Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1874-05-30 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE. treatment -experienced by police-constable Keating at the hands of the representatives of Carlton Ironworks who visited Bishopton the other night is a disgrace alike to the individuals and to the establishment at which they find employment. There is something so anEnglish, so utterly contradictory to any recognised spirit of fairplay about the diabolical proceedings of these roughs, that it becomes difficult to adequately express the feeling which is evoked outside the happy community who live at Carlton. The cise before the county bench is fully reported in another column, and it will there be seen of what material the Carlton ironworks "men" are made. Nursing some antipathy against policemen in general, twenty or thirty of these individnals surround a solitary officer when patrolling his beat near the hour of midnight, and because he will not promise to neglect his duty, the most venturesome of the group robs the constable of his truncheon, belabours him with it, and then others follow the example set them. Truncheon and stones are used until nine wounds are produced upon the unfortunate constable's head, and others amongst the motley crow. enjoy the luxury of hitting and kicking the disabled policeman. Not one amongst the party was possessed of sufficient manhood to interfere and prevent the possible contingency of a murder.; but, on the contrary, they afterwards harboured the ringleaders in the outrage  ribbons on. Mr John J. Hopper, of Houghton-le-Spring, examined by Mr Giffard, said he was an ironmaster, and was at Houghton on the Saturday before the polling day, and saw the procession. On the polling day there was a great number of miners in Houghton, as nearly all the collieries in the district did not work that day. There was a good deal of hooting and groaning. He was in a cab, and the horse's head was seized and the eonveyanoe stopped by a man. The whip was freely used to him, and he left loose of ' the cab. Mr. Curry, assistant with Mr. Curry, surgeon, of Houghton, said be remembered being at the surgery when some people called. He understood they were pitmen. Dr. Tennant was surgeon,to a miner's dub. The men said they would not support any one who was opposed to their interests, especially any man who voted for the Reds, or was against what they supposed was their interests. He gave the message to Dr. Tennant. Dr. Tennant said he was surgeon to a benefit club in connection with the Miners' Association. He did not vote at the last election. He received the message from the last wisness. His horse was stopped on the polling day as he was going down the street in the direction of the polling booth. Robt. Henry Rowell, of Houghton, proved that threats had been used to him if he voted ler the Reds. He was advised by a miner named Race to vote for the blues. He replied that he was not going to vote. He closed his shop about twelve o'clock on the pulling day. There was a large crowd in the street, and much disturbance. Persons were lifted off their feet on the polling day, and had to pay a shilling each before they were put down, James Robson, grocer, spoke as to the procession on the Saturday, and of some people coming into his shop, who said that he would be going against the interests of the working man, and he could not ex- , peat to be supported. John Hedley, chemist, deposed that on the Saturday night before the polling day, some of the parties in the procession called upon him, who asked him to vote for the Liberals, and he promised to do so. The greater part of the afternoon was mei:pied in hearing evidence relating to the riots on the polling day at Tanfield. A witness named William Porter, a