The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-02-24
RNRAGBD BRITONS.
The Streets of London in Pos.
session of Rioters.
Houses and Stores Broken Into and
People Attacked.

A London dispatch of the 9th says that
the long suffering mechanics of the metropo-
lis, excited by years of hardship and con-
stantly increasing commercial depression,
have been stirred to madness by the speeches
of number of socialists and others, and for
several hours were in complete possession
of portion of the city, wrecking houses and
upon the verge of revolution.
The trouble began at mass meeting in
Trafalgar Square around the Nelson monu-
ment The proceedings were opened with an
assemblage of 10000 men. The police were
present in large numbers. They at once saw
t lat the socialistic element of London greatly
p dominated in the crowd, which was also
m snaged by well-known socialists, and ex-
traordinary vigilance was ordered to pre-
serve the peace at all hazards.
Conspicuous among the leaders of the null
titude was Mr.. Burns who ran as the social
ist candidate in Nottingham in the recent
election. He sneered at the police and acted
generally as if he wished to bring about a
conflict between them and the people. Fin
ally he ascended the pedestal of the Nelson
column for the purpose Of delivering an ha-
rangue. He was dragged down from this po-
sition by the police, but the officers were
overpuwered, a red flag was unfurled and
Burns again assembled the pedestal and fin.
ished his harangue
The officers for second time forced their
way to the monument and dragged Burns
and his colleagues down from the pedestal.
By this time all that part Of London which is
| in the neighborhood of the National gallery
and of the Carlton and Reform clubs was in
the possession Of mobs. The crowd was excited
to the highest pitch by infammatory speeches
delivered on the Carlton clubs steps. The
mob was split up into many divisions by
being. forced down the different streets by
nearer the occurrences at the club houses and
the various divisions started off hooting,
bowling and challenging the authorities The
invaded streets were at once abandoned
to the rioters, who finding them:
selves no longer opposed, vented their ill-will
against well-housed people and against the
clubs by stoning the dwellings and club
houses along the way. Lord Randolph
Churchill appeared at a window Of
there He was loudly hooted and menaced
with clinched fists by the rioters.
After Burns had been driven away from
the Nelson monument by the police and had
spoken from the Reform and Carlton club
steps, a savage fight took place between his
adherents, the socialists and the anti-social-
lists. The battle ragged for some time,
t"s bnt the and socialists 3Sa1 lifted Rr0vaa Burns VIC to
street where, with him, they succeeded in
bending the crowd toward Hyde Park, Burns
| leading the whole way. The police along the
route were brushed out of the way by the
| rioters as so many men of straw, and many
Of the officers were terribly beaten for inter-
| fering.
At the park, where the mob had all col
lected, Burns again addressed them. This
| speech was even more violent than the others
and the whole address was we'll calculated to
set the crowd loose upon the town. Burns
was followed by several other socialistic
rp power to stir up strife. When the speaking
| was over the mob broke up into sections and
! disappeared from the scene. The main
| body went back east along Oxford street
| again. The affrighted residents along
! this thoroughfare were not yet recovered
the street to themselves. They smashed
every sound window they noticed. The wine
shops were broken into and their con.
| tents distributed freely to whoever wished
! drink. The beer saloons were similarly
| treated. Tailor shops were broken into
and the clothes and rolls of cloth were
thrown out into the street, to be
| taken by those strongest in the fight
which resulted. Every person met who
looked like foreigner was stoned or beaten
| from the street. Scores Of times policemen
attempted to save assailed property and to
make arrests, but were every time beaten and
compelled to surrender their prisoners.
Another part of the mob went through
| Pail Mall and ST. James street to Piccadilly.
| They attempted to enter the war office in
Pail Mall. but desisted when the sentry threat
ened to bayonet the leaders. On reaching the
top of ST. James street the mob at
tackled the Devonshire club liberaD
in a savage manner. On their way
down Piccadilly they passed Hatch
ett's hotel, large hostelry at Nos. u and Gs,
coaches. When the mob passed this place
many of the rank and file were hungry
and these made rush for the hotel
They had it in their possession in 9
moment and they sacked it of food
and drink and left the building badly
| wrecked AS the men were leaving the hote
they saw carriage, which had been pressed
up against the curb by the passing procession
and abandoned by its frightened occupants.
1t was seized and in an instant broken up and
the wheel spokes, shafts and other good
pieces were carried away for clubs. The
Turf clubs house, being in Piccadilly, pre-
sented a temptation to the rioters as they
went by, and they smashed all its front doors
| and windows with stones.
The most violent acts were committed on
North and South Audley streets and Oxford
street. Probably 200 shops and dozen club
houses were seriously damaged, and about
fifty shops were pillaged, including bakers,
butchers, and wine shops. Jewelry shops
were broken into and their contents
carried off by thelnob. Carriages contain
ing ladies were stopped on the streets and the
occupants forced to alight. Some of the rio
ters entered the vehicles and drove at the
head of the crowd. The mob swept
through the streets shouting, "Smash
the windows! Let's get inside the shops
Hundreds of inotfensive people were NAL
treated. The police were powerless at hrst,
but they ultimately succeeded in restoring
order by breaking up the ranks OF the rioters
into small squads. The military were kept
under arms all the evening, while policemen
patrolled the streets.
The scenes which characterized the retreat
through Oxford street also attended the
retreat of the other sections of the
crowd, Every street they entered wa'
surrendered to them, and at midnight
the police reports concurred in stating
that never before in the present
generation has such a tremendous dis
turbance occurred in London with st
little loss of blood. Some officials declare
that upward of fifty thousand men must
have been rioting for at least six hours
with absolute possession of every thorough
fare they chose to invade. Yet no life wa:
reported to have been taken If the police
had been strong enough to attack the mob al
any point there might have been terrible re
cords to make. After quiet had been restored
many arrests were made by the police.