The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-12-03 00:00:00

THE rens STANDARW.

SHAMEFUL RIOTS AND MURDEROUS ATTACK
AT BIRKENHEAD.

In compliance with the requisition mentioned in our
last, a meeting was held in the Town-hall, Birkenhead,
on Wednesday last, to address her Majesty on the recent
Papal aggression. The hour fixed for the meeting was
twelve o'clock,, but before that hour a vast concourse of
people, principally Irish navigators, some of them armed
with thick bludgeons, made their appearance in front of
the hall, and seemed bent upon creating a disturbance..
In the vicinity- the greatest consternation prevailed, and
many of the shops were closed. The Birkenhead police
force only consists of some twenty men, and were as
nothing compared with the mob collected. The yells
and imprecations of the multitude, which became every
moment more and more intense, were perfectly fearful,
and the most serious apprehensions were entertained.
Mr. Dowling, the head constable of Liverpool, had been
applied to for assistance; and fortunately about half-past
twelve o'clock a section of about thirty police arrived,
under the superintendence of Mr. Ride, formerly of the•
Birmingham and metropolitan police. This gentleman
displayed considerable tact in the disposal of his men,
who were received as they entered the town with cries of
" Down witl► the Liverpool police." &c. As they en.
deavoured to clear a way to the principal entrance, they
met with considerable resistance, but ultimately made a
passage to the door. .At this period ft would appear that
the police had the upper hand, and no doubt, had their
force been a little stronger, they would have effectually
quelled the disturbance. However, a cry was raised
among the mob to go for assistance and to " arm."'
Some of the men then went away, and shortly afterwarsis
returned with their numbers considerably augmented,
and with bludgeons, conisting of iron rails, pokers, and
wooden staves, in their hands ; others carried large stones,
which abound in the neighbourhood, and as they pressed
forward their yells and cries were most alarming.

In the meantime a number of gentlemen—inCludingt Sir
Edwd. Cust, Mr. Wm. Jackson, M.P., Mr. John Jackson,
the Rev. A. Knox, Mr. P. F. Curry, the coroner of Liver-
pool, Mr. Townsend, the magistrates' clerk, and Mr.
Aspinall, a Roman Catholic barrister—had assembled in

the room where the meeting was to be held, and. arrange-
ments were being made as to the order of the proceed-
ings. Sir Edward Cust was to occupy the chair, and the
resolutions were allotted to the various gentlemen who
were to address the meeting. The principal resolution
was :

" That this meeting desire to express their extreme indigna-
tion at the Papal bull and other documents which have recently
been issued from Rome, and which treat the Sovereign of the
realm as a nullity and her kingdoms as a spiritual waste, being
alike repugnant to the sr hit of the law and insulting to the
Crown and people of England."
It was also intended to present the following address to
the Queen :
" To THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.
" The humble Address of the undersigned hsbahitants, rate-
payers of the town of Birkenhead, in the county of Chester,
and the neighbourhood thereof.
" We, your Majesty's faithful subjects, beg leave humbly to
approach your Majesty with heartfelt assurance of undeviating
loyalty to your Crown and of sincere attachment to your per-
son.

" We consider it our duty to declare to your Majesty that
we regard with feelings of indignation the insolent attempt
made by the Pope of Rome to interfere with your Majesty's
undoubted prerogative.
" We therefore humbly venture to pray that such measures
may be adopted in reference thereto as Parliament in its wis-
dom may deem proper to secure to your Majesty sole and un-
divided sovereignty in this land, and to the nation the free
enjoyment of Protestant independence, and we humbly assure
your Majesty of our cordial co-operation therein." .
The mob having become considerably augmented, and
its aspect more threatening, the utmost precautions were
taken to protect the building.
• Sir E. CusT suggested that Mr. Brown, the Roman
Catholic priest. should be sent for, as it was thought that
his presence might possibly allay the excitement.
That gentleman shortly afterwards arrived, attended by
a solicitor, named Bretherton, a gentleman of the Popish

