The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-12-25
THE ANTI-BOER RIOT IN ENGLAND.
Violent Attack on Speakers in
Birmingham by ChamberIain's
Friends.

Friends.
London, Dec. 1S.-David
Lloyd, NJ. P, in speaking in Bir-
mingham town hall tonight, pre-
cipitated a scene unprecedented
in that city since the Aston Park
riots.
The majority of the audience
were hostile to the speaker and
were enraged by his pro-Boer
and anti-Chamberlain utterances.
They rushed the police Gordon
guarding the platform.
In the meanwhile. the building
was, besieged from the outside by
a mob of several thousand peo-
pie, who smashed windows and
tried to force the doors which
had been barricaded. They fus-
iladed the audience with stones
through the windows.
The police reserves were turn
ed out and succeeded in dispers-
ing the mob after repeated
charges. A number of persons
were injured and the town hall
was completely wrecked. Not a
single window was left whole.
The Birmingham riot is consider
ed serious illustration of the
varied career of Mr.. Chamberlain,
e.he colonial secretary.
The Aston Park riots of 1884,
its pointed out, were demonstra-
tons on the part of the Chamber
lainites against the so-called Tory
intruder, Lord Randolph Church
Ill, while the riot today was one
against a radical. The feeling
against Mr.. Lloyd-George has
been so strong during the past
week that even tickets were
forged to enable the "jingoes" to
gain admission TO the town hall.
Crowds were awaiting admission
to the building long before the
doors of the town hall were open
ed.
The building filed quickly and
it was Immediately seen that
trouble was coming. While the
organist was playing the dissent
lists began to sing, "Britons never
viii be slaves" and kept it up
until the organist was compelled
to desist. Then cheers were rails
ed for '.Joey." A white flag was
unfurled amid deafening shouts
of traitor" as Mr.. Lloyd-George
and his friends appeared on the
platform. All attempts at speech
making were futile, owing to the
continuous din of Kissing, footing
and singing. The speakers per-
force had to content themselves
with debating few sentences in
the ears of the reporters. These
were mainly CT protest against
the agitation caused by the ''jin-
go" press.
In the meantime enormous
crowds gathered noisy and
menacing. Presently stone
came through a widow,
This caused a stampede
among the occupants of the
gallery. From this time forward
pademonium -reigned in the build
ingSand ugly rushes were made
for the platform. The police
were soon overpowered. Mr..
Llopd-George and his friends
were compelled to retreat to an
inner room for safety. They
were unable to leave the building
for fear of mob violence and
were thus kept prisoners until a
late hour. Mr.. Lloyd-George dis
guised as a chief constable left
She town hall with a posse of po-
licemen. Many constables were
seriously injured in their at
tempts to clear the streets, which
they did not succeed in doing
until heavy downfall of rain and
sleet came to their assistance.
1t is rumored that one civilian
has died of injuries received.
Several arrests for stoning the
police have been made. At
meeting held outside the town
the town hall resolutions Of con-
fdence in the government were
adopted This meeting sent the
following telegram to Mr.. Cham
berla!n '.Lloyd-George, the trait
or, was not allowed to say a word.
The citizens have passed a reso-
luton expressing confidence in
the government and their admira-
ton of your unique and fearless
services for king and country"