The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-07-08 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

ANOTHER COLLISION BETWEEN THE MILI-

TARY AND POLICE ON MONDAY NIGHT.

In our last publication it was stated that a feeling
of bitter animosity had existed between the soldiers
of the 91st Regiment of infantry and the police force ever
since the arrival of the former, and that this feeling had
on two recent occasions broken out into actual hostilities,
the soldiers apparently being the aggressors. The fact of
three or four soldiers being captured by the police, and
lying in prison to await a judicial examination, seems on
Monday to have heightened the bad feeling on the part of
the soldiery, a body of whom succeeded in making their
escape from barracks that night, with the purpose of
making reprisals on the civic force for the imaginary in-
sult received by them, as above referred to. Some of
the soldiers were heard to say that the quarrel should not
be settled until a policeman's blood had been shed.
Intent on their lawless object, a number of the military
met on Monday night, at 9 o'clock, at Hague'spublic-house,
in Dale-street. Soon after this they sallied out into the
street, and were joined by a number of their comrades.
Their first exploit was to attack with their cross-belts
police-officer Duggan (419), who was on duty in Dale-
street ; they left him more dead than alive, and then
rushed up Shaw's-brow, making furious onslaught on
every unfortunate policeman who fell in their way. By
this time the police had assembled in considerable force
in the locality referred to, and succeeded in capturing a
soldier, whom they observed make an unprovoked attack
upon one of their body.
The Rev. Mr. Conor, who was present, interfered, as
chaplain to the regiment, to prevent the soldiers rescuing
their comrade. Indeed, the highest praise is due to the
rev. gentleman for his exertions to convince the soldiers
of the folly of their conduct. This laudable attempt was
however only.partially successful; and the military con-
tinued their violent attack on the person of every police-
officer they fell in with. Superintendent Towerson, with
a strong muster of police, now made his appearance, and
succeeded in capturing no less than 25 of the soldiers, who
were lodged in bridewell almost immediately. In some
instances, the soldiers had side-arms, which they attempted
to use, but were prevented by the police.
It was found that other soldiers were scaling the walls
of the barracks, and recruiting the exhausted numbers of
the belligerents. To put a stop to this, the officers in
command ordered out two strong pickets of about thirty
men, who perambulated the town to assist in restoring
order. This measure was not, however, fully successful,
for a large number of the rioters surrounded the prison-
van, and attempted to rescue their comrades.
Three of the soldiers have been severely wounded, one
of them, named Benson, has sustained some serious
wounds in the head. The wounded men were conveyed
to the hospital in cabs, and their wounds received prompt
attention. Mr. Commissioner Dowling was quickly at
the Rose-hill station, and gave the necessary orders.
The conduct of the mob was most disgraceful. On the
appearance of the pickets they were cheered, under the
mistaken impression that they had turned out to attack
the police, and Dale-street was quite impassable from ten
to eleven o'clock ; but quiet was perfectly restored in
that part of the town about midnight.
The neighbourhood of Islington, and the streets lead-
ing to Everton, where the barracks of the soldiers are
situated, were kept in a state of great uproar until after
midnight, especially as each body of soldiers was escorted
un each half hour by dense masses of disorderly men.

_ ~oy and congratulation for the soldiery. One
ragged urchin had got possession of an officer's cap, which
he waved in the air with enthusiastic delight.

shouts of

EXAMINATION OF THE PRISOI4

;RS AT THE POLICE-

COURT

,he two

ddiers remanded on Mon.

,sting the;

11 as the larg,

body capturedon Mond

Fence, would

be brought before the magistrates for examination on Tues-
day, the court was unusually crowded at an early hour.
The excitement consequent on the lawless acts of the sol-
diery in Dale-street on Monday night had evidently been
very great. Amone those present was the Rev. Mr. Conor,
the .military chaplain. In the course of the morning a
number of soldiers in full uniform entered the court.
Their presence was required as witnesses. Some sensa-
tion ensued on the entrance of this body, which was in-
creased by the men refusing to take off their caps on being
requested to do so more than once ' indeed, it was not
until desired to do so by Mr. Crosthwaite, the magistrate,
that they complied with the requisition of every court of
justice. It seems that there is same regulation by which
a soldier on duty is required to keep his cap on under
anreircumstances whatever.

