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vocalists.The Baron de Camin Riot. We intimatedlast week that the Baron de Camin had been prevented from delivering his lectures on popery, in this town, on account of the trustees of the building he had engaged being apprehensive of an Irish row. The consequence of this was, that people who did not care a rush for the Baron's opinions were led to feel some degree of sympathy with him ; and encouraged him to attempt an open air address. Placards were accordingly displayed on Saturday morning, announcing that the Baron would deliver an address in the afternoon of that day, on an open space of ground known as Peck-cver Park, not far from Leeds Hoad. The crowd that collected on this short notice could not number less than 6000 or 7000, and comprised members of all grades of society, a large proportion of them being those who had been led to identify the Baron’s cause with the cause of freedom of speech, and were prepared to stand by him on that account. There was also a numerous body of Irish present, who, on the arrival of the lecturer, succeeded in obtaining a good position immediately in front of the platform, and some of them even mixed with the baron’s supporters, on the platform. The proceedings, however, were conducted in a tolerably orderly fashion for seme time. The chairman (Mr. Jno. Schofield, one of the secretaries of the Temperance Society), was permitted, without interruption, to make some remarks in introducing the Baron to the meeting, and the Baron had got to some length in his in vectives against Popery, and the convent system, wThen hubbub arose in front of the platform. A man named Bartholomew Callan, jumped on to the platform, and after some struggling. dragged the chairman off into the crowd, where he was severely cut with sharp stones on the head and face. He was speedily rescued, and conveyed to the surgery of Mr. Parkinson, where his wounds were attended to. In a few minntes after the chairman had fallen the Baron himself was also dragged into the crowd, and his fate would probably have been more serious than that of Mr. Schofield if the Mayor and Chief Constable had not at this juncture interfered, and taken the Baron into their care. As it was, he received several wounds in the face, and lost a considerable quantity of blood. A strong body of police now appeared on the scene, and Callan was taken into custody, he being in imminent danger from the fury of the crowd. Another Irishman and three Irishwomen were arrested on the charge of throwing stones. The Baron was also escorted to the police station, where his injuries were looked to. Apparently judging that all was over, the policemen now retired, and the crowd took advantage of their absence to inflict summary chastisement on several Irishmen who still lingered on the spot. Some one proposed an attack on Mount St. Marie’s Roman Catholic Chapel. An immediate rush was made thither, and in a very short time nearly 400 panes of glass were smashed in the windows of the chapel and schools. The damage thus done is estimated at £15. A fierce fight here arose between the attacking party and the Irish, in which the latter were worsted. The arrival of the police a second time restored order, and a young man named John Fowler Lumb was taken into custody for breaking windows. The streets continued in an excited state for the remainder of the evening, and on Sunday large crowds collected in the neighbourhood of the Roman Catholic chapel and the Parish Church. The latter edifice was deemed to be in danger in consequence of the Irish threatening retaliation.—On Monday, at the Court House, Lumb was fined £1, and expenses lls., for being concerned in the window breaking ; and Callan was sentenced to one month’s hard labour, for his share in the riot. The other prisoners were discharged. The town has continued in a disturbed state during the week, the police, apprehensive of further riots, having been on duty in reserve night and day; and yesterday Friday) large bills were posted, announcing that the Baron will lecture this (Saturday afternoon, in the same place as last week.
Newspaper Details
Leeds Intelligencer
Leeds, West Yorkshire, GB
Sat, Sep 20, 1862
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Heart T.
JM 27 Jul 2023
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