The Atherstone Times. — 1879-06-07 (Atherstone, Warwickshire, England)

EXTRAORDINARY DISTURBANCE AT TIIE  FOLESHILL WORKHOUSE. MURDEROUS ATTACK UPON THE MASTER.  On Saturday night a disturbance of an extraordinary character occurred at the Union Workhouse, Foleehill, It seems that about a quarter past six o'clock, while the suppers of the inmates were being prepared in the kitchen, a message was brought to the Master of the Workhouse (Mr. John Dawe), to th eeffeet that two of the male paupers were engaged in the demolition of a greenhouse, situate within a large enclosed area known as the old woman's yard. The master, who at this time had his coat off and was bareheaded, immediately proceeded to the spot, and found that two men, named respectively William Henry Baleon (20) and Lewis Coleman (22) were certainly doing their utmost to make a perfect wreck of the greenhouse and its contewe. Seeing Mr. Dawe approaah, Caleman, who held in his hand a heavy piece of wood, dealt the former a severe blow, which fell on his right arm. Mr. Dawe then seized the man with his left hand and tripped him, whereupon Berson, with a long end heavy piece of board, struck him a blow on the head, which partially stunned him and caused him to :flogger. This compelled the master to let go his hold of Coleman, who immediately struck him again over the left arm with the same piece of wood. Each of the men subsequently dealt him another blow, whereupon he became unconscious, and had to be removed, though with diffienity, from the yard. The men then continued their work of destruction', smashing every pane of glees in the greenhouse and completely destroying all the plants, as well as about 400 flower.pots, which they threw about the garden:in all directions. Nearly 400 geraniums an d other plants, which had been placed in the ground and tastefully arranged during the day, were foi •cibly uprooted by the men, who destroyed all th at they could ley their hands upon. While engaged in their work of destruction the fellows repeatedll r threatened to murder the master; and the latter's st .ife, who remonstrated with them, was insultingly t old by one of them that they meant to "do for" l ier husband, and that she would "look( well in wido \ c's weeds." Miss Dews, who holds the position of governess at the workhouse, and who gallantly re n to her father's assistance when he was attacked was threatened by Berson, who with a stick in his distance. The nurse, hand, chased, her for some c luring the disturbance, appeared oa the scene with compelled to beat a huts a gun, but she also was • retreat. The rest of the inmates were greatly alert 'sod, and the men appeared so desperate that nobody else cared to interfere, Berson and his companion r threatened to murder anyone who ventured to a oproach. At the outbreak of the affair, a body . of police.officers were sent Ilfor, and after some t me had elapsed the police arrived, and the fellows were secured, handcuffed, and conveyed to the It .ck-up at Longford. Before their arrival, however, at the Werkhouse, the offending paupers walked tar m-in-arm down the garden with a defiant air towart ls the road, but a large crowd of persons who ha od by this time assembled outside prevented th em leaving the premises. The disturbance taste( I for nearly an hour, and while destroying the gi. las and flowers, one of the men (Berson) was heard to remark that "he had waited a longtime for his re venge, but had had it now." They also threatened t he porter, an old man named Jopp. The men hi we .for some time past been troublesome to the oi 'nentl', l and Hereon has been previously convicted for misconduct. The (antipathy of the latter to' wards the ' master appears recently to have been ry great, there, avt owing, it is said, to one of his younger be. refractory youth, having been taken be, 'ore the magistrates for insulting the governess at the workhouse, for which offence be was soutane ad to a term of imprisonment, and ordered to be afterwards sent to a reforms story for five years. Dr. Orton, sen. ' the medical office at the workhouse, on learning se /I" was going on, speedily attended, and dressed 1 fr. Dawe's wounds.