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A POPISH RIOT AT CHESTERFIELD.On Monday last the man who calls himself Baron de Camin announced to the inhabitants of Chesterfield, that he should deliver a course of lectures against Popery. The Irish in the town, who number about 2000, immediately took the alarm, and by seven o’clock had collected in the Market-square and High-street, determined to prevent the Baron from lecturing. About seven o’clock he made his appearance, but was obliged to take shelter in a bookseller s shop, in the High-street. The mob, to the number of 700, surrounded the shop, and prevented the Baron from getting to the lecture hall. As the time for lecturing drew near it became evident, from the yells and cries of the infuriated crowd, that there would be no possibility of his lecturing. Mr. Superintendent Radford was sent for, and arrived with some seven or eight policemen, and the Baron then placed himself under their protection. Mr. Radford addressed the mob, and told them that the Baron would not lecture that evening, and any breach of the peace would be severely punished. A line was then formed, and the Baron came out. As soon as he was seen a most frantic uproar was made by the Irish, whose oaths, yells, and curses were of the most alarming nature. Mx. Radford then took the Baron into his charge, and, surrounded by the police, a way was made towards the police-station, where he at length arrived. It was with the greatest difficulty that the police prevented the Irish from tearing the Baron limb trom limb. The police, however, by desperate exertions, managed to get their charge under the shelter of the police-office. The mob surrounded the station for several hours The Baron was struck on the head by a stone during the affair, but not seriously hurt. At night he was taken from the police station to his lodgings in disguise.On Tuesday the Mayor and some other gentlemen waited on him, and endeavoured to persuade the Baron to leave the town. He, however, was firm, and announced his fixed determination to lecture, be the consequences what they might. From about two o'clock a crowd of Irish collected round the Baron’s lodging, and remained there until night, when there were not less than 2000 people collected, of whom the greater number were Irish, armed with life-preservers, pokers, and stones, with the “shillelagh,” of I course. A large number of Irish, both men and women, came from all the villages round, and there was every appearance of a desperate riot. Fortunately, the Baron wras frightened from his purpose by the determination of the mob, and did not appear. Still the mob, although peaceable, did not disperse, and as it was ! nearly dark by this time mine o'clock), the Mayor addressed the crowd. He told them that the Baron would not lecture that evening, and commanded them to disperse. The crowd cheered his worship, but not a man left the Market-square, and from the yells and cries it was feared that the desperate fellows, inflamed as they were by whisky, and encouraged by the women, would commit some serious breach of the peace if not prevented. At last, at ten o’clock, the crowd having disobeyed the Mayor’s order, the Mounted Volunteers, under Captain Brown, were called out by the bugle. In a few minutes after the “assembly” had been sounded, Captain Brow n and some others rode into the square. They then, without attempting to touch the populace, ordered them away, and finding they did not go, separated, and rode their horses at them. In ten minutes the vast crowd ran like so many sheep, and the square was ; almost cleared without a blow having been struck. The horse were then told off separately, and rode up the alleys ami by-lanes, and the foot Volunteers were told off into sections on the same duty, assisted by the police, and in half an hour the streets were completely cleared, and quiet and order restored. During a scuffle which was caused by the police apprehending a man, Sergeant Wilcockson, of the borough constabulary, was stabbed in j the hand. He, however, seized the man and detained him until assistance arrived, and on Wednesday the prisoner was examined before the bench, and in default of the payment of a fine of £1, was sent to Derby for one month. Considerable complaints w*ere made by the inhabitants at the leniency of the magistrates. The riot has been very much exaggerated in an account which has been published, the crowd ha\ mg been very orderly on the whole. Some cases of stone throwing have occurred, but there has been no damage to property.On Wednesday evening there was again great excitement, upwards of 2000 persons being assembled in the streets. About eight o’clock, Mr. Shipton, one of the magistrates, had an interview with the Baron at the police station, where he had been most of the day, and after a long conversation, succeeded in inducing the Baron to give up the idea of lecturing and leave the town, which, it was stated, he would do.
Newspaper Details
Leeds Intelligencer
Leeds, West Yorkshire, GB
Sat, Jul 05, 1862
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Heart T.
JM 27 Jul 2023
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