to enter a public-house to have
refreshment. Without suspecting the motives of
their entertainers, the three soldiers entered the
public•house, and while seated there, one of the
burgh constables was secretly sent for, and Wil-
stonholm apprehended and lodged in prison. In
the meantime Johnstone had discovered near the
barracks another of the soldiers the party were in
search of, and informed the constables. „They went
and apprehended him in a• house opposite the bar-
rack-gate, and lodged him in custody. By this
time the two soldiers, who had been drinking with
the constable when Wilstonholm was apprehended,
had informed their comrades in the barracks of
what had taken place. A short time afterwards, a
sentry, accompanied by a number of the militia,
came from the barracks and broke open the door
where the second prisoner was confined, and con-
veyed him inside the barracks, the gate of which
they locked, shutting out the police. Constable
Stewart informed Inspector Gibb of what had been
done, who immediately proceeded to the captain of the
militia,, in the neighbourhood of Hamilton, and in-
formed him of the occurrence. He and the sergeant-
major of the regiment at once wen t to the barracks,an sl
called out the men for inspection—the police, who
were four in number, having at the same time got
inside the barracks, as well as the man Johnstone.
The latter, when the soldiers were drawn out,
singled out one of them whom he identified as hav-
ing been implicated in the offence, and the captain
was about to give him up to the police, when the
soldiers, as if animated by a general impulse, broke
into disorder, uttered wild shouts, and rushed
furiously upon the police and military officers,
knocking them down indiscriminately. The first
who approached shouted that -Johnstone had struck
his wife, and called to the sentry to seize him and
lock him up in the guard-room. Johnstone was
then caught by a numberof the soldiers and dragged
away. There would be about 200 of the militia
engaged in the melee, surrounding their com-
manders and the police, and actively throwing
stones and otherwise assailing them. The burgh
officer was severely cut on the back of the neck,
Inspector Gibb about the face and legs, and severely
bruised about the back and sides. The captain was
also pretty much maltreated. Stewart, the constable,
though he received a good many blows from stones,
escaped without serious injury. He and Wylie, the
burgh constable, ran for shelter to the portion of the
barracks where some Light Dragoons are stationed,
and succeded in escaping the fury of their assailants,
About 20 or 25 minutes elapsed before the infuriated
soldiery allowed their victims to leave the barracks.
In the midst of the uproar the sergeant-major, who
fortunately escaped without any injury, hastened
to the quarters- of the Light Dragoons, and he-
se echcd them to come out and assist in quelling the
riot. They, however, answered that they were too
few to render their services of use. When order
was restored it was about six o'clock, and a picket
was sent to collect the men outside, and all the sol-
diers were then confined to barracks. About nine
o'clock next morning (Sunday) Chief-constable
Mackay, accompanied by seven of his men, went to
the barracks to demand from the officers the men
accused of the crime. The soldiers were drawn up
in parade, and the sergeant-major caused the man
who had bees rescued the evening before, and who
was in the front rank, to be given up to the police.
Four constables took hold of him, as he resisted
with all his might to be taken in custody, and he
was conveyed to the dragoons' guard-room. There-
upon the soldiers again rushed from their ranks,
knocked down their officers who were standing in
front, and broke into the guard-room where their
comrade was placed, with a view to rescue him.
Their behaviour on this occasion was even more
ferocious than on the former, and they abused the
police-officers in a brutal manner. Sergeant Car-
michael was severely cut on the head, supposed to
have been by blows from the butt-end of a rifle.
Sergeant M'Leod was fearfully maltreated ; he was
bleeding profusely, and presented one mass of
wounds, two of his teeth were knocked out, and
the whole of them were made loose. The soldiers
appear to have possessed themselves of the rifles
of the dragoon. s when they entered the guard-
room. On this occasion about 300 men seemed
to be taking part more or less, in the riot, throwing
stones being the means they adopted to effect their
purpose. Sergeants M'Leod and Carmichael were
removed, an d had their wounds dressed ; and Stewart
and several of the other constables had to be as-
sisted from the barracks.

