GREAT BARRIER RIOTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2407, 23 January 1909, Page 12 (Supplement)

GREAT BARRIER RIOTS.

POLICE KEEP 3,000 MINERS- AT BAY. Mob Rule Decisively. Defeated. Wild. Scenes of Disorder by Frenzied, Yelling’ Crowds,

THE TEST, WHO IS TO RULE? TREMENDOUS UPHEAVAL. The. inevitable happened- the other day, and in short order tho question was settled as - to who should h ave charge of Broken Hill—the authorities or the miners. There was no help for it. The temper of tho town was such that tho matter had to be fought out sooner or ..later; and it is perhaps just as well that it avia's settled when it was.

Tho moment was charged with tho ugliest possibilities—it only needed some injudicious action on tho part of the minors or police to precipitate grim trouble. The two still lines of constables remained at the end of Sul-phide-street, though it was plainly evident the men were anxious - for mi order that would send them round tho Hippodrome at the corner into the developing storm in Crystalstreet. 'Only a few —more than m dozen—were - despatched, however, and these took up their positions on either side of the road, just as the advance troopers reached the Hippodrome.

There was a widespread impression among the men that tho police were to some oxtent. a quantity that on occasion might be disregarded. Such an impression was naturally pregnant with trouble. As a-matter of fact, on Monday tho whole of Inspector Roche’s, detachment of police were garrisoning the -Proprietary mine, leaving only 30 in tho town, who were divided into day and night shifts. #So- that even outsiders must realise-on these figures that much the blame that lias been laid upon the shoulders of* the police in regard to Monday’s episode is wholly misplaced, especially in view of the feet that the Proprietary officials insisted on leaving the mine without police protection. ' They, it appears, seemed to regard a police escort as somewhat undignified, and at the same time relied on the undertaking given bv the union officials that they would he given a safe passage through the-picket lines. The full details of Monday’s affair ham. not been -published —the methods of the unruly section of the crowd on that day were more brutal than has appeared in the .reports —- and the fact that the perpetrators of the outrages have gone absolutely scathless so far lias been responsible for the dangerous impression indicated. Gradually the feeling spread among the miners that they, were masters of the situation, and in the circumstances it was inevitable that their minds should be disabused" on t-bat score. On their own initiative to-day tlie- matter was placed beyond doubt, and incidentally Broken Hill witnessed a series of the most exciting and critical .scenes of its by no means peaceful history. ✓ PRELUDE TO.THE STORM. PROVISIONS FOR THE MINE. DEMONSTRATION AGAINST TROOPERS. About 2 o’clock on Sunday afternoon tho concentration of over 100 police at tho Sulphide-street entrance to the mine under Superintendents Johnston and Mitchell and Inspector Trenchurd, indicated that something stirring was afoot,- and the usual crowd gathered in the vicinity quickly swelled to considerable proportions. Tlic constabulary kept the roadway absolutely clear, land the sight of tho open track to tho mine strongly guarded strung curiosity to concert pitch. Presently a ,troop of 21 mounted men swung round into Sulphidestreet from Argent-street. It was fcho first occasion on which .such a troop had.appeared in the street, and its advent evoked a storm of hooting. The cavalcade trotted up to the Proprietary office and disappeared from view, oniiy to reappear in a short while disposed about' a trolly driven by a mine official and carrying a detachment of foot police. The sight of the mine official roused a section of the crowd remarkably,'and tlii-s, together with tho general disapproval of the mounted police, was responsible for a heightened demonstration sas the curious little .procession made its way up from Sulphide-street and disappeared in the direction of the railway station. There was nothing but hooting, however,' .and the police in the roadway keeping the crowd far hack there was no suggestion of violence. But it was. now .apparent to all that an attempt was to be made to take in a load of provisions to the big mine, and tho air rapidly became surcharged with the suggestion of trouble. The crowd waxed in strength as time wore ou, and by 3 o’clock there must have been 4000 or 5000 people wedged (along the footways on either side of -Sulphide-street and massed to the right and left of that thoroughfare in Crystal-street. Additional squads of police arrived, and, with their .fellows made two stalwart lines, keeping open tho way across Crystal-street to tho mine.

