New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-01-26
JAMAICA.
In Onr Own Correspondent.

From our Own Correspondent - 49,
'' KINGsTOE, Thursday, Jan IL, 1884.
Since the date of my last letter, only two
events have tranfpred of sufficient consequence to
merit record in the present communication laese
are two serious riots occurring on the same ni9ht put
AT two places at considerable distance from each oh
er, and under very different circumstances Inc hrst
Of which shall make mention, took place on Thurs
1ay night the 9Th inst, in the neghoorhood OF UP
Park Camp the military station near to this city The
actors Il outrage were considerable BODY OF the Al
rictp troops belonging TO tie Sd West India Regiment
stationed at Camp, and number Of the idle portion
of the lower classes who are in the habit OF frequent
ing that locality 1t appears that on "Wednesday
NIGHT dispute arose between some OF the soldiers
and few Of the black towns people, in consequence
of certain fsmiliaIties which the latter practlsed TO-
ward some loose women with whom the soldiers are
ON terms of intimacy The soldiers, who are
exceedingly jealous, and require very little
to rouse their worst passions, fell upon their
rivals and attacked them in the most ferocous
matter. battle royal ehsued, aud the policemen,
amounting TO only three, who happened to be on duty
in the boIhoOd called upon to suppress the
tumult but the poor fellows were so severely handled
by the immensely superior force of the soldiery who
when angry, care very little for either civil or military
law flat they compelled to seek safety IN hight
But az every thing-eyen fight with African soldiers
must have an end, the battle termlnated-by what
means, lave been unable TO aseerain-and quiet was
eventually restored for that night. COnceiVing it
probable that the outrage might be renewed on the O
loving night the authorities placed on duy in the Vi,
entity larger body of police This precaution proved
to be useless for the soldiers came out in immense
numbers, and began to attack the civilians indls-
ultimately. several persons who were quietly
pursuing their way along the road became
the objects of these baTbarnns' venge ance; and
nunb Der of houses ON tie roadside were partially de-
molsled may remark that the houses in question
are among tie most miserable looking habatoDs that
can possibly be conceived, in the neghborhoOd OF
city that boasts Of civilization They are for the most
part nurseries of those vices which led Thursday
night TO those scenes Of violence in which their III
mates met with that retrbutoD, in the loss OF their
property, which, however lawless, was well merlted
OF courfe against such force tho police, even were
they reinforced by every constable in the city, could
not contend. They were beaten most cruelty by the
savage sodiery; Of the sergeants named Finlay-
son. who has earned the reputation of an efficient oil
Ger, so uDmercliuly dealt with That he lies III
very precarious state.
The other riot TO which have alluded is of still
more serious nature 1t took place also on the'nght
Of the 5th in the town Of Montego Bay 1t arose from
the following circumstances We have an act, called
tie Tewns and Communities Act which prohibits the
beating Of drums the blowing If horns and other loud
noises in the streets. During the Christmas and
August Holidays, the Magistrates, from constant APP
prelensiOn that the practices of the oden time will be
revived and the peace disturbed, always exercise
double vigilance in preventing any cOntraventOn Of the
law in these particulars and the Police especially
ordered to take into custody any person behaving in
disordeTly manner in the streets But no
rghtthinkng persons ever dream that the law applies,
or the orders given to the police have reference topper
sons going from house to house amongst their personal
friends in fancy costume II seems that the quiet OF
Monego Bay and in fact every town of the island had
been maintained TO the night of the 9Th January.
There does not appear to have been the slightest at
tempt TO beat drum blow horn, or make any other
discOrdsnt noise in any street Of any town. Bands Of
Young men, however, in Aonego Bay, in the other
large towns, dressed themselves in fancy costume aud
unu oested BY the police, went from house TO house.
az Is usual during the season OF Christmas, amusing
themselves among their friends. Not thinking for one
moment that any attempt would be made on the night
of the 9th any than on any preceding night to
prohibit their amusement, which 1t is customary
to extend till the twelfth night, or the Saturday
after, a few young men OF AOntego Bay, went
out masqueradipg on that night. On quitting the
house OF gentleman of their acquai1tAnce for the
purpose of proceeding to that OF another friend they
were accosted by policeman, who threatened 10 take
them into custody, and actually laid hold Of ayOung
man of the party, who was dressed as clown. The
person thus captured contrved to get away from the
policeman, and began to cut certain capers IN accord
ance with his character which, harmess though they
were, tended to irritate the jealous guardian Of the
public pease, who attempted to arrest the clown
second time Not dreaming that the Affair would ter
inmate so seriously, and thinking that an appeal to
magistrate would settle matters peaceably the young
nan told the policeman that he considered himsef in
custody that he had intention 10 resist the constable
authority gave lis name and asked TO be taken before
magistrate The policeman. peremptoriiy refused to
appeal to magistrate and insisted that his prisoner
should accompany him to the Police Station. The
young man Immediately complied, followed b. his COM
panions On arriving at the station the prisoner was
confined In the lookup room, proceeding that en-
Tsged Lis companions Ii Is necessary that should
Lere explain that in Jamaica il is neither customary
ner lawful for policeman to confne any person wac
is known 10 him, any charge of trivial nature. 1t
is the duty of the constable TO make memorandum OF
tie name of the offending party, and take summons
out against him on the following day The taxing up
Of the prisoner therefore, made his comparisons angry
and they vented their anger in terms not very comP
mentary to the police. A crowd soon collected and
demanded the release of the prisoner, which
was refused This only tended to exasperate
the mob, who from threats proceeded 10
actual violence. Stones and other missiles were
thrown into the police station and the building par
tally demolished. Two policemen in the melee were
severely wounded and DR. Spence the medical at
tendant OF the force felled to the ground with
stone while attending to the wounded men, and had TO
be carried home in q state OF insensibhty The Police
Inspector, Mr. Levin having been sent for arrived at
the scene Of conflict and threatened 70 FIRE on the
oh. This only added fuel to the ffe The
mob then became more outrageous, especially
when they heard the police inside going throaah the
oreratiOn Of loading. 1t afterward ascextaia.d
however that there neither powder ball ia the
uuikets Shortly after the police sailed oct with
fxed bay ore;s and charged the mob TIE eonast was
now hand hand and the police suffered severely while
strange TO say, notwithstanding the dangerous
weapons with which they we're armed, they d. not
Ctls Ia have inflicted serious lllury-mereg 4