Before the prisoners were brought up, six officers be-
longing to the 91st Regiment-entered the court, and were
accommodated with seats on the bench and in the jury-
box ; those in the latter place -were joined in the course
of the morning by Mr. Alderman Parker, who entered
into conversation with them. His Worship the Mayor
presided .; the other magistrates present were Messrs.
Crosthwaite and Cropper.
Carey was the first man put Alp. The name of John
Truster, the man in the military hospital, was called on,
and not appearing, an explanation was asked as to the
reason of his being given up without bail, when it ap-
peared that the captain of the company and Mr. Abraham
had arranged his liberation. There was no certificate
forthcoming, and Mr. Crosthwaite expressed in strong
terms his -view of the discourtesy shown in the case.
MPadden'a case was then gone into. The prisoner
was engaged in the row on Sunday night. The particulars
of the assault by the prisoner upon the policeman 730
were detailed; the rescue of the soldier in Fontenoy-
street-; and the drawing of the bayonet by the serjeant in
command of the picket. Witness and P. 184 went to the
barraelcs, and saw one of the officers, in consequence of
which the prisoner was given up on Monday morn-
ing.

Mr. Lloyd, draper, Byrom-street, repeated his evidence
of the preceding day, to the effect, that the prisoner struck
constable 730, in Shaw's-brow, first ; he also proved the
word "revenge," made use of by the soldier.
MTadden again denied striking the first blow.
Lees, 1+34, then gave his evidence, which was to the
same purport as on the preceding day.
About this stage in the examination, Messrs. Turner,
Benn, Harvey, and Cropper seated themselves on the
bench.

George Armitage, eating-house keeper, No. 158, Dale-
street, deposed to having seen the constable, 730.
struggling with the prisoner, opposite his (witness's)
shop; the prisoner was on his back, kicking the officer
whenever he could. A picket of ten or a dozen then
rushed down Dale-street. One of them kicked officer
184, and they succeeded in rescuing the prisoner. Saw
a bayonet glitter several times, but was unable to see in
whose hands it was.

M'Fadden repeated what he said on the day previous,
by which it would appear that the policeman struck him
first.

Robert Weston, upholsterer, 36, Salisbury-street, ap-
peared as a witness for the prisoner. About a quarter
before nine he met the prisoner coming down Shaw's-
brow; he saw P. 730 walk after the soldier and seize him
by the collar, shaking him in a very rough manner. The
soldier tried to disengage himself, and asked the policeman
what he wanted with him. In the scuffle the policeman's
hat fell off ; uron which he used his stick in a very violent
manner about the head and shoulders of the soldier. Did
riot see the soldier strike the policeman after the latter
used his stick, though he might have done so. Did not
see the soldier strike at all. Must have heard it if any
obscene language had been made use of by the soldier.
The soldier begged of the constable to be allowed to go
home to the barracks. The constable refused, and in
about a minute the second constable came up. Witness
then left.—ln cross-examination by Mr. Wybergh, the
witness said he did see a child with the officer before the
row commenced ; he was then on the right-hand side of
Shaw's-brow. The soldier was coming down the left-hand
side. He had a child in his charge, which lie left with a
woman when he followed the soldier. The policeman
crossed the street to the soldier. This witness did not
see the witness Lloyd.

Major Gordon said the prisoner called on him merely
to testify to the intense anxiety of a number of respecta-
ble persons who came up to the barracks with a view of
showing that the soldier was blameless. Among these
parties were a Mr. Wyatt and a Mr. Jackson.

The case was remanded until Wednesday, for further
evidence.

Martin Carey's case was next taken. Trusler, whose
case was mixed up with Carey's, did not appear.
The magistrate expressed his sense of the want
of courtesy evinced by Major Gordon, in not giving any
explanation, and the case was again adjourned.
The rioters of Monday night were then placed in the
dock, which they entirely filled. Their names were—
Peter Benson, Joseph Burns, Timothy Connolly, William
Campbell, Joseph Carter, Stephen Andrews, Anthony
M'Cadden, John Keeley, Michael Cronen, John Higgins,
George Watson, Donald M`Donald, Joseph Daid, James
Vick, Thomas Powers, Kenneth Young, John Wreath,
Richard Coward, William Barnes, John Micken, William
Shorter. A few others were taken on Tuesday morn-
ing. . .