It was at this point that the onlookers from the packed balconies in Argent-stroet noted an ominous bluegrey curve described in tlie air, and a huge stone landed with -a crash among tho police on the_ lorry. It proved the -spark in the mine. in a few seconds great pieces of hkiemetal were falling like some .abnormal hail among the troopers land on the vehicle. And, the yelilings and bootings of the men swelled to a very tornado of sound. Tho crowd seemed to have lost its head, and it was realised at once that the looked-for crisis had larrived. The packed mass that flanked Argent-street shook and swayed. But the police held their line firm&and still tho road showed a cleared way to the mine, though no use was being made of it. In tlie meantime the lorry, and its escort, a moving target for showers of missiles, pushed on to the junction of Crystal and Argent streets, .and swinging to the left turned up to the mine. It was an astounding test of discipline. The troopers looked neither to tho .right nor to tho left, hut, sitting their startled horses like centaurs/ rode straight aliea.d. Several were hit by flying pieces of rock, and a. viciously-flung bottle missed by a hair’s-brgadth the officer in charge, Senior-Constable Eg.ir. But tlie business in hand was to get that lorry on to tho mine, and they got it there. Quite as remarkable .was the demeanour of the-squad of police sitting on tho vehicles. For in tho face of a hair-raising fusilade, with no means of defence, they stuck to their charge without flinching. The offiio.il. too r who drove —probably the most hated man in Broken Hill to-day in consequence of his exploit—was a monument of restraint as he sat placidly smoking throughout the turmoil. As soon 'as the trolly had turned up to the mine the squad, of police in Crystal-street shot out in a line, .and barred the thoroughfare to the following mob. - The stones continued to fly, hud it was only now that the police had a change to identify .some of the throwers. Cue great chunk of metal struck a constable in the side with a concussion that would be 'heard yards away. “'Arrest that man,’' cried Superintendent Johnston, pointing out a man in the crowd. A couple of constables immediately darted in, and in a second a violent struggle, was in. progress, the prisoner resisting vigorously, assisted hv lus lei-, lows: In the melee a policeman mis sovcrelv kicked in the groin, and lie dropped, and it was with the greatest difficulty that Superintendent- Johnston kept the crowd from him till he regained bis feet. .Eventually the first prisoner was hauled a little apart from the crowd, and though he continued to struggle with the utmost violence was handcuffed. But in the meantime other arrests wore in progress. Tlie little force of police was° augmented, and a grim scrimmage ensued, the .police operations being directed by Superintendents Johnston and Mitchell and Inspectors Miller, Ti'encliard, and Sawtell. The crowd had now poured out over the intersection of Crystal and Sulphide streets, and with a fairly general move of the police towards the scene of .action the latter tlioioughfare immediately became a dense pack of cheering and hooting men, several thousands strong. This crowd lav directly in the track of the police to the station, and though the two or three prisoners secured were still struggling mightily and frequent efforts at rescue were made, the biggest task of the polico lay ahead. But it was not merely a matter of getting their men to tho station. It ivas a question of showing that crowd which by now was in tlie ugliest of tempers, that it could nob take command of the streets. And as the constables in. charge of the prisoners slowly for#d L’.-Jr way towards tho station the rest of the • police sot about quietening the mob and dealing with the more violent spirits hi it. . ~ , This led to another senes ot wild scrimmages in which the constables worked for the most part individually, and resulted in eight or nine arrests. Although they wore less than 200 amid a surging crowd of five or six thousand, the polico made no pretenco at’ light play. And those interfering with arrests were dealt, out summary punishment for'their pains It was typical of tho most effective work o.f the city men whenever very serious business was in hand. - And it was certainly not relished by the country crowd. One or two miners, boasting as many inches as tlie average constable, showed vicious fight. But the Ju-jitsu methods of some of the constables astounded them, as well as amused sonic of tlio onlookers. One of tho sights of the day was a policeman marching a burly but agonised minor off to jaol with no other grip than a single handful of loose flesh below his left ear,, while he fought his way with, the other -hand. A number of constables in. plain clothes did magnificent work, and here again the city methods soonnonplussed the crowd. The effect of a violently hooting hum suddenly finding himself being marched _ off in the grip of an inoffensive-loolring. neighbor had a salutary effect on the others. , , In a little over TO minutes, though a good deal buffeted en route, the police safely landed their original pri-

THE RiOT. THE POLICE STONED. SEVERAL ARRESTS. COOL CONDUCT OF THE CONSTABULARY. At a quarter past 3 the echo of hooting coming in an ominous murmur from far down Argent-street told that the provisions were on their way to .the mine, and heightening of the already tense excitement -was apparent in that the distant murmur seemed to como from farther east. The sound was beaten Hack from the towering dumps of the Proprietory, and it was realised that instead of coming along Argent-street to Sul-phide-strect the lorry and its escort had gono down Drcmido-street, and was coming. up Crystal-street. .The crowd on the -south side of Sulphidestreet swayed, then broke, and a rush was m/ado across a vacant section to Crystal-street. 13v the time the leading troopeis horses appeared Crystal-street was packed by what fan bo described Ah no more fitting language than a howtincr mob. The crowd yelled m angry derision at the .troopers,,, hurled imprecations -.at the head of the stolid official who sat smoking on the trolly, and jeered the foot constables disposed about the vehicle.

