Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1919-08-15
1LLAGE
l[lVEkPoQL SHOPS
Loot and Wreck Factories anu
Stores in Succession OF
Night Raids.
HALF OF POLICE ON STRIKE.
Mobs Breach Beer Casks In Road and
Dance Around Soldiers In Deri-
sfon--Troops Fire Over Heads
of Rioters.
HALF OF POLICE ON STRIKE.

Liverpool. Is in the grip
Of hooliganism. For two nights the
city has been given over to riot and
pillage. Scores of shops have been
smashed and rifled, and at one place
along the lines Of docks gates were
broken open and the mob stormed a
huge food warehouse, carrying OIL
stock of bacon, ham, lard, sugar, rice
and timed stuffs.
A large number of troops have been
drafted into the city from adjacent
military camps and warships are on
their way to the Mersey.
The soldiers are quartered in the
spacious st. Georges Hall, and the
vast plateau IN front Of it has been
turned into a park for lorries and Red
Cross cars. Drawn up by the lorries
are four grim looking tanks. Soldiers
with fixed bayonets and wearing steel
helmets are also posted in a Gordon
around the plateau, and they are also
mounting guard over the wreckage in
the streets.
Terror came to the Merseyside when,
taking advantage Of the police strike,
the turbulent element Of cosmopolitan
Liverpool, which turks in the side
streets of well defined area, and
which Is ready for riot and plumber
whenever occasion permits, started the
work Of destruction.
Scotland road was the scene of the
early deprediations Of the mob. Many
shops were stripped bare. The looters
paid particular attention to boot shops
and-clothfng establishments, very few
of which escaped, but there were also
many successful raids on jewelers. and
pawnbrokers' shops. Other places were
smashed out of pure devilment.
About half the police have Joined
the strike. Official figures show that
of the total force, 929 have refused to
do duty and 961 have remained loyal.
Special constables were called out and
q public appeal by the Lord Mayor
was responded to by 500 citizens.
About midnight the bands Of hooli-
gans again emerged from the side
streets and alleys and without hesita'
ton embarked on an orgy Of pillage
and violence. They made a determine
ed attack on the magnificent shops in
London road, one of Liverpools finest
thoroughfares. Again they concen'
trated on boot and clothing shops.
The soldiers marched up and down
the road in columns of fours, but the
mob lodged round them, scarcely heed
ing them. Under the eyes Of the troops
they scrambled through shattered win
dows and scurried hack to their homes
with boxes of boots and suits OF
clothes, and then came back for more
They ransacked general drapery anc
outfitting stores, carrying off women's
costumes and furs.
Soldiers have been called out to pro
tect property, but in most cases. the
rioters Offered no resistance and ran
when the troops arrived. There has
been a raid on a sugar factory, and
there was an amazing scene in the
Vauxhall Road district when a moi
smashed its way into beer bottline
works in Tariff street and looted the
place.
Men, women and boys made their
way into the building and emerged
loaded with bottles Of beer and stout
These were opened and drank in the
roadway, the empty bottles being
smashed Oh the granite sidewalks. The
streets We're a mass Of broken glass.
Other rioters came out with cases OF
stout and beer, which they carried to
their homes. Barrels of beer were
rolled out into the main thoroughfare
and preached in the open, crowds gath.
ering around them with glasses, cups,
jugs and any other vessels which came
to hand.