Numerous witnesses, and a vary large number of the
police, were called on to give evidence.
Rufus Pugh, attorney's clerk, was in Dale-street at 20
minutes to 9 o'clock on the previous night. When he
got at the bottom of North-street, he saw some
soldiers behaving in a very riotous manner. They were
brandishing sticks and their belts; one had a whip.
Heard them say " Down with the blues." There were
about twenty soldiers there. In North-street saw a wo-
man band a stick to a soldier. Witness walked on to
Fontenoy-street, and there ;le saw the soldiers turn into
Fontenoy-street from Great Crosshall-street. Could
not say if they were the same as he first
saw. There were sixteen ; can identify only one--Thos.
Macgill. Saw him brandish his stick. The soldiers
turned into Dale street, and when near the Earl Grey
public-house he saw them assault Duggan, of the fire
brigade. The whole sixteen soldiers fell upon Duggan,
and attacked him with their belts. He afterwards
saw the prostrate policeman bleeding from the face.
At that time there was no other officer but Duggan
present ; be did nothing to provoke the assault. A cry
of picket then was heard, when the soldiers ran up Fon-
tenoy-street, and it was then witness saw Duggan bleed-
ing. Witness shortly afterwards saw a body of the same
soldiers run down Hunter-street. A body of police
then appeared, and advanced, holding their sticks down,
and extending their left hands as a signal. M'Cadden,
one of the soldiers present, struck him with a stick ; and
John Higgins, another of the prisoners, came behind him
and struck him with a stone, or a weight, tied up in a
handkerchief. .

owgp Eagan, 289, 0160 in Richmond row at as time,

named by the preceding witness, identified M'Cadden as
the soldier who struck 557 with his belt twice.

Saul Law, 607, identified prisoner Thos. Goodwin as
having struck at Sergeant Halliday several times with his
belt. Witness took private M'Hugh to the station-house ;
he was in the act of taking his belt off.
Inspector Heaton called.—Was on duty at half-past
eight o'clock on Monday night, in Byrom-street, at the end
of Great Crosshall-street, when he saw a great number of
persons assembled in Fantenoy-street. Upon inquiry he
learnt that an officer had been assaulted, and in the back
part of a shop he found Duggan bleeding. Attu wards
saw Michael Woods, one of the prisoners, with his belt
in his hand, grasped so as to be able to strike with the
brass plate in front. Carrol (103) rushed upon him, and
desired him to give him his side belt. The man refused.
The breastplate dropped off, and the Rev. Mr. Conor,
who was present, picked it up. On seeing Mr. Conor
the soldiers turned back, the police followed and a fight
took place.
Police-serjeant Halliday was on duty in Byrom-street
at about five minutes to nine. Met five or six soldiers ;
one of them was brandishing a stick. On attempting to
capture them, prisoner Campbell took off his belt, and
was about to strike witness with it ; another soldier came
up, and attempted an assault.
Anderson, 56, identified two men, named Moran and
Sullivan, as taking part in the row.

Nel3on. Lees, 184, was on duty in Richmond-row on
Monday night. Saw Thomas Powers, one of the prisoners ;
he urged several of his comrades to rescue the prisoners, and
upon being interrupted by witness he drew his bayonet
half out. Witness struck it back, and took him into cus-
tody, with the assistance of two other officers.
Police-serjeant Macdonald was in Richmond-row, near
Fox-street ; seven or eight soldiers came running towards
him and some other constables. Advised them to go
quietly to the barracks. Two or three were willing to
go, but Timothy Connolly, one of the prisoners, took up
a large stone which he was about to throw at witness,
when witness took it from him.