soners at the station, together with tlioso which had .been gathered in the nieitntinie. And by this time, although every now and again a hurst of local hooting would arise hero and there, the crowd, ' more than conscious of the constabulary, scattered throughout its mass, and the mounted men who had now returned from the mine, and iwero parading the streets, seemed to havo accepted the inevitable and quietened down. The polico Ihad won the first argument with a good deal to spare. Although, as mentioned above, they made no pretence at dealing gently with those who needed stern treatment, still, they kept tlieir heads m •a striking manner. The wonderful coolness of their superior officers must have been in some part responsible for this, especially in view of the bitter tauiits that have continually been hurled at the police by the miners and their leaders throughout the trouble. On one or two occasions, when things looked blackest for the uniformed men, who were lacing such a tremendous crowd, to a man in bitter antagonism to them iaiul ail they represented, it looked absolutely certain that some of the younger, constables must lose tlieir heads, and turned the affair into even, more gi icily tragic lines than it was pursuing. But through their wholo critical episode there were only at most a couple of instance when policemen, drew revolvers, though in neither ease die they use them, the exhortations o> tlieir comrades persuaded them to return the firearms to the customary places. One instance occurred at the outset when a constable, while facing the crowd, amid a perfect hail of flying road metal, received an .unmerciful blow from a great piece of rock : .and when he felt his strength leaving him as a result of the blow, and tlie miners pressing on him, he drew his revolver, and levelled it at the foremost striker, It is alleged that later another constable, temporarily isolated, and hard pressed, produced his revolver. But this report is doubtful, and in any case, as indicated, no shots were fired. Beyond these two the police in every instance dealt with the moil with their bauds. And although some were later ordered to use them none in this particular melee even drew his baton. THE SECOND OUTBREAK. CHALLENGE OF THE PICKET. TOM MANN ARRESTED. * POLICE USE BATONS FREELY. Although a big crowd remained in the vicinity of the junction of Argent and Sulphide streets, matters remained comparatively- quiet until 4 o’clock, the time for the change of the strikers’ pickets. Usually the picket procession, headed by a band and a couple of leaders of tho men, comprises little more than sufficient men to re-man the picket posts, -although their progress around the lease is generally followed by a considerable crowd, who do not march with them. But to-day tho picket change was turned into a demonstration in force. The procession, which was played down Sulphide-street by a massed hand, was headed by -Messrs Tom Mann, Nulty (president of the A.M.'.V.), Harrington (assistant secretary of the combined unions), and Rosser (of the socialist group), and comprised 2000 or 3000 marching men. In anticipation of further trouble the polic'o again lined the east end of Sulphide-street,' and formed a cordon across that thoroughfare just within the boundary of the .Proprietary lease. Hitherto the Sulphidestreet picket has been stationed actually on the lease, a few yards from the boundary. But after the experience of an bour ago the polico bad evidently determined to allow no one on the lease until matters had quietened down again. The constabulary numbers bad been augmented by a couple of dozen men, who had come down from the mine, under Inspector Roche. Superintendent Johnston was busy with official reports of tlic*previous occurrence, and (Superintendent Mitchell was in charge, having with him, besides Inspector lloclie, Inspectors Miller, Trencherd, and ■Sawtell.

When it became known that the picket change was on its way, the crowd .again swelled to great proportions, and every balcony and window that commanded a view of Sulphidestreet was packed with people. It was felt- that tlio men might make a filial hid for supremacy. As the pro-’ cession crossed Argent-street to the accompaniment of stirring strains from the band, and beneath the red banner bearing the strange device, “The World for tho Workers of the World,” the dense crowd parted for it to pass, and cheered it mightily. Mr Tom Mann was in the very forefront, marching with his head thrown hack, and now land anon waving his hat to friends in the crowd. He walked straight towards Superintendent Mitchell, and, when only three paces separated them, a- tense silence fell suddenly upon the crowd. Every aletail of the episode was being watched with nervous interest. Another couple ot steps, until the Superintendent, pointing to the cleared ways up and down Crystal-street, said very quietly, “Either to the right or tho left, Mr Mann. ’ Ala nil took a couple of paces to tho wight, then, avowing his intention of going right on. turned towards tlio lease again. Superintendent (Mitchell u as at once in front of him, and seemed to he quietly, edging him aside. But Mann tried to force his way forward, and Inspector Trenchard, stepping up, put his arm across Mann’s chest, and, catching hold of his far shoulder, pressed liis head hack with his foiearm. Mann struggled slightly, but in an instant half a dozen constables had pounced upon him, and were heading statiomvards through „the crowd, with him in custody. Maun had often declared that tlie polico dared not arrest him, and lie certainly seemed to expect a big attempt at his rescue. But for a moment everyone soemed too dumbfounded at the quick turn of cv.ents to move, (and the police were now vigorously at work forcing-the crowd back! 'One constable took possession of the 'banner with the strange device. But just' then- the crowd seemed-to have awakened to the tul import of the moment, and once more it broke into a hooting, yelling Iui 3. There was ia surge towards Mann ana liis captors, and in the new-born excitement of the moment the Manner was retaken and .brandished aloft. The police continued the work they had begun among the men, and it

