St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-01-05
BATTLED IN EARNEST,
Salvation Army People Expe-
rience the Brutality of a
British Mob.
Men and Women Savagely At
tackled While Engaged in
Prayer.
Desperate Fight to Regain a
Captured Standard From
the Mob.

the Mob.
Mounted Police Charge Like
Excited Cavalry ON the
Crowds.
LONDON, Jan. 4.-The troubles be-
tween the Salvation Army and the au-
thorltleS at Eastbourne resulted yester-
day in a riot of unusual violence. For
a long time past there has been open
warfare between the Salvationists and
the authorities. The former claimed
that the EaStbourne officials had dis
| played a feeling of religious intolerance
Ill their treatment of the army, and so
determined were the members of the
Salvation Army to maintain what they
deemed were their judicial rights that
they proposed to introduce bill IN par
lament to repeal or amend the East
bourne improvement act, under which
| the town officials prevent the Salvation
lists from holding meetings on the streets
of the town. The authorities claimed
that the Salvation Army set the law at
defiance and were persistent in their
attempts to make trouble.
Matters went from bad to worse. and
the troubles between the people of East
bourne, who, as rule. sympathized
with the authorities in their efforts to
suppress the demonstrations of the
| salvatiOnlStS, and the followers Of the
| standard raised by Gen. Booth, grew in
Intensity.
Divided the Forces.
Yesterday the Eastbourne contingent
OF the Salvation Army was divided into
four sections, which were stationed In
different parts of the town. Prior to
| going to their posts. each soldier signi-
fed his or her willingness to go to prison
II this was necessary to uphold what
they believed to be their rights.
The police were determined that the
SalvatiOnists should not hold their meet
ingS on the streets, and in attempting to
dispense the various sections of the
army, there was considerable hustling.
The SalvatiOnists finally retired, and it
was thought for time that they would
give up the idea of holding further
meetings in the public thoroughfares.
In the afternoon, however, sixty of the
army again sailed from their barracks
and proceeded to the beach. Eastbourne
being situated at the extreme end of the
English channel.
AS they wendell their way to the
beach they were followed by an i'm
menSe crowd. who menaced them with
all manner of i'll treatment. Once upon
the beach. the Salvatlonists knelt down
| on the sands in prayer. AS they did so,
| they linked their arms. the better to
| reDel the assaults of the irreligious mob
| should the latter take it into their heads
| to charge upon them while at their de-
| votionS.
The Martyrs Spirit.
AS the Salvationists prayed, the mob
hoOted and yelled, and finally made an
ugly rush upon the praying band. Some
| of the latter were thrown to the ground,
but they Immediately resumed their
kneellng position and continued their
praying. Several times the rushing was
repeated, but the SaIvationists paid no
more attention to their assailants than
they were absolutely compelled to in
order to avoid being seriously hurt.
A number of police were present dur
ing these ruSheS, and the mob reviled
| them in emphatic language for not dis
persing the Salvationists.
AS soon as the praying was concluded
the SalvatiOnStS rose to their feet.
This seemed to be the signal for pre-
concerted attack, for the mob immedi-
ately swooped down on the devoted
band. scattering them in wild disorder.
Many of them were struck, kicked and
otherwise ill-treated. The musical in
struments used by the Salvationists
seemed to especially excite the ire of
the mob, and the persons bearing them
were singled out for more than the
usual
Brutal Treatment
| The mob got possession OF the instru-
ments, and, after smashing them out of
| shape, threw them into the sea. At this
point of the disturbance detachment
of mounted police took a hand in the
proceedings. Under orders from their
commanding officer, they charged upon
the crowd like squadron of cavalry.
They made no distinction between men
and women. They rode down upon the
crowd. trampling the rowdies, male and
female alike, under the feet of their
horses. Many of the crowd were
severely hurt by the iron shoes of the
horses.
The Salvationists declare that the DO
lice, instead of protecting them, DELHI
lerately struck them and rode over them.
Their clothes were torn and their hats
lost. A number of the women lost their
lowing the charge of the police, those
garments being torn off them in the des-
perate struggle to escape, being tram
pied upon by the horses.
During the melee the standard of the
Salvation Army fell into the hands of
the enemy. Some of the Salvationists
charged upon the mob to regain their
flag, and fierce fight resulted.
Fought for Their Flag.
The Salvationists were fighting against
almost overwhelming odds, but they
were thoroughly determined that their
aSsailants should not make off with
their standard If Drawn and muscle
gould prevent such catastrope. Those
in possession OF the flag fought despe-
rately to retain it, and they inflicted
very nasty blows upon those who were
attempting to get possession of it. FL
gained their standard, and, under rain
of blows. they succeeded in getting
away from the mob with the flag in their
possession.
After some little time the Salvation
lists, their clothing bedraggled and their
faces showing the marks of the i'll treat
ment they had received, rallied around
their standard bearer. They formed iii
regular lines, and. surrounded by the
police, marched back to their barracks.
Despite this protection, they were not
safe from attack. While on the way to
their barracks the mob several times
charged upon them, and the police were
almost powerleSS to prevent injuries
being inflicted. Some of the more rabid
of the mob got possession of vehicles
and, paying no attention to the police.
drove deliberately into the Salvationists'
ranks with the object OF running over