John Williams was on duty about nine o'clock in Rich-
mond-row. Saw some soldiers fighting with the police.
Donald M'Donald was one. He struck witness, and
knocked him down with a belt.
Patrick Crane and others gave testimony of a like ten-
dency, after which,
Mr. Dowling having stated that Major Gordon, of the
91st regiment. was in court, and had several witnesses to
call for the defence, that gallant gentleman rose and said
there were several respectable inhabitants who had volun-
teered their evidence, and were in court on Monday, but
he did' not know whether they were present then. He
added, that the men were not to consider that he was
there as their advocate, as he considered they had dis-
graced themselves, the regiment they belonged to, and her
Majesty's uniform, which they wore. On the other hand,
he was obliged to say, that the soldiers had for a long
time received great provocation and insult from the po-

The young civilians, who had been taken into custody
for throwing stones during the riot, were then brought
forward, admonished by the magistrate, and dis-

charged

On Wednesday, Mr. Snowball, solicitor, applied for at
adjournment, on the ground that ho had twenty
nesses to produce on behalf of the

prisoners

but was not

then quite ready. This applicatin was complied with,
and the further examination was adjourned to Friday.

The inquiries were resumed on Friday before J
Crosthwaite, Esq., who occupied the bench, and beside

him was seated the new stipendiary, J. S. Mansfield,
Esq. There was a full bench besides, amongst whom wt
noticed J. II. Turner, D. Hodgson, G. H. Lawrence, R
Gladstone
_

a, 11. Earle, and J. Stewart, Esqrs. The court
room was crowded with civilians and soldiers, all anxious

listeners,

The two soldiers, Trussler and Carey, charged wit}
misconduct on

ay nigt

[it, were placed in the doc

Snowball, who appeared for the defence, shortly addressed
the magistrates, stating that what the soldiers had done
was only in self-defence, and the evidence he should pro-
duce would give quite a different character to the affair.
He then called Lieutenant Howard and Ensign Sweeny,
two officers of the 91st, who were passing down Islington

at the time the events in which Trussler and Carey Were
implicated took place. Lieutenant Howard stated that,
on 'passing down Islington, he saw three soldiers coming
up the street, behind whom were a great many people
hooting and exciting them. Smith, one of the soldiers,
he took the length of Springfield Church on his way
home. Had the people let the soldiers alone, he was of

opinion t

gone tc

Ensign Sweeny corroborated the above statement, and
added that be saw some of the mob strike and kick the
soldiers. At the corner of St. Anne-street Carey took off
his belt, and placed his back against a wall to defend

in and knocked Carey down. Police officers were stand-
ing by, but said nothing. He threatened the police
officer that if he did not take Carey into custody for
safety he would take his number. Saw Irussler lying on
the ground, with a pool of blood about his head. Major

Gordon having given Trussler a good character, the
magistrates, after a little consideration, sentenced Trussler
to pay a fine of GOs. and costs, or be imprisoned six
weeks, and Carey a fine of 40s. and costs, or to suffer a
month's imprisonment.
Robert M`Fendries, charged with striking police-
officer 730, on Sunday night, was next placed in the dock,
and the evidence against him, which had been gone into
on Tuesday, read over. Several witnesses for the defence
were called, one of whom, a comrade, was following
prisoner up Shaw's brow, when he stated that officer 730
seized AlTendries by the breast, struck him with his
stick, and dragged him down to the foot of the street,
where he saw him lying on his back surrounded by police-
men, who were kicking and striking him. Catherine
Poole, another witness, stated that she heard the police-
officer state that M'Fendries had insulted him twice,
which the latter denied, and that the policeman seized the
soldier first.—Maria M'Carm, who lives in Shaw's-brow,
saw the meeting of the policeman and soldier. The

soldier said something to the policeman while passing
down the street which she did not hear; he was evidently
nooting him. The officer seized the soldier and dragged
him down the street.—Serjeant Webber, who commanded
the picquet that took the prisoner to the barracks, de-
posed to seeing him lying on his back at the foot of
Shaw's-brow, am'