soon ran tho gamut from hustling to scuffling. .And then blows were freely exchanged* in many quarters. For >.l while the wildest disorder seemed, to prevail-.' Throughout the crowd the white helmets oh the police indicated innumerable little storm centres, while hero and there a whirling turmoil uurelievod by white showed where a man ip-plain clothes was giving a very rough kind of surprise party of his own. The whole melee was accompanied by a din of cheers and hoots from the crowd that was well nigh deafening. But however disorderly the whole thing .appeared, tho police were working on a plan. Tlie scrimmages went on till tlieyl were satisfied that they had dealt with many of the more prominent of the unruly spirits, and had gleaned during the turmoil useful information about'many more. And then those with prisoners gradually asserted themselves. Presently a big squad of police was marching solidly to the station with its charges. The banner that had figured so prominently at t'lxe outset ended up i'tv ther igiiominiously, for the police early .recaptured it;' and, separating tho poles, used them to belabor any recaleitrtant socialist that showed fi>dit. All attempts to rescue Mann were promptly and effectively dealt with. But when the word passed round that lie was hopelessly gone, the crowd gained an excess ol rage,, and an ugly looking rush was made towards tlie station. The police ondelivered to dour the lootp x ll l by ilu usual methods, and, as these did not succeed, a fresh marched out of the station yard with 'batons drawn. And for live minutes there was dire trouble abroad for the miners who refused to get out oi the way. ~ , | The now thoroughly aroused croud forced the rest of the police to draw their batons, and the most violent excitement continued for song; Erne. Every now and anon a dust begrimed policeman would emerge irom the press with a kicking, struggling captive. , . .. ~ Perhaps the coolest man in all ttiac wild scene was Superintendent Mitchell himself, as he made his way here and there among lus men. He was mostly concerned with directing affairs. But sometimes 1m personally attended to little matters «it hand. On one occasion an arresting constable was struck a terrific blow on the face by a bystander, and he mane as if to repeat the performance. But Superintendent .Mitchell's buntiug crop came so smartly down upon the back of ‘his neck thnt the man fell like a log. The police themselves were not altogether enamoured of the idea of having to draw batons. Most' of them preferred to carry on as they had ’begun —with their hands. One, indeed, in response to a taunt from an angry miner, created an incident that will remain a tradition in Broken Hill for all time. He was not as big as the miner, and the latter had called him several kinds of coward, for using tho stick. The policeman turned to him and said, “•just: stand there a moment.” He slipped his baton hack into its place, and then promptly gave the big miner a handling that will he physically impossible for him to forget for quite a little time.

But by this time there wore very many sore heads in the crowd from those terribly active batons. Inspector Roche had passed the word round that any man creating a disturbance by hooting should be arrested. It only needed this order to be carried out a couple of times, and a remarkable quietness fell upon the greater portion of the rapidly thinning crowd, and soon all signs of disturbance were at an end. POLICE INTERVIEWED. A LIVELY SCRIMMAGE. . When seen after the trouble Superintendent _ Mitchell said": “Yes; it was a lively scrimmage. But wo were prepared. Some of our men were hurt, but none seriously. I advised Mann to lead liis procession either way along Crystal-ilane. and for the moment I thought he would do so. Then ho changed his mind, and when he tried to force bis way past, we had to act.” Superintendent Johnston said: “You see now why we could not act on Monday. With the handful'of men I had then everyone of them would have been killed by the crowd. To-dav was warm enough. But wo had tho men. I think our fellows acted with commendable forbearance. The mounted men especially showed wonderful tact in the face of provocation. I told them not to let themselves oet out of hand, and they did not. We had to show wlMt authority was, and we did so.”