The Sun.
London, England, 1868-10-15 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE-77iis Day.

MARLBOROUGH STREET.

THE RIOTOUS SCENE AT THE ALHAMBRA PALACE
Music HALL.---Edward Coke, Royal Military Aca-
demy, Woolwich ; Cecil N. Dickenson, 42, Wool-
wich Common ; R. A. Halifax, Royal Military
College, Sandhurst ; Alfred Hammerley, 35, Essex-
street, Strand ; George Rysley, St. George's Hotel,
Albemarle-street ; Ernest Rawlison, Sudbury-road,
Kensington, were charged before Mr. Tyrwhitt with
riotous conduct at the Alhambra Palace Music
Hall, Leicester-square.
Mr. Sayer, from the office of Mr. Edward Lewis,
of Great Marlborough-street, appeared for the pro-
secution, and, in opening the case, said the defen-
dants, or most of them, were cadets belonging to
the Royal Military Academy, at Woolwich, and
the, Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and the
cadets of those places were in the habit of going
every year to the athletic sports at Beaufort
House, and last year and again last night they
paid a visit to the Alhambra, and last evening,
as was the case last year, they were guilty of the
most riotous conduct. The practice was for the
young men to go to the Alhambra in a body, and by
preconcerted signals going together in parties of
threes and fours, and then making violent rushes
amongst the audience, calling out occasionally
" Woolwich, to the Rescue," or " Sandhurst, to
the Rescue," and upsetting everything and every-
body in the place, and causing a fearful riot. Last

night the defendants, and a number of others went
to the palace and were guilty of the most riotous
and disgraceful conduct, and did a deal of damage,
breaking some tables and a quantity of glass. Mr.
Strange had no feeling in the matter, but only re-
quired protection, so that the visitors to the place
should not be annoyed, and that a similar scene
should not again occur.
Mr. John Reeves, the superintendent of the Al-
hambra Palace, said that on the previous night the
defendants, with a party of about sixty others,
came to the Alhambra Palace, and after being
there some time the persons joined themselves
into parties of threes and fours, joining themselves
together, and under the ringleadership of the de-
fendants, rushed against one another and amongst
the audience, upsetting everybody, knocking down
tables and breaking them, and doing damage
to the amount of £3O. This went on for
some time, and on the officers of the estab-
lishment trying to check it there were cries
of " Woolwich to the rescue," " Sandhurst to
the Rescue," and finding that they were totally un-
able to quell the riot, he sent for the polies to assist
them in doing so, and the defendants, who he was
able to identify as the ringleaders, were handed
over to them.

Mr. Sayle asked Mr. Reeves whether he cons
dered the damage amounted to £3O.

Mr. Reeves said he was certain there was that
amount of damage done, two or three tables and a
quantity of glass being smashed.
Rawlison asked whether he gave any trouble, and
Reeves said he was one of the worst.
In answer to Mr. Sayer, Reeves said the counter
was completely wrecked.
Mr. John Baum. director of the Alhambra, said
that what Mr. Reeves stated was perfectly true,
and he could identify the defendant as the ring-
leader of the disturbance. He considered Dicken-
son, who appeared to be given to speechifying, the
worst of the lot.

Mr. J. Greene, musical director at the Alhambra,
said that Mr. Reeves's statement was perfectly cor-
rect. He believed there were about 76 persons
altogether with the prisoner assisting in the dis-
turbance. There was a very large audience last
night, and a great many persons left the plac3.
Sergeant Dennison, 18 C, was sent for to the
Alhambra, and found the place in great confusion,
and Coke was handed over to him and he took him
to the station, and the other defendants were taken
by other constables.
Mr. Sayer said that was his case.
Coke said he went there, and while looking for a
friend saw a scene of confusion, and was pushed
down some steps, and then seized by three men and
pushed down stairs.
Rigdey raid he was roughly treated.
Ilawlison denied being a ringleader, or having
anything to do with breaking the tables.
Hammerley said he had nothing to do with the
disturbance.

Rawlison called a witness named Gerald Fitz-
gerald, residing at 96, Ledbury-road, who said he
was a doctor, and that Rawlison was also a doctor,
and not a cadet, and that Rawlinson had nothing
to do with the disturbance or breaking the tables.
He got separated from Mr. Rawlison, and after-
wards saw that Mr. Rawlison had been taken to
the station.

In answer to ➢ir. Sayer, the witness said that
he was not one of the young gentlemen who were
turned out. He saw nothing swept off the counter,
only a table broken.
In answer to Mr. Tyrwhitt, the witness said
that neither he nor Mr. Rawlison had taken their

degrees.
Captain Hall, of the Royal Engineers, and one
of the instructors at the Royal Military College,
said that only one of the gentlemen was a cadet at
Sandhurst, and one a cadet at Woolwich. From
what he had heard at Sandhurst Mr. Halifax was
not as stated a ringleader in the affair. He under-
stood that the whole matter arose through a stupid
practice, and one which ought not to have taken
place, of two parties who had been to the sports
cheering each other. _ _ _

Mr. Tyrwhitt said that he thought before the
military young gentlemen arrived at the rank of
commissioned officers their conduct • must undergo
' a great change. They would have hereafter to sit
in court-martials ou soldiers and deal with them
in all sorts of ways, and that after such conduct as
they had now been guilty of he was bound to speak
out, and he must tell them that they must change
their manners before they would be fit to be-
come officers that was real officers. It was
a serious thing for 50 or GO active young
fellows to go to a place determined to upset and
destroy everything, causing a panic which might
have been attended with danger ; but the law
would not stand it. If the defendants had no sub-
ordination in them, they must be taught it. The
defendants, being gentlemen, ought to know better,
as they were different to other persons, having the
means of doing so. He should discharge Rawlison,
and order all the other defendants to find one bail
in £25 each, and enter into their own recognizances
in the sum of £5O, and he wished to state that it
was entirely owing to the lenient course taken by
Mr. Strange that the case was not sent to the
sessions.