Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-02-13
LONDON MOBBED
BY DESPERATE STARVING MEN,
The Greatest Disturbance London
Has Witnessed This Genera
tion With so Little Loss
of BLOOD.

of Blood.
The meeting of une nployed workmen in
Trafalgar square, London, was the largest OF
its kind ever held. The estimates as to the
number of participants vary, hut good
judges say that fully 100, 900 were present.
The square was densely packed as were also
many Of the streets leading thereto. The
crowds were harangud by speakers of all
kinds, among them several Of evident Social
istic tendencies. The latter warned the gov-
eminent that while the unemployed were
rnssive now, AMI if not soon relieved they
would attack the bake shops next. Motions
wer, male and adopted demaning the OPEN
ing Of relief works by the government, and
the ppointment of minister Of commerce.
On dispensing the crowds smashed the win.
dows OF the Carlton and other cubs. and
also tn SO Of the PaH MGH Gazette office. 1t
is believed that the smashing of windows was
the work of foreie ners.
THE POLICE PowERLESS.
Scores of lines of policemen attempted to
save assliled property and m Ike arrests, but
were everyti time beaten and compelled to SUR
render prisoners. In the meantime several
thousand of rowdies rem ,ine1 in Trafalgar
square, occupying their time in daring tie
police to come on and making rushes al
constab,es and other obnoxious persons. In
o.e of these rushes the mob overthrow tw
heavy granite pillars, These fell across
Cbaring Gro and blocked traffic to and
from Ch4ring Cross railway station.
The police made several most desperate
exertions to clear away the obstruction, but
were easily resisted everywhere by the mob.
The mob held the ground so we'll at Trafalgar
square that until they voluntarily abandoned
the scene the entire power of the police
proved insufficien to clear the way to one O,
the most important railway stations in tn
world long enolgh to permit even singl,
carriage line to depart from the depot. Soma
time after dark the mob gradually Left
Trafalgar square and went away satisfied
that without having actually collided with
the police they won thu day.
The police lepor.s concurred in stating
that never before in the present generation,
has such tremendous disturbance occurred
in London with so little loss Of blood. Som
off ers declare that upwards of $4,000 mel
must have been rioting FOR at least six hours,
with absolute possession of every thorough
fare they chose to invade. Yet no life is re -.
ported taken. If the police had been strong
enough to attack the mob at any point there
might have been terrible records made
While it lasted, the city was thoroughly ex-
cited, but the mob being essentially English
made fr'ght:ul demonstration, was not re-
sisted, and went to bed at the usual time
ALL DUE TO SOCIALISTS.
Acc 7rling to later estimate 15,0O1 per
sons were engaged in the Trafalgar Square
demonstration. Two thirds of the crow d
were bonafide unemployed workingmen. The
remainder were Socialists. The two sec
tions we're not in accord. There were FIRE,
quant collisions between them. The works
ingmen took no part in the riotous acts that
followed the meeting in Trafalgar Square
The Socialists aroused to fury by the violent
TRADES of the speakers in the square created
three hours reign of terror. Jewelry shops
were broken into and their contents carried
eff by the mob; carriages containing ladies
were stepped on the streets and Their occu-
pants forced to alight. Soma of the rioters
entered the vehicles and drove at the head of
the crowd. The mob swept through the
stree s. outing:
Smash the windows Let's go inside the
shopsn
All decently attred persons who were ell,
countered by the rioters were maltreatej, the
wearers of silk hats meeting with particu.
larly rough usage. Lord Randolph Church,
i'll appeared at window of the Charlton
Club building, when the mob reached there.
He was loudly hooted and melaced with
clench ID Fl ,ts y the rioters.
The leaders of the Socialists, especially
Burns, Hyndman, Williams and Champion
(the last named of whom is an ex-captain of
artillery, will probably b, prosecuted. The
most violent acts were committed OH North
and South Audley streets and Oxford street.
Probably 200 shops AID dozen cub house:
were seriously damaged. About 50 shops
were pillaged, including jewelers., bakers
butchers ami wine shops. Hundreds of in
offensive people were maltreated. The po.
lice were powerless at first, hit 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 patroliel the
streets.