The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-14 00:00:00

SERIOUS COLLIERY DISTURB.INCES.

On Friday great excitement prevailed in Bird-
well, Pilley, Hoyland Common, and other villages
in the vicinity of the IVharncliffe Silkstone Col-
lierv. and it was feared for ame time that a serious
listurbance would take place. On Wednesday, the
strike which had lasted so long was brought to a
close, and it was arranged that the turnouts should,
the greater portion of them, resume work on Fri-
day morning, and the remainder in a day or two.
It having been rumoured on Thursday night that
the black shety would interfere with the turn-
outs returning, the whole of the pits in the
neighbourhood ceased operations, and the turn-
outs in a body, accompanied by 800 or 900 other
collier s, presented themselves at the colliery
about half-past six yesterday morning, and de-
manded the expulsion of the black sheep. The black
sheep, of which there are from 130 to 130, had been
lowered into the pit, and were working at the
time. The proceedings of this large mob were of a
violent character, one person threatening to cut
the pit rope, while others demolished about a hun-
dred squares of glass in the windows of the cottages
connected with the colliery. Much alarm was ex-
cited, and messengers were sent to Mr. Walker,
the managing partner of the firm, and to Mr. Su-
perintendent Hockaday, of Barnsley, for a large
body of police. On the arrival of Mr. Walker, he,
after hearing the demands of the mob, made some
remarks which had the effect of allaying excitement,
and the party dispersed about half-past nine o'clock.
Shortly afterwards a large body of police, armed
with cutlasses and revolvers, arrived, under Mr.
Hockaday, and remained on the spot during the
day. The cause of the disturbance is said to be
through the interference of the Miners' Union, who
are dissatisfied at the terms made by the men, and
insist on the expulsion of the black sheep from the
colliery, and although the turn-outs were willing
to resume work on the terms agreed to on Wed
nesday, they were prevented. The neighbourhood
of the colliery through the day was visited by many
hundreds of persons. Thursday was a day of re-
joicing by the colliers in the vicinity, who went
from place to place, headed by the Wombwell Main
brass band, but what has not b. little reflected upon
the miners is the several assaults which have re-
cently been made upon the police and parties con-
nected with the pit. Even after the settlement of the
dispute a very aggravated assault was committed
upon one of the deputies of the colliery, named
Taylor. He was met on the road near to the
pit by the crowd which was following the band,
and so severely maltreated that medical aid had to
be called in. A night cr two previous, as police-
constable Hall was escorting some parties from the
Birdwell-station, he was pounced upon by about
20 ruffians, and beat and kicked in the most brutal
manner, from the effects of which he has since been
confined to his room and under medical attendance.
A few of the black sheep, while at the Gate Inn,
Pilley, were attacked by a large crowd of above
100 persons on the same day, who entered the
house and beat several of them very brutally. The
close of the dispute is said in some measure to have
been brought about by the Rev. Mr. Brewin, of
Wortley, who, having visited many of the turn-
outs, found a desire amongst them to have the dis-
pute brought to a termination. A conference was
brought about, and the two principal points in dis-
pute arranged ; the masters agreeing to forego the
charge for oil, and the men to pay full price for
coal, in addition to which it was arranged that the
men should have a weighman of their own, and that
they should go back to their old places in the pit,
so far as they were or became vacant. The de-
monstration yesterday morning seemed in a great
measure to have upset these arrangements, but the
active participators are said to be the miners from
the district, and not the parties immediately con-
cerned. Some explanations were entered into, and at
a meeting of the committee of the IVharncliffe Silk-
stone Miners, held on Friday
evening, it was
agreed they should adhere to the terms come to on
Wednesday, and resume work on Monday morn-
ing, and in the meantime they would write to the
other collieries in the district and desire the men
not to interfere.—Leeds illetreury,