The chief constable lost no time in telegraphing
the intelligence to the Commander-in-Chief in Edin-
burgh, and to Sheriff Sir Archibald Alison. The
Sheriff arrived in the course of the same day, and
the Hamilton Volunteer Rifles, numbering between
two and three hundred, were called out, fully
equipped and armed, in the afternoon, and remained
on duty all night, the one company relieving the
other at intervals. Sheriff Alison, the chief con-
stable, and the Procurator-Fiscal Dykes were busy
during the day making inquiry into the affair.
About seven o'clock yesterday morning a picket
arrived at the police buildings from the barracks,
with two of the men who had been identified as
concerned in the crime. Their names are William
Reid and John Holdsworth ; a fourth, named John
Howley, having been brought to the prison on
Sunday morning. The Commander-in-Chief ar-
rived at Hamilton in the course of yesterday fore.
noon, and commenced an investigation into the
affair, the result of which will likely not be known
for some time. The four prisoners were, in the
day, conveyed by the train to Glasgow, in charge of
the police. The volunteers marched to the railway
station, and were there dismissullegdbheb,
eynnSfooirrcdAeoarucbihnti,bcotahnld
Alison. No arrests have yet been made in connec-
tion
minallt.he results that
strictesttdf
oiuoi
ot
con-
ducting the
‘h
7ei
otl
tra.itary csetihpai
investigation,
, aeatt.
ihwi
nyod
rlla

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The Secretary read the notice convening the
meeting, from which it appeared that the object was
for considering and deciding on the creation and
disposal of a debenture stock to be applied in
liquidation of the company's existing debentnres,,
and the creation and disposal of the additional
share capital (..-C150,000) authorit;ed under the Act
of 1859; also for making arrangements with the,
Briton Ferry-Floating Dock Cowpony respecting,
the completion of their works, and for that purpose
guaranteeing a dividend or interest upon part of the
share capital of the Briten Ferry Dock Company.
Mr. HARTRIDGE wished to know whether the
directors had sent any notices of the meeting to the
shareholders, there being only nine proprietors pre-
sent, the directors excepted: •
The CHAIRMAN was sorry to say that had not
been done ; the secretary had acted in accordance
with the Act of Parliament, and advertised the
meeting in the usual papers, If the board 'had
thought it requisite they would have sent a notice
of the meeting to every shareholder.
Mr. J. M. PARSONS understood it was a meeting
of private shareholders, and had only heard of 'it a
short time ago. He considered their railway one
of the worst managed concerns. in England. The
matters in the notice read by the secretary were of
great importance to the shareholders.
The CHAIRMAN said they had complied with the
requirements of the Act of Parliament.
Mr. HARTRIDGE thought the matters proposed
to be submitted ought to be considered by the share-
holders in a proper manner, which could not be done
by so small a meeting. He therefore would move
that the meeting do now adjourn,
Mr. THOMAS, a director, would not object to•the
adjournment of the meeting, but thought the board
was not to blame in the matter; they believed that
the object of the meeting was perfectly understood
by the shareholders.

Mr. PARSONS thought there was too much negli-
gence and indifference indicated. It was of indif-
ference to the shareholders that he complained.
The CHAIRMAN said the reason they held the
meeting in London was in consequence of a pledge
given to the shareholders about 18 months ago,
that whenever the question of the Briton Ferry
guarantee was submitted the meeting should be
held in London. Were it not for the appoint-
ment of a committee of investigation, this meeting
would have been held six or eight months ago. He
had no objection to adjourn the meeting, if that
was the wish of the proprietors.
Mr. HEAD thought the shareholders ought to
have some idea of what was proposed to be done,
and that the chairman might give them a short
explanation as to the views of the Board.
The CHAIRMAN said that before the next meeting
was held they would send a short report to every
shareholder, explaining what they proposed to do,
and giving a general statement as to the objects of
the meeting.
Mr. HOYES wished to know what amount they.
proposed to guarantee for the Briton Ferry Com-
pany.

The CHAIRMAN said £40,000 was the amount
they proposed to guarantee for the completion of
the docks; and he 'wished to state that by issuing
the other stock they would not add anything ma-
terial to their present interest charges.
A long eonversation then ensued, in the course
of which it was stated that water could be let into
the docks within three months from the time of
raising the £40,000. 'The docks, in fact, formed
part of the original scheme. The traffic of the
railway had increased rapidly up to 1857, but, in
consequence of the Briton Ferry Docks not being
opened, the further development of the traffic was
retarded. The closing of the old docks at Swansea
had also limited their shipping places. They had
no doubt that the completion and opening of the
Briton Docks would enable them to double, their
traffic. The rent and dues to the dock company
would amply cover the proposed guarantee of
£2,000 a-year on the £40,000 to be raised. There
would be an advantage of about 10d. a ton in favour
of shipping at Briton Ferry instead of at Swansea.
Vessels of 800 tons burden could enter those docks
when completed. The sum of £lOO,OOO lad bun]
expended on the Briton Docks, and the £40,000
was required to complete them. The Vale of Neath
Company would have 1,000 feet frontage in the
docks, which it was expected would greatly
facilitate their traffic both in coal and iron ore.
It was then decided that a fresh meting must
be convened, of which clue notice would be given,
and the meeting adjourned sine die.