Riot At Chelsea.
The Times, 1824-10-16T00:00:00

Yesterday information was given at several of the police ofinces of a mnost desperate affraay, wihici took place at Chelsea on Thursday might, between several soldiers, watchimen, &c., which is considered lilely to prove fatal to one or more persons. The facts, as gatheredl from the scene of action, are these:_ About eight o'clock on Thursday night three of the Life Guards -were drinking in the house of MIr. Ansted, the sign oftheBedford Arms, Pont-street, Cadogan-place, Chelica. they were inebriated, and spoke contemnptuously of every person in company, and of their 23uperiority over such mechanics. One of the soldiers, in crossing the room, droppcd three-halfpence, and insisted upon a man who seas present picking them up, and giving them to him. The man repberd, "You are not mv master, sick them up yourself." 'he t'oldier swore, if he did uot pick the money ap, he would knock Mls head off. Anothcr man presentsaid they were as good as the soldicrs, and the man should not stoop to pick up what the .-oldier had dropped, and a general scuffle and confusion ensued. The soldiers, who were tall fellows, possessing ereatbodily strength, _sock-d their opponents about in the room as if they were children. The landlord interfering to put an end to the tumolt, one of the soldiers struck him a violent blow on one eye, and anether threw a flre-shovel at the landlady, but luckily she escaped with little in. jury. The landlord had some friends in the bar, and the soldiers took possession, and drove them out into the street, and cleared the house of a11, except the landlord, who would not quit his bar. The soldiers broke and destroyed every thing that came in their w- . and the vatch was called. The first watchman that ar- ri ved , Ted Tomline entered the house, and one of the soldiers struck hIm a tremendous blow on the head with a poker, which felled him to theground. Another soldier took his staff from him, nd beat and kicked him as he lay in a senseless state on the floor. The three soldiers being armed with poker, staff; and fire-shovel, vn-ore that they woulti beat and mnurdcr all the watchmen in England 1before they woul1d be taken. A posse of fifteen watchmen hezded by the constables, lilayhank and Cousins, arrived on tie spot, having received information that the landlord of the house and one tf the watchmen had been almost killed. A number of the watch- -men attempted to secure the soldiers, but their efforts were unavail. i g, for as they approached them they were beaten o., and several ef them received very severe blowrs in the conflict. One of the Commissioners of Hans Town, in which district the affray took A lace, went with one of the constables and procured a file of men Irom Knightshridge Barracks, he being of opinion that miurder X ieght be committed if the civil power alone proceeded further in their attempt to take the soldiers into custody, as the soldiers swore that they would kinl every evil opposed to them, belore they would aurrender to any but the military. On tte guard of soldiers atriving, the whole neighbourlhood was in a state of the greatest fennetnt, h an( the three soldiers were secured. One of them contrived to secrete a lire-shovel as he left thte house, which the constable pointed out to the corporal of the guanr, who took it from hia, and conveved hai and his companions to Knichrabridge Barracks, and they were locked r!p in the guard-room. (lanning and dl%aybank, ithe constables, ac- estapanied the soldiers to the guard-room4, and a person, whom they believed to be a quartermaster, treated them very roughly, andl turned ti:em out of the room. Tl,c watchnnan was found in so shocking a state, that tnedical aid las deemedl necessary, and he was carried by watchrnen to St. George's Hospital, where he lies in a dangerous state. One of the three soldiers was found to be in so bad a state yesterdarn iorning, that the surgeon of the reginent pronounced him unable to be re- M.oved without great danger. The Comnmissioners of Halls Town have directed . physician on their part to see the soldier, and to rc- Port to them of his true state. The soldiers would have been examined yesterday before the AMa- gistratee ofQuteen-sqanre, had they been able to attend; but as they are in safe custody, it was thought best to wait the issue of the %vatchman's uflfortunate condition before the inquiry was gone into, 1,n the examination was postponed foT a few days. RIOT AT CHELSEA.