The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1885-06-06 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

KEN'S CLUB.  The men charged with rioting at the International Club, Percy-mews, London, were again brought up at Marlborough-street on Monday. Mr. Poland prosecuted, and Mr. Abrahams defended. There are cross summonses against a number of the police. Ernest J. Poland, caretaker in the employment of Messrs. Rowney and Co., of 10, Percy-street, next door to the European Club, said that at twenty-five minutes to twelve on Saturday night, May 9, he heard a dreadful disturbance in the club, as of fighting and turning over of things. Some one cried, " Murder ! Police! I shall be murdered !" He went up to the first floor, and looked out of window. He saw two or three people on the doorstep of the European Club, who had apparently been thrown out, one of them looking very nearly killed. A number of people came along and spoke to the men, who told them that they had been very nearly murdered and thrown out, and had lost .£3B. A policeman named Griggs came up and told the people who had been thrown out to "stand there," as he should want them at the station. The policeman knocked at the door of the European Club for admittance. He was not admitted, but previous to that some one took a brick from a heap in the roadway and threw it through the window of the club. Afterwards witness heard the cry raised, "They are going out at the back." He then shut the window and went to the back of the premises to protect them, as the mob came in that direction. There were about 100 to 150 people in Percy-street. Messrs. Rowney's premises were between the International and European Clubs, in Percy-mews. He saw an excited mob coming along the mews, and heard a smashing of glass in Rowney's premises, twelve windows in all being broken with bricks and stones. Ile went to the front door in Percy-street to obtain assistance, and afterwards returned to the back and saw that all the mob had squeezed into the International Club. He saw a man in the crowd smash six of the club windows with a stick, and he heard the mob call out ," Kill the Germane." There was then a general me/ee,ithe mob bringing out the club tables and chairs, and breaking them in the mews. There were some police there, but very few. That was about 25 minutes past 12. A large number of police came at last. He saw the mob pressintothelnternational Club. Crossexamined by Mr. Abrahams: After the police came in force the disturbance began to quiet down. He raw a lot of persons arrested, but not the man who broke the six windows. He did not see any of the rioters or those persons who threw stones arrested. Robert William Blacow, of 21, Cleveland-street, a. cellarman, gave a general corroboration of the previous witness's evidence as to the origin of the disturbance. A tobacconist's assistant, named Jones, was the next witness, and while he was giving his account of the disturbance a woman at the back of the court called out, "It's not true." She was at once pushed out of the court by a policeman. Mr. Abrahams protested against what he termed the brutality displayed by the policeman, and a stormy scene ensued, the magistrate ordering Mr. Abrahams to sit down, while the latter, cheered by persons in court, refused to obey the magistrate. A number of excited foreigners outside the court endeavoured to force an entrance. The doors of the court were closed against them, and the attack on the policemen in the court thus prevented. The hearing was again adjourned, the defendants being liberated on their own recogmsances.