Year: 1869

Fatal Riot in Wales-CollsiOn Between the


Troops and Mob.


The English papers of the 5th inst contain
full reports of the riot in Mold, Flintshire on
Wednesday, the 2d inst. The following is taken
from one of the London papers of the 5th:--


A terrible riot has occurred at Mold, in Flint
shire, by which four persons were killed and
others were wounded. The accounts of the
fray which have reached us are somewhat frag-
mentary, but the following is tolerably sue
cinct narrative of this melancholy affair."


Recently some disorderly proceedings took
place in connection with a strike at the Lees
wood Green pit, near Mold. Notice had been
given of reduction of wages, and the men,
entertaining the notion that the manager of the
pit, Mr.. Young, was the cause of the notice
being issued set upon him and rather roughly
treated him. Last Week the colliers of the
Green pit, their numbers being swelled by
coliers from Copps, Nerquls, Coed Talon,
and other places in the district, attacked
the managers house, carried all his
furniture and placed it ut the wharf
of the Padeswood and Coed Talon Branch Rail
way with the intention of sending it off to
Brkenhead or anywhere else out of the district.
Mr.. Green, the manager of this part of the
London and Northwestern Railway Company's
line, however, on hearing what was about to
take place, packed off all the empty trucks that
were on the wharf and the consequence was
that the goods had to be left on the spot all
night being secured from damage, however,
with liberal supply of tarpaulin


Subsequently there was great excitement in
Mold in consequence of William Hughes, n col
lier-one of eight men against whom warrants
had been issued on the charge of assaulting Mr..
Young-having been apprehended and taken
into custody. There were in the town large
throng of men, estimated at one thousand, with
sticks and clumps, threatening to rescue the
prisoner. They waited outside the police station
for about two hours. The prisoner was being
conducted between three or four police officers
from the station to the County Hall, when the
greatest roughs and young people of the crowd
rushed upon them and rescued the prisoner who
was at once conducted out of the town. The
prisoner was shortly afterwards brought back,
and released on bail to appear next day.


Two of the eight colliers charged with assault
ing Mr.. Young were ON Wednesday brought
before the magistrates, and determined attempt
was made by great mob of pitmen and Others
to rescue them from custody. As there APP
peared every probability of the police being
oyerpoWered, q detachment of the Fourth
Uegiment was sent for from Chester, and soon
arrived, under the command of Captain Blake.


The number of the assailants increased every
moment, and at length a determined attempt
was made to rescue the prisoners. Stones were
thrown in showers at the military and police.
The telegraph Office, in which the police and
some of the soldiers took refuge in charge of
the two prisoners, was broken to pieces and
made total wreck. Scarcely window OF the
train on the railway was left WHOLE but the pri-
soners were conveyed into one of the carriages
in safety. The riot act was read by Mr.. O. b.
Trevor-Roper, and the military, after showing
great forbearance, commenced firing. Two per-
sons were shot dead, and two died afterwards.
One soldier was seriously hurt, and casualties are
numerous,