persuasion.
Mr. BRETHERTON appeared greatly excited. He re-
quested permission to inspect the requisition, in order to
see whether the meeting was " legal." His demand
having been complied with, he pronounced the meeting
to be illegal, and said he should " take a point" upon it
both then and in another court.
Sir E. CUST assured the legal gentleman that he would
take care the requisition should be presented to the meet-
ing, who would decide upon its merits.
At this moment the riot outside became perfectly fear-
ful; stones rattled in through the windows, and many
persona in the hall narrowly escaped serious injury. The
armed mob had commenced a most savage attack upon
the police. Perhaps a more determined and brutal assault
has rarely been made. Huge stones, some of them seve-
ral pounds in weight, were dashed through the window,
or at those who were endeavouring to keep the peace.
Mr. Superintendent Ride ordered about eleven men who
were more immediately under his command to charge the
mob, and they did so with considerable courage, but were
soon repulsed and driven back, three of them having re-
ceived serious injury about the head and body. One man,
who bled profusely, was deemed to have received a fatal
blow and his life is not yet considered out of danger.
Another who was attended by Mr. Curry, the coroner, had
a fearful scalp wound extending from the upper part of the
head nearly down to the nape of the neck. It is supposed
that some fifteen of the men were more or less injured.
The affray assumed such a serious character that it was
thought the Riot Act should be read ; but a suggestion
that Mr. Brown, the priest, should address the multitude,
and endeavour to prevail upon them to desist from vio-
lence was eventually agreed to. Mr. Brown then ap-
peared at the window, and, addressing the mob, requested

them to deliver up their cudgels and preserve orc
exhortation of the priest had an electrical effta
of staves were forthwith collected and piled up in front of
the town-hall. Ono or two only seemed resolved to con-
tinue the riot.

Scores

It now became apparent that it would not be injudicious
to attempt to hold the meeting, and it was accordingly
adjourned, the magistrates haying passed the following
resolution on the subject :
" The magistrates having called a public meeting, in pursu
ance of a most respectable requisition,- for the purpose of pre-
senting a loyal address to the Queen against the encroachments
of Rome, and having found a mob assembled round the place
of meeting with sticks and stones, who attacked the Town-hall
and the room where the magistrates were assembled, and vio-
lently assaulted the police, we, the undersigned, under these
circumstances, have not deemed it our duty as magistrates to
endanger the public peace, and have, therefore, adjourned the
meeting until the inhabitants can be assembled to express
their opinion with the freedom of Englishmen.
VrTorn T P SHAW

" J. D. CASE, " W. JACKSON,
" W. HALL, " J. S. JACKSON
" Town-hal, Birkenhead, November 27."

It was found that no fewer than fifteen of the police
were seriously injured, some of them dangerously. The
names of the injured policemen are

1. John Slee, (167, Liverpool.) A blow from a large
stone, on the top of the head, knocked him down : several
people around him then struck him with a stick, and in-
flicted a serious wound on the back of his head
2

James Paterson, (57, Liverpool.) Some one struck
him on the left temple with_ a stick ; and almost immedi-

One fellow who led up the mob was armed with a large
pole.axe, such as is used by butchers to kill cattle. Others
carried all kinds of murderous weapons, from a crowbar
to,a gridiron. One great fellow was seen to knock down'
five of the police with a poker. Many of the crowd bare
awar on• their heads some impression of the illegality of
theirproceedings. As soon as it became apparent that-it'
would not be judicious to attempt to hold the meeting, it
was adjourned, without any day beine fixed.

There are at the present time between 1000 end 2000
navigators employed at the dock works, most of whom are
Irish and Roman Catholics. They are, it is scarcely ne-
cessary to say, completely in the power of the priests. who
have an extraordinary inflnence over them. It is said,
that in the Roman Catholic chapel at which the Rev. Aer:
lii-own officiates, they were advised to attend the meeting,
and it is very evident they understood they were to offer
some resistance. In order to afford security against a re—
newal' of the outbreak, a messenger was despatched to.
Liverpool for the assistance of the military, and in the
evening a company of the 52nd Infantry arrived at Birken-
head, under the command of Captain Stewart. The
troops- marched in line to the front of the Town-hall,

where they were drawn up inside the iron railings, and on
coming to halt, they were cheered by the people wino still
remained on the spot.

Captain Steward, the officer commanding the troops,
had an immediate interview with the magistrates, in the
course of which it was arranged that the soldiers slioald'be
billited in the large room of the Town-hall during the
evening, ready at a moment's notice to act if any further
disturbance should arise. A large body of the Liverpool
police.remained at Birkenhead during the night. They
were accommodated in the Town-hall. No disturbance,
however, took place, nor was there the slightest indication
of a renewal of the outbreak.

