Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1888-03-10 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

SCENE IN TRAFALGAR-SQUARE.  At the Bow-street police-court on Monday, Robert Harding, aged 27, described as a clerk, and giving an address at Poplar, was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting the police in Trafalgar-square.— Inspector Peters deposed that on Sunday afternoon the defendant entered Trafalgar-square. He was carrying a board in front of him. It was locked round his neck and body by a chain and padlock. He was followed by a crowd of about 100 people. He proceeded to a seat, and was about to secure himself to the railing by means of another chain and a padlock. He was prevented, and requested to leave, and he replied, "I Filial not do so," and walked about the square evidently with the intention of finding a seat to which he could secure himself. A number of rough boys followed him, and it became necessary to remove him from the square. He resisted violently,kicking out to the right and left, and attempting to trip up the constable. Witness narrowly escaped being kicked. He was taken beyond the square and was again given an opportunity of going away. He said lie intended to return to the square. By this time the vehicular traffic at Charing Cross was completely stopped, and the crowd had increased to upwards of 200.—Defendant was taken into custody.—Mr. Vaughan (the magistrate) : What was on the board, anything?—lnspector Peters : Yes (reading from the Board) : " This is a protest against the forcible exclusion of the people from Trafalgar - square," and on the other side, "Peaceful anarchy. Why do all Governments dread free speech and inquiry? Because they are dimly conscious that the Government of man by man is an atrocity and a violation of the moral law. What is the main business of a Government ? To steal from the people to feed vast numbers of professional murderers." Inspector Peters said that defendant went to the square on the previous Sunday last, and was taken to the police-station, where he was examined by Dr. Bond, who declined to say that defendant'a mind was affected. Defendant had been charged at this court with a similar offence.—Mr. Vaughan (to defendant) : "What have you to say? " —Defendant (haughtily): " I scorn to say anything; bit I will just say that it is a deliberate falsehood to say that I attempted to kick anyone. What L have done I have clone in obedience to my own conviction as to what is right."—Mr. Vaughan, in passing sentence, said from the prisoner's conduct he was not surprised that the police had believed him to be beside himself. Whatever the prisoner's opinions might be he must conform to the law—he could not set himself above it. If he close to attempt to do that and create disorder in Trafalgar-square, he must abide by the consequence. He ordered the prisoner to find a surety in £2O to keep the peace for three months.— The surety was forthcoming.  At Peacrofb, Sheffield, on Monday, Maria Braund, wife of a furnaceman out of employment, was found dead in bed with her youngest child lying beside her, also dead. Two other children, sleeping in the same bed, were uninjured, and no foul play is suspected, the woman having been ill for some time. Mr. Justice Chitty, in the Chancery Court, on Monday, on the petition of a judgment creditor for £5,000, appointed the chairman and a director of the East and West India Dock Company interim receivers. He directed them to carry on the dock company as a going concern, the weekly takings being stated at £lO,