The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-03-16
ENGLISH N Law.
Cases of Justice Administered by
Moo in Great Britain.

NlOU Ill OFCNI DEltdIH.
The British are the most law-abid-
ing nation in the world. 1t is only
Denmark and perhaps Norway and
Iceland that can hold a candle to US
in this respect.
1t is so unusual for Englishmen or
Scotsmen to take the law into their
own hands that the recent case in
which "Dr." Walford Bodie was mer-
cilessly ragged" after a jury had
adjudicated him a ~"quack," caused
a great sensation.
Lynch law is not unknown in this
country and there have been many
cases of summary justice being melted
out without the formality of trial.
The most famous on record was that
known as the P%orteous Riot. On
April Is, 1876, Capt. Porteous COM
handed the military guard at the
execution at Edinburgh of the famous
smuggler Wilson. Wilson was very
popular, for he had given up his own
liberty to save a comrade.
The Infatuated spectators pelted
the guard with stones, and Porteous.
fearing a rescue ordered his men to
fire. Seventeen persons were killed
o. wounded and Captain Porteous
was arrested and lodged in jail. A
huge mob collected, stormed the pris-
on, broke down the doors, hauled the
unfortunate officer out into the Grass
market and hanged him on a dyer's
sign post.
There was a lynching episode il
Darlington about nine years ago. The
trouble started with some children
being made i'll by ice cream sold by
Italian street vendors. Later a crowd
mobbed the Italian hawkers. One
barrow was smashed to pieces, where
upon two of the Italians drew their
knives. They were seized, disarmed,
and carried away to the river, into
which they were flung. It was only
through the exertions of the police
that they were not both drowned.
A French giant was being exhib-
tied on the sands at Weymouth when
two little children offended him by
laughing. He ran at them and struck
the boy and kicked the girl. instantly
the crowd made a rush at his tent and
pulled it about his ears. The giant
ran for his life, the crowd at his
heels. There was a cab on the parade.
The giant flung himself into it and
shrieked to the driver to drive off.
But the mob kept up the chase.
Stones smashed through the windows
of the cab, and had it not been for the
police the giant and his agent both
would have probably been killed.
At Thrapston fifty women were
obliged to waste their whole day at
the suit of an assignee against q local
draper. AS hours passed and they
thought of their unlocked dinners
and uncared for children they got
more and more angry. When the
case was at last over they gathered
and surrounded the draper and fell
upon him furiously. Capless and
coatless he escaped, but they chased
him. Only the very hardest running
saved their quarry.
Fairs are greatly disliked by the
police on account Of the rows that
often ensue. The most serious ARRAY
in recent years was at a village near
WreXham in November Of last year.
A family of gypsies offered a pig as
a prize for climbing q greasy pole.
After the contest the pig was not
forthcoming. The crowd grew angry
and threatened the gypsies. The lat
ter, Of whom there were four. snatched
up rifles from their shooting gallery
and opened fire. Nearly a score of
persons were struck by bullets. Then
the fat was in the fire with a ven
geance. Kill them" roared the
crowd, and there was a terrific rush.
The gypsies had barricaded them
selves in a van, whereupon the crowd
broke up all their galleries and shows,
piled the pieces round and proceeded
to set them on fre.-Answers.