During the riots, a colloquy took place between the
magistrates, priest Brown, and Mr. Bretherton, solicitor,
during which the following letter to Mr. W. Jackson was

25th Nor., 1550..
MY DEAR SIR,—Relying upon you as an independent magis-
trate, I trust you will prevent any improper packing of the
Town-hall for party purposes, on to-morrow, the 27th inst..
being p-publie meeting. I think you will agree with methat no
advantage of entrance should be given to anv party.:. and am
sure we may rely upon your impartiality in this respect.,--I
my dear sir, yours faithfully, E. F. BROWN,
Incumbent of St Werbergh's.

On receipt of this, Mr. Jackson wrote in reply I--
Manor House, 27th Nov., 1850,

My DEAR Sitt,—l have not in any way interfered With the
arrangements for to-day's meeting. I hope both parties will
avoid packing the room. You may rest assured Dwill endea-
vour to maintain for all who wish to speak an impartial hear-
ing.—I am, yours sincerely, W.. JACKSON.
The letter was, very justly, considered by. Sir Edward
Cust as an insult upon_ the magistrates, as it involved a
charge of partiality.

A highly-respectable gentleman, who was am eye-wit-
ness of the disturbance, has sent us the following account
of one or two incidents which transpired :—" I had a
pretty good opportunity of watching the movements of
the navvies who had assembled in such vast numbers on
the occasion. When the attack on the police became ge-
neral, the appearance of sticks and stakes and other for-
midable and fearful weapons, displayed above the heads of
the ferocious mob, presented a most alarmine appearance,
such as I never before witnessed, and hope I never shall
again. The yells and fiendish shouts of the rioters, as
they gained the advantage over the slender force of pO-
- were trily horrifying. One poor officer was attacked
by three of these ruffians in Market-street, and was
felled to the ground by one of his assailants, and while
yet prostrate on the ground the others were beating and
kicking him in the most brutal and murderous manner.
I ventured, at the hazard of my life, to implore the ruf-
fians not to murder the poor fellow, which appeared to
have some little effect, as he managed to escape inside
of the Town-hall. After they had vanquished the police,
the brutes commenced the work of destruction on the
Town-hall, by demolishing every square of glass, and de-
stroying the sash frames. It is utterly impossible with
words to give anything like a correct description of the
scene and brutal conduct of the wretches who composed
the mob in this awful and diabolical affair."
Another equally respectable gentleman says :—" I was
present at the disturbances in Birkenhead, and though
for the most part outside the crowd, I had an opportunity
of seeing enough to make me ' an eye-witness' of the
infuriated and brutally reckless conduct of the Papists.
An eye-witness cannot see all that transpires, but as to
the police being the aggressors, as is stated in the Liver-

pool Times, there is no truth in it. The mob were pre-
pared to make an assault, and it needed but a policeman
to do his duly to form an excuse for the commencement
of the meltre. Picture to yourself, Mr. Editor, 15(10
strong, muscular men, armed with the rudest substitutes
for implements of war—one with a heavy iron bar, ano-
ther with a hatchet, others with heavy lumps of wood,
stone-breakers' hammers, palisading rails, &c. ; each

man dressed in baragan trousers and frock—the latter,
which was strapped over the trousers, being filled with
stones, some of great weight. These men shouted forth
with horrid in

precations

eir de'

erminai

the meeting. This was nearly an hour before the time
appointed for the chair to be taken, and the number of
police visible were a mere handful. I could not for a
moment doubt the purpose of the mob and their leaders.
I then went, Mr. Editor, to Grange-lane, but was too
late to hear Mr. Brown speak. The crowd were just re-
turning from the chapel-yard. They were armed to a

man, as before; and when the priest, with some friends,
passed through, he made no remark whatever in my
hearing, although, from their ferocious appearance, danger
might have been apprehended. To my mind it was evident
that the attack was preconcerted ; and I am satisfied, that
had no police at all been present, the conseq

s would

have been more disastrous. If it were not clear that a
row was meant, why should the shops—Papist as well as
Protestant—have been closed long before the eruption ?"

On Saturday, at 12 o'
at the Birker