Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1879-09-13 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

SWITZERLAND. A party of five gentlemen, English and German, went up from the hotel at Rigi Kaltbad to the summit of tbe Rigi, with the intention of °pending the night at one of the hotels there, bcth of which are the property of a Swiss named Schreiber. One of the 'younger travellers, who had gone forward to the Rigi-Rolra Hotel to take beds, returned wiih the intelligence that the landlord only offered them two rooms. Accordingly Mr. Beer, being, a German, stepped in to ask for additional accommodation. Being referred to the landlord, he entered the bureau and stated his business. He was at once astonished by, ' beMe met by a refusal, couched in rude and °Remits, terms. After some reply on his part he returned to his friends, and told them what occurred. On consideration, as they were unwilling to retrace their steps at so late an hour, he returned to the landlord, followed by his friends, to explain the ground of their wishes and their readiness to pay for the accommodation desired. The landlord instantly overwhelmed him with abuse, and bade him begone at once. The gentleman's brother rebuked the landlord for his insulting language, on which the latter jomped from his seat, struck Mr. John Pender, M.P., on the face, mined his stick and broke it, grappled with him, and, being a very powerful man, threw him down, and, aided by a noose of porters, kicked and struck both his first interlocutor and the rest of the party in a manner worthy of a party of madmen. The English M.P., who had taken no part in the discussion, attempted to make peace. and was struck OD the face by the infuriated landlord. Nearly a score of porters struck at and kicked the other gentlemen. After a momentary pause, the visitors, three of whom were much injured, prepared to leave the house. The attack was renewed, and an attempt made, with partial success, to throw them down the steep flight of stone steps on which the front door opens. The ejected party, three of whom were bleeding, half stunned, and with very serious injuries on the bead and various parts of the body, succeeded in obtaining a special train, and reached their hotel in safety. Medical attendance was obtained, and a strong opinion expressed of the violent and murderous character of the assault. Proceedings were at once taken against the landlord. but as the legal 'pro ems in such matters is extremely dilatory in Switzerland, and summary proceedings scarcely to be hoped for, it is well that the travelling public should be warned of the possible contingencies of a visit to the Rtgi-Kulm. With referenee to the above, Mr. G. G. Bradley, Master of University College, Oxford, who was chairman of the meeting. has sent the following letter to the Times, under date Belle-vue, Rigi Kaltbad, Lucerne, Sept 2nd: " A numerously-attended meeting of visitors to Switzerland was held on Monday last at the Kaltbad Hotel on the Rigi, to take into consideration an assault committed on a party of German and English travellers by the landlord of the hotel on the Rigi-Kelm and a number of his men. Atter a statement of the details of the occurrence had been made by the two senior members of the party, one a German gentleman long resident in London, the other a member of the House of Commoni, the following resolution was unanimously carried: 'That this meeting while bearing testimony to the toartesy mid civility no often met with in iiwiss hotels, wishes to express its indignation at the conduct of the Proprietor of the Rigi-Kulm Hotel, and to thank the gentlemen injured by his violet:of for their determination to bring the matter before the tribunals of this country.'"