Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-12-19
WRECKED THE HALL.
Immense Mob Breaks Up a
Pro-Boer Meeting
"rnRr
At Birmingham, Engr and Declares
Confidence in Government.
-.
Nall Is Wrecked and Speaker. loyd.G George.
Escapes in Disguise.

London, Dec. lS.-David Lloyd
George. NJ. p, speaking in birmingham
Town hall. tonight, precipitated scene
unprecedented in that city since the
Aston Park riots
The majority of the audience were
hostile to the speaker and We're en-
ragged by his pro Boer and anti-Cham-
berlain 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 people who smashed
windows and tried to force the doors
which had been barricaded. They fusi-
iaded the audience with stones through
The windows.
The police reserves were turned out
and succeeded in dispensing the mob
after repeated charges. A number of
persons were injured and the Town hall
was completely wrecked Not single
window was left whole.
The Birmingham riot is considered, 4
curious illustration Of the vartgated ca
reer of Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain, the
colonial secretary.
The Aston park riots of 1884. it is
pointed out. were demonstrations on
the part Of Chamberlainites against the
so-called Tory intruder, Lord Randolph
Churchill, while that Of today was
against an extreme Radical. The feel
ing against Mr.. Lloyd-G 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. This compelled the Liber-
al Association to print different tickets.
Dut their efforts to exclude their op-
ponents were quite vain.
The students of Birmingham Univer-
sity. which vas founded by the efforts
of Mr. Chamberlain. held a meeting Of
protests. yesterday. and crowds were
awaiting admission to the building long
before the doors of the Town hall were
opened.
The building filed quickly and it was
Immediately seen that trouble vas
coming. While the organist was play
ing the dissentients began singing
Britons Never Will Be Slaves until
the organist was compelled to desist.
Then cheers We're raised for Joey" and
white flag was unfurled amid deafen-
ing shouts of traitor as Mr.. Lloyd
George and friends appeared on the
platform.
All attempts at speechmaking were
futile owing TO the continuous din Of
Missing and singing. The speakers had
to- preforce. content themselves with
dictating few sentences in the ear O.!
the reporters. These were mainly a
protest against the agitation stirred up
by the 'jingo" press.
IN the meantime the enormous crowd
outside the building had become more
NOISY and Nor. menacing. Presently
stone came through a window. This
caused a stampede among the occu-
pants OF the gallery, From this time
forward pandemonium reisned in the
building and ugly rushes were made for
platform. The police were soon over
powered.
Mr. Lloyd-Geerge and his friends
We're compelled to retreat to an inner
room for safety, They were unable to
ieave the building for fear Of mob yio.
renee and We're thus kept prisoners un-
,ai iate hour. wheir Mr.. Lloyd George
ssuised as chief constable. left th,,
~' hal' with posse of policehen.
ns constables were seriouslv In
su IN their attempts to- clear tho
aa,s s which they did not succeed Il,
oolns until a heavy downfau - 49,,
7, s.eet >. came to their assistance
.a, rumored that one ciyi,isn !. :
~ OF Injuries received. sevara, arN '