The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-04 00:00:00

MILITIA RIOT AT BURNLEY.

Between eight and nine o'clock on New Year's-
eve a number of men belonging to the Dublin
Militia, now lying in the Burnley barracks, com-
menced a disturbance in the town. We understand
that it had been bounty day, and they had spent a
good deal of time in beer-houses. Most of them
were in a state of intoxication, and when they turned
into the streets they became violent, attacking in-
discriminately all who came within their reach. The
picket, with the assistance of the police, got a num-
ber of them to the barracks. Shortly after, the
picket returned, and, dividing, visited several parts
of the town. The more serious part of the disturb.
ante then began. The conduct of the several divi-
sions of the picket was of a much more violent
charac: er than that of the men who had been taken
to the barracks. One of the windows in front of the
Thorn Inn was completely smashed ; several panes
in the windows of the market and smoking rooms
of the Bull Inn were broken. These wiudo A s front
Market-street, and exhibited lights, and in many
parts of the front streets where this was the case the
windows were broken. One gentleman, who was
sitting in the smoking room of the Bull Inn, very
narrowly escaped a thrust from the bayonet with
which the window pane was broken. In Yorkshire-
street, a young man, named Nutter Barritt, who
was returning home with his father, about half-past
ten o'clock, was stabbed in the shoulder and hip.
Another young man, a collier, in the employ of the
Cliviger Coal Company, was wounded in several
places in the head, and between the thigh and body.
During the disturbance in Yorkshire-street, Mr.
John Berry, butcher, whose shop faces the entrance
of the street, had his front window completely
smashed. One of the inhabitants had taken refuge
in his shop, and was followed by the militia, who
drove their bayonets into the door, and then broke
the window. A man, whose name we could not
learn, further than that he goes by the alias of
" Toathree,” was stabbed at the top of New Mar-
ket-street. A considerable quantity of blood on the
pavement marks the place. We have heard of se-
veral others having been wounded; we do not learn,
however, that any of the wounds are dangerous.
T elpicket returned to the barracks about 11 o'clock,
but we understand that a considerable force turned
out armed, about one o'clock in the morning, to
fetch in stragglers. The town was much excited
yesterday morning.
The magistrates met at the Court-house, at 11
o'clock on Friday forenoon, to deliberate upon the
means to be adopted to prevent a recurrence of the
disgraceful scenes of Thursday night. Captain
Mac lonald, the officer• in command of the militia,
was present. The reporter was not admitted, but
we learn from good authority that the officer ac-
knowledged that the men were most unruly and
nearly unmanageable. Had it not been for the
assistance of Mr. Carsewell, the superintendent of
police (whose conduct under the circumstances the
captain highly extolled), and the force under him, it
is highly probable that much more serious conse-
quences would have ensued. After the disgraceful
conduct of the militia in the town, from one to
two hundred of the inhabitants, armed with blud-
geons and other we pons, proceeded up Westgate,
in the direction of the barracks, apparently bent on
attacking the militia. They were met by Mr. G.
Hansfield, magistrate, Mr. Carsewell, and others,
and dissuaded from their purpose. .The bayonetting
andsmashing of windows was much more extensive
than was at first supposed. Fifteen or sixteen
persons appeared at the court-house while
the magistrates were sitting, who had •
been more or less injured by the bayonet.
One man was stabbed in the head and hand in
Westgate ; after making his escape they pursued
him, and when not able to come up with him they
threw their bayonets after him, one of which be
secured. The conduct of the militia is described
es perfectly wild ; they howled, struck their
bayonets in the causeway, and one of them
sharpened his bayonet on a door step, calling to
his comrades to do the same, and give it to the
English. A number of the militia have been in-
jured, and it is stated, will be handed over to a
court-martial as soon as they are recovered. The
men are to be confined to barracks.—Manchester
Guardian.