The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-08
HAULING DOWN THE FLAG.
A London mob Tramples the Stars
and Stripes Uuderf0Ot.

A London Mob Tramples the stars
and Stripes UnderfoOt.
New York Timesl .-.
The controversy which Mr.. Henry F.
Gillig, of the firm of Henry F. Gillig h
Co., proprietors of the American Ex-
change in Europe, has fallen into with
his London landlords, promises to assume
the Importance of an International ques-
tion, unless the enterprising young Ameri-
can recedes from his purpose of Haunting
the flag of the United States in the faces
Of our sensitive English cousins. The
American Exchange, occupying an i'm
posing and commodious building in the
Strand, No. 40, facing the Charing
Cross Hotel and the Main Continental
Railway Station, is an institution pretty
familiar to American tourists in London.
1t was founded in 1873 by Henry F..
Gilling and few associates for the ac-
commodation of American visitors in
London, to supply information respect
ing hotels, routes of travel and such ia
cilities as stranger in strange city
may require, and to facilitate intercourse
between Americans living in London by
providing a resort where the files of all
American newspapers, the directories of
American and foreign cities, magazines,
reports, guide-books, gazetteers, maps,
etc, are accessible at a trifing cost or
monthly subscription. Arrivals are reg
istered and transmitted weekly, letters
and telegraphic messages transmitted
and received, and drafts cashed. Since
January /, 1879, period of eleven
months, the establishment has registered
about 10000 American visitors, and is
now regarded by the reporters Of the
London newspapers as the great center of
authentic information respecting America
and the Americans. On Lord Mayors
Day, or rather on the day following, as
November 9th--the proper date Of the fes-
tival, happened Oh Sunday-Mr. Gillig,
in recognition of the occasion, hoisted
the American flag over the building Oc-
cupied by his establishment, Miss Emma
Thursby and a large delegation of the
American colony in London being pre-
sent and participating in the ceremony.
Mr. Gillig, who is now staying at the
Windsor Hotel in this city, left London
day or two after the affair above men,
toned, and gave no further thought to
the matter until he was advised by his
Superintendent that the owners of the
building had served upon him formal
notice to remove the obnoxious ensign.
After advising Mr.. Gillig's solicitor, and
being assured by him that the flag could
lawfully remain, the Superintendent de.
clined to accede to the terms of the
notice, and was formally notified by the
owners that, unless their request was
forthwith complied with, it would be re-
moved by force. Ia, .,.-...,
The threat passed unheeded, and the
owners proceeded to make good their de-
termination by forcing their way through
the iron lattice-work from an adjoining
roof and hauling down the offending col
ors. They were hoisted again on the fol-
lowing morning, whereupon the owners
of the building applied to the High Court
of Chancery for an injunction to prevent
the flag Of the United States from flying
over the roof of building occupied by
an American. This application being re-
fused, they instituted an action for dam
ages, and thus matters stood until No.
vember 18th, when, according to state.
ment transmitted to Mr.. Gillig by his
solicitor by the last mail, the owners
again had recourse to violence, backed by
London mob, who trampled the offend
ing Stars and Stripes underfoot, after re-
moving them from the pinnacle of the
building. L t.. .., l.....
Mr.. Gillig was found at the Windsor
last evening, and, in response to arequest
for Information, showed statement con
sisting of some fifty folios of closely writ
ten manuscript, which he had Just re.
ceived from his London solicitor. This
statement recites the circumstances Of
the hauling down of the flag by mob or
the afternoon Of November 18th init
mates that the affair has created con
siderable feeling in London, and earnest
ly advises Mr.. Gillig not to act hastily in
ordering its reinstatement. When asked
whether he proposed to carry the contro
versy any further, Mr.. Gillig said he had
no intention, in the first instance, of put
ting any affront upon the English people
as some of his best customers were Eng
lish. He had long wished to have the
American flag hoisted over the establish
ment, partly because it could be seen &
considerable distance, and would thus
serve as a guide to the reading-rooms 70,
strangers in London, and partly becaust
he had pardonable pride in giving suct
a token of his nationality. u
He intimated that the sentiments O
the ruling classes in England were no
particularly friendly just now to th'
United States, owing to the fact that th'
balance of trade is constantly in ou
favor, and that our manufacturers ar
underselling English competitors in thei
own market. The prospective emigra
tion to this country of thousands 0
farmers each bringing his Gl,0O0 0
$4,000, had also tended to embitte
English publicists in their sentiment
toward America and the Americans. HI
had received many anonymous letter
since the controversy commenced, init
mating that his establishment would b,
burned or mobbed unless the flag wa
taken down It was not his intention ii