The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-08-25
THE: BELFAST RIOTS
Deplorable Fatal Faction Fights
in the Irish City.
Mobs Fired Upon by Police, and
Many People Killed.

A series OF faction fights melted by relig-
ious hate, together with onslaughts by the
police upon the angry mobs. have caused the
streets of Belfast, Ireland, to almost literally
run red with blood, and have resulted
in the death of many people and injuries to
large number Of others. Accounts differ
ss to the number Of dead and wounded, but
there were at least twenty Of the former and
probably 200. OF the latter. A Belfast dis,
patch says:
Five thousand troops and 2,50O constables
occupy the disturbed districts. The presence
Of the police tends to increase instead OF sup
press the disorders, ProtestAnts declare that
Catholics were the aggressors By wreck
ing Protestant houses, while Catholics are
equally certain that Protestants were the
aggressors OF one thing there is no doubt:
never did two mobs Of different religions
display more bloodthirsly desire to kill or
MAIN each other. In the fighting on Sun
day and Monday, whenever powder ran short
women on both sides, with hatirons and
other implements, ground large grains OF
blasting powder into size suitable Tor
small arm 8, while boys of tender age
melted lead into bullets and slugs. While
the rioters were firing youths and women
stood behind them busily loading spare guns
in order to prevent waste of time. The fu-
silade listed until nine o'clock yesterday
morning, when ammunition gave out and
tacit truce ensued, both sides removing the
dead and wounded to their homes. Both
sides are doing their utmost to hide their
losses. On Monday the Protestants received
q welcome donation of twenty-five rifles
sympathizers, while Ballynahinch National
ists sent the Catholics a supply Of ammuni-
ton and many revolvers OF the type called
''sweethearts" The plentiness Of weapons
will constitute the gravest danger In the fu-
fure. There is general demand for house
toulouse search for arms.
A visitor who has been studying the cause
Of the riots writes: at is useless mincing
matters. The police have fired and slain peo-
pie from panic if not from vindictiveness
The people assert that the latter was the
cause. The people regard the police as
murderers, not protectors. That issue must
be faced. Hundreds Of people have
friends dead or dying. 1t is worse than
useless to say they wantonly attack the po-
lice. The latter, now represent the peoples
deadly deathldealing enemies. The friends
and neighbors of the killed and wounded all
regard the police as foes. Their bare pres
the idea of wantonness. This is now the
great, supreme difficulty, - have seen men
in respectable houses throwing stones at a
batch Of twenty policemen escorted by loo
horse soldiers"
A desperate riot took place this morning in
Springfield, in which few persons were
wounded This afternoon two men were
shot by disorderly persons in different part
Of the city. One Of the men was shot while
in Catholic cemetery attending the funeral
Of victim of the recent riots. The other
was fired upon in Grosvenor Road. Both Of
the injured men will die.
Inspector Bull, of the Royal Irish Con
stabulary, is dying. Inquest; are being held
on the bodies Of those killed and the funerals
Of some of the vi,tinls took place to-day.
: Clergymen of all creeds are visiting the
worst districts and are trying to persuade
the people to preserve the peace. Notice has
been served on the wholesale spirits and beer
dealers that penalty Of e10 will be inflicted
for selling drink for consumption near their
premises. e..
Scores of the rioters were arrested and
sentenced to various terms of imprisonment.