Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-04
CANADA,s ORANGE RIOT.
Testimony Which Shows that the Cath
Olics Were Fired On Before Firing.

ST. JOHN, n. F., Jan. 3.-A dispatch
from Harbor Grace says: "Seventy-one
persons are now in custody, five of whom
have been identified by Crown witnesses p
A later dispatch states that dispositions
were taken before Judge Bennell to-day.
disclosing the following facts:
The river head of Harbor Grace is pop
ulated exclusively by Irish Roman Catho-
lies. Some days before the riot they
were terribly incensed at the outrages
committed by Orangemen at Spaniard's
Bay, town six miles distant. The Win
dows in the Catholic Church there were
demolished, all the crosses in the burial
ground broken and the churchyard other
wise desecrated. On Christmas day ru-
mors reached Riverhead that the Orange
men were coming up the next day to at
tack the Roman Catholics. This caused
great excitement and CONSERVATION. On
st. Stephens Day 100 young men left
RlYerhead to oppose the march of the
Orangemen on the settlement, the old
people yainly expostulating and a
few of them following after
TO prevent collision. The
men had no guns at first, but got
them in the neighbOrhOod of the scene of
the riot from friends. They remained at
the head of st. Parmenter's lane till 1 80
O'Clock in the afternoon, when thev met
the Orangemen depleying from Narvey
street with bands playing, flags flying and
OincerS and men in full regalia, Head
Constable Doyle now came on the scence
and demonstrated with the Roman CathO-
lies. Nicholas Shanahan, who acted as
spokesman for the Catholics, said: ''Very
well, let them 90 back and there will be
no bad work." Doyle turned to the
Orangemen. who had halted, and briefly
addressed them. They, however, moved
on, the Orange leaders waving their slaves
to those in the rear to come on. They ad-
Yanced to within ten yards of the Catho-
lies when slight pause ensued. At this
point the testimony is conflicting. So far
no blow had been struck on either side.
All the Roman Catholic witnesses swear
positively that the Head Constable en-
cOuraged the Orangemen to march on
ward, saying: "Let us cross the Bovine
again." and affirm that he fired the first
shot, which killed Callahan. Doyle de-
MED having firearms with him. Wit
nesses also proved that the first shot came
from the Orange ranks. A police Ser
geant swOre that the first two shots were
fired by Orangemen.
The witness further swOre that he saw
one Roman Catholic fall after being de-
lberately aimed at from the direction of
the Orange party. No guns were visible
in the ranks Of the procession, but the
Orange sympathizers and followers aimed
and shot in a kneeling position at the
Catholics. The shooting was almost
simultaneous on both sides. The Catholic
party numbered 100 men and boys. The
Orangemen had a following of nearly
1000 persons. Callahan carried a green
flag, and, with Quirk and Shanahan, went
to the leaders of the Orangemen before
the collision and advised them to turn
back. They refused and called upon the
society to advance. The deadly
part of the atfray lasted only
three minutes. None of the Orangemen
have been arrested. Head Constable
Doyle has been temporarily suspended.
A dispatch from Brigus states that the
Orange Association paraded in that town
to-day, carrying flag bearing the in
scriptiOn. "Peace to all men.N