The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-03-22
ROSSA,s CANADIAN TRIP.
Toronto Held for six Hours ny an Apparent
~ Organized Mob.

TORONTO. March 19.-The secret OF the re-
cent disgraceful riot in this city. on the occasion
OF O'Donovan Rossa's lecture on the indie
pendencc OF Ireland is to be found In the fact
that Orangeism nourishes In Canada with
rank luxuriancc nowhere else TO be found out
of Ireland. The rumor had gone abroad that
Rosa was coming hero to talk treason. ms only
a Fenian is supposed to be able to do; and the
blood Of the average Orangcuan boiled ut the
contemplation Of the intended outrage Threats
were uttered. and the feelings of the mob were
worked up to the highest pitch. There can he
no doubt there was an intention to do the lee
turer bodily harm. and that he would have been
torn to pieces by an infuriated mob II il had not
been held in check by the determined efforts of
the police.
1t was II foolish thing to bring n man like
Rosa to such place rs Toronto. and the Com
mittcc Of Management had no little trouble on
their hands from tho first day they began to
make their arrangements. The Royal Opera
House was first engaged for the lecture. but the
proprietor. becoming afraid Ola disturbance. in
which the building might be injured cancelled
the agreement Another building was obtained
with the same result Finally, st. Patricks
Hall. room in ST. Lawrence Hall. public mar
kst building. was obtained. As Rosa did not
audience.
ApprtnenslVe OF popular NloleIVc,O pOnONun
Rossa on coming here jumped OIL the train in
the western part Of the city. long before 1t
reached the station. and suffered some injury
in tho full. There was a large crowd in the
ncighborhood OF ST. Lawrence Hall before
the time for comucncn < the lecture; but
Rosa. Tor whom the crowd watched. managed
to make his way into the bu lid ng unrrcOgnlZed,
and he had the same good fortune in making
his exit During the delivery of the lecture the
building was frequently nsshilcd with stones.
and the windows were broken. The lecturer
was evidently in Rrent bodily fear: his hands
trrmblcd Nislbly. and twice or thrice hc broke
down. The mob would have rushed up stairs
ana tore the lecturer to pieces II II had not been
Kept back by tho determined resolution Of tho
police. on whom the furious mob, thus held ut
bay. wrecked lis vengeance. Two or three
members Of the force were seriously. one OF
them perhaps MORALLY. wounded. Stones ana
reviewers were freely used. Scores. some say
hundreds, of shots were Hired, and 1t ~ almost
miracle that no one was killed. though several
lngonslderate spectators were wounded.
For six hours tho city was given up to the
fury OF the mob which appeared to be- organ
izrd ana under orders. MS 1t marched here aud
I Ncre at the word Oi command. The Orange
body is always organized. and can at in con
cert on any given emergency. Among the
Orangrmen there Is a large number oi boys.
VINO 10 by the uame of Young Brltaius.' No
doubt the mob violence was prearrnngcd in the
Orange lodges; ana disgraceiul rs witS the out
break. II is "A mercy that more bodily injury WAS
not inflicted. The damage to buildings is small.
All the windows In owen CosgrONe's saloon
were broken. and the building would have been
completely wrecked but for the resOluie eNer-
tions of the police. who fought with hatOns IN
their right hand and pistols in their left but SO
perfectly did they control themselves that in
spite OF the great injury they received. they
never fired Il shot. Kossa was followed by the
mob to the house where he resided a saloon on
nal; but the police had complete mastery. and
prevented any mischief.