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» IBaron De Camin in Wakefield.—During thepast week the town of Wakefield has been in considerable commotion and uproar in consequence of the reappearance of Baron De Camin, who some three years ago caused such excitement amongst the Roman Catholic portion of the inhabitants. Placards were issued announcing that he would give two orations ‘‘On that Curse of the Human Race and Great Social Evil, Popery/’ on Monday and Tuesday evening last in the Theatre Royal. Some ! time before the hour mentioned, a crowd, composed for the most * part of Irish, assembled in front of the building, evidently with . j the intention of creating a disturbance. But the time of opening passed by, and the entrance remained closed, and then it became known that the agents for the Theatre refused to allow the Baron 11 to use it. The crowd, balked of their intention, and wishing to ' j give vent to their spleen, went in a body towards Wood-street, j where they met the Baron and much ill-used him. By the timely I exertions of the police he was, however, rescued. The next day ! he endeavoured to engage the Corn Exchange, but, failing, the town crier was sent round to give notice that he would deliver an address from the balcony of the Royal Hotel, at six o’clock in the evening. A very great number of people assembled there. The Baron came forth attired in the guise of a secret inquisitor of France, and, on attempting to speak, he was received with ribald remarks and expressions of disapprobation. This continued for some time, till at last the patience of the remainder of the crowd became exhausted, and they “ hustled” every disaffected person out of their midst. The ovation of the Baron was a violent attack upon Popery, and it produced a great effect on liis hearers. *He charged the priesthood with awful crimes and debaucheries, and the sisters of mercy as nothing more nor less than lewd women. Under the excitement caused by this harangue, the crowd, when it was over, proceeded to the Roman Catholic school, which is the residence of some sisters of mercy, and pelted it with stones and other missiles, breaking windows, and injuring Father Watville. From thence they went to the Roman Catholic chapel and demolished the windows there and some very rare paintings on silk. On Wednesday evening the Baron de Camin again appeared on the balcony of the Royal Hotel, Wakefield, and addressed a very large assemblage. He said he was sorry for the proceedings which had taken place on the previous evening, and after desiring the audience to go in peace to their homes, he retired. The Catholics, however, were soon afterwards attacked by the mob, and a man named Taylor, was roughly used. The mob attacked the parts of the town inhabited by the Irish; and on \V estgate Common the inhabitants, most of whom had gone to bed. were terrified bv the crashing of windows and shutters, and by show ers of stones/ Some of the principal inhabitants of the town took an active part in protecting those attacked. The police, assisted by a number of special constables, under the direction of the Mayor and Chief Constable, eventually succeeded in putting an end to the disturbances.
Newspaper Details
Leeds Intelligencer
Leeds, West Yorkshire, GB
Sat, Aug 23, 1862
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Heart T.
JM 27 Jul 2023
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Leeds Intelligencer