aoliceman

kick him o

Another attempted to strike him with his stick, but wit-
ners warded off the blow with his cane. He offered to
take prisoner to any station the officers chose to name.
He distinctly denied that any bayonet was drawn. One
of the picquet, while stooping to lift up the prisoner, drop-
ped his bayonet, but be ordered that no bayonets should
be drawn, although it is customary to draw bayonets
whenever a picquet takes a prisoner.—Kennel
one of the picqnet, corroborated the serjeant'
The prisoner was discharged.
The soldiers alleged to have been concerned in the dis-
turbances of Monday night were then arraigned. Duggan,
the officer assaulted in Dale-street, and some other pro-
secuting witnesses, having gone over their evidence and
identified four of the soldiers—M' Gill, Cronin, Wraithe,
and Power—they were put to the front of the dock as the
Parties to answer the evidence of assault on Duggan. Mr.
Snowball stated that the question was one of identity, and
he would produce evidence to show that the witnesses had
been mistaken in their men. He would take M'Gill's
case first, and called upon Sergeant Johnson, of the sth
Dragoon Guards; Serjeant Argent, of the E.T.C.'s service
and Serjeant Barnes, of the 51st Regiment, who deposed;
to seeing M`Gill standing at the bottom of Shaw's-brow,
alone, about nine o'clock on Monday evening. Imme-
diately afterwards saw some police-officers come down
with two soldiers, and on passing M'cl"

's evidence-

,
_ a
...
police struck him, and then walked about dozen yards
or so, but returned, and took him (M'Gill) into custody,
and led him to the Main Bridewell. For Power it was
shown that he was on guard
.from seven o'clock to ten

minutes to nine, after which he had to go to his barrack-
room to change his trowers, and that he was taken into
custody whilst going down Richm3nd-row, shortly after-
wards ; so that he could not be engaged in the assault on
Duggan, which took place in Dale-street, before nine
o'clock. For Cronin, Joseph Birt, a private in the 91st
Regt., deposed that, on going up Islington, a few minutes
before nine, he met him coming down, and when ten or
twelve yards past him, saw two policemen take him into
custody. For Wraithe there was no evidence adduced.
After some consideration Mr. Crosthwaite stated that the
evidence respecting Power's identity was so conflicting,
that he must be discharged ; but ArGill, Cronin, and
Wraithe must pay £5 each, or be imprisoned two months.
James Cox and Michael Woods were charged, the
former with assaulting a police officer in the melee on
Monday night, and the latter with attempting to rescue
him from an officer. It appeared that the officer who
took Cox into custody did not see the assault, and had
taken him in charge only because a man had said he was
guilty of the offence. There being an instruction to
police-officers not to take parties into custody for assault,
unless they witness it themselves, except where life may
be endangered, the magistrates ordered the prisoners to
be discharged. '

Thomas-Goodwin, James M`Que, and Wm. Campbell,
were next placed in front of the box. There was no
evidence whatever against the two latter. Police-
officer 607 deposed to seeing Goodwin strike Sergeant
Halliday, of the police force, with his belt, in Tithebarn-
street, and capturing him half an hour afterwards in
Dale-street. On the other hand, a young man, named
Thomas Martin, swore to Goodwin's being in his com-
pany, at his father's house in Key-street, and elsewhere
away from the scene of disturbance, from six till a quarter
to nine, at which time he left his father's house to set the
prisoner on his way to the barracks. When 'they got to
the bottom of Moorfields some police-officers, with sol-
diers in custody, were passing, when prisoner was seized
upon and taken to bridewell. Another witness corrobo-
rated the latter part of Martin's statement.
At this stage of the proceedings, Mr. Dowling rose and
said that the punishment of those who bad assaulted
Duggan would satisfy justice. Enough had been done to
show that whether police-officers or soldiers committed a
breach of the peace, they would be punished. He wished
to keep on good terms with the troops, and conceived
they had gone far enough if the officers would take more
care for the future.
Colonel Campbell stated that he had always taken care,
by speaking to his men, to keep them free from such oc-
currences as the present, which he regretted had taken
place. They were to march the following day (Saturday);
but were they to have remained, he bad so much confi-
dence in them as to feel certain that a repetition of such
scenes would not take place.
Mr. Crosthwaite then stated that the magistrates felt
satisfied enough had been done to meet the ends of
justice.
The soldiers in the dock were then discharged, and the
court broke up,