The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-05 00:00:00

THE RIOT AT ASHTON.

At the Ashton Town-hall yesterday morning a
full bench of magistrates assembled for the exami-
nation of the militia-men apprehended en Friday
evening for being concerned in the riot. The Mayor
(Mr. H. Booth) presided. Adjutant Russell and
Lieut. Fleury were present. The names of the 14
prisoners produced were as follows :—Jas. M`Der-
mot, M, Riley, P. Caley, P. Garrerdy, P. Coyne,
J. Mallabond, J. Kane, J. Skelly, J. Murthis, J.
Bayley, P. Walsh, E. Conelly, P. Smith, and J.
Cuff. The number of militiamen apprehended was
16, but they were delivered up by the police to the
custody of the officer in command of the regiment
on the understanding that they should be brought
before the magistrates yesterday. Only 14, how-
ever, were produced, and it was stated that two had
given wrong names on their apprehension.
Mr. N. Buckley, the chief constable, stated that
about seven o'clock on Friday evening a civilian,
named Murphy, went to the Shepherd's Inn, Old-
street, and quarrelled with the persons drinking,
there. On leaving, he said there would be a dis-
turbance, and he returned shortly with six or seven
militiamen, carrying their belts in their hands, and
one of the said, " Where is the man who dare
strike me ?" Another cried out, "Go on
Milli-
gan," and they then attacked the civilians with
their belts. They were driven out, and when out-,
side they broke the windows. Their numbers in-
creased, and they divided iwo parties, by one of
which the shop of Mr. Stanley wai entered and the
windows broken. They marched through the
streets, brandishing their belts and shouting. The
fire-boll was rung, special constables summoned,
and 20 militiamen apprehended, but four were
afterwards discharged, having been taken to the
Town-hall merely to protect them from the crowd.

The first witnesses examined were John Harling,
a tripe-dresser, who was at the Shepherd's Inn at
the time of the riot ; Eliza Cunningham, the land-
lady ; and Dunn, the policeman sent for to the
public-house. These gave evidence corroborative
of the chief constable's statement, and proved that
the gas-piping of the house was torn up and the
glasses smashed.
Dr. Lees stated that he was passing along OA-
street shortly atter 7 o'clock on Friday evening. On
going up the Avenue he saw shopkeepers putting
up their shutters, and some of the windows broken.
On going towards Cunningham's public-house he
saw three or four militiamen running from that
direction, and carrying their belts in their bands.
Three of them rushed at witness, saying, " Thats
him," They struck him several times over the
head and face with their belts. His hat was
knocked off and broken in. At that moment a
person in the crowd called out, " That is Dr.
Lees," and witness said, "I am not a policeman,
why do you attack me ?" After that he received
no further molestation. His upper lip was bruised
by a blow from a belt. He could not identiiy
any of the prisoners.
Sarah Ann Stanley said she alsistad in her
father's shop at the corner of the Market Avenue.
On Friday evening she saw the militiamen break-
ing windows at Cunningham's house with their
belts, while another body of them were running up
and down the streets. In a few minutes afterwards
one of them entered her shop and struck her on the
breast, knocking her down. There were several
men outside, but only one entered. A messenger
was sent for her father, and on his arrival lie pushel
the militiaman of out of the shop. As soon as the
man got outside he broke the glass with his belt.
The next witnesses were Inspector Chadwick, J.
Rogers, a man who saw the prisoner Malla!-)ond
striking a persen with a bayonet, and took it from
him after a severe struggle ; J. Kinder, a spinner,
who was looking on when a militiamen struck him
across the face, entirely smashing his nose and
rendering him senseless. Ho was found in a field
near Kenworthy's pit, where he had been carried
and thrown down. He did not recover conscious-
ness till next morning.
The prisoners were all identified as havrng taken
part in riots, except Bayley, Kane, and Conolly,
who were discharged. They all denied their guilt,
asserting that they had only used their belts in self-
defence; and some of them attempted to show that
they were intoxicated, but the evidence on this
point was not conclusive. The 11 prisoners against
whom the charge was proved were committed for
trial at the Salford Sessions.

TIIB SERIOUS DISTURBANCE AMONG
THE PAUPERS AT PRESTON.

In consequence of the threatenina attitude of the
pauper labJurers, as reported in The Sil lb of yes-
terday, the magistrates on Sunday evening issued
the following proclamation :
" PROCLAMATION.
" BOROUGH OF PRESTON TO WIT.

" Whereas information has beengiven to her Majesty's
justices of the peaco acting in and for the said borough,
that large numbers of persons have tumultuously assem-
bled together in the immediate neighbourhood of the
offices of the board of guardians, and used threats tend-
ing to a breach of the peace ;
" The mayor and magistrates of the borough hereby
warn all persons that such conduct is illegal, and that a
repetition of it will subject the offenders to severe punish-
ment.

"The mayor and magistrates further give notice that
due means have been taken for the preservation of the
future peace of the town.
"By order,
"THOS. DODD, Clerk to the Magistrates.
"Preston, Jan. 3."

The issuing-of this manifesto caused considerable
sensation in the town. Yesterday (Monday) morn-
ing the moity of the men paid by Kenyon, reliev-
ing officer, went to work on the moor, but ceased at
no n, refusing to be employed the whole of the day.
The other half of the paupers (who have been put on
in the afternoon hitherto) refused likewise to com-
ply with the order, and, instead of going to their
work in the morning, did not attend till noun.
There were large quantities of stones on Saturday
night in the yardof the relieving offices, Sand-
street, where
would ue,,the.se '
the
men are paid,
hended at the •
i ehterd a
time that the disaffected labourers
and it was appre-
prevent their being
violence.
hles, and tJul
missiles in the outbreak of their
y the atones were c trted away to
swore in 50 special used.coos The
magistrates
rAcks, Fulwood, near Prestos,, with the commandant of bas' and
at the bar-
m o i
e a, also
ed
11;111.1)4st 1 oVoek
in the of ernc on the guardians rat
°art the Boardroom
• DSeatterth-
to consult as to the best method
mutinous spirit of the mon and entorreeressing
M.whurst,
the
ilvilg thl regu-
lations. There were present Me9sr...
waite (the chairman),Dixon, Longwortis,
Ward, Jones, C. Satterthwaite, Dobson
Mr. R. A s croft (the Town-Clerk), and Air. Gaiyatord
the Superintendent of Police. Mr. A,-croft faLt,'
.-ested that the paupers should be kept ac separate
as possible when they were paid ; and with that ob-
ject that they should be paid in different places and
at different times. Mr. Dixon suggested that the
practice of dispensing the relief half in meal should
be discontinued, and the men paid entirely in money
Ile knew the men were in the habit of selling the
meal below its value—one man sold 41b. for 3d. It
was agreed to pay the men entirely in money after
the following rate :-Is. for a full day, and 6d. only
for half a day. It was further arranged that Roscoe,
relieving officer, should pay his men at the work-