STREET SCENE IN MELBOURNE.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 21 December 1881, Page 2

STREET SCENE IN MELBOURNE.

« The larrikins of Melbourne are proverbial in the Colonies for their brutality find utter disregard of the law. and hardly a week passes without one or more outrageous cases o' violence beinpr reported in the local papers. The following from the Age of November 21. is one of many instances of the kind : — A desperate encounter too!? pi. -ice on Salurdiy evening, at the corner of Pourke and vSwanston str. et?, between the police an"! n. crowd which wns trying to sescue \\vo prisoners whom C^nfetables

Tratt nud Paice li.ul ia custody. I'he constables arrested Iho men for .fitting opposite (he Cclosseuir, when some persons in the crowd meted tljß prisoners to resisr, and assisted (hem by kicking the police* men. In a little while a krgo cou* course of idlers and passers [y gathered and pressed hard on tht> constables, who were tumbled about in a fashion, nnd r.HMg of tha prisoners escaped. Sjaior-coaatabla Miwhiener. win was passing at ILo time in plain clothes, immediately went to his comrade's assistance, aud being a powerful man, he soon hand* cuffed the prisoner and kept the crowd at bay. The number*, however, increased to such an extent, that vehicular traffic w.i-i stopped for the time ; several of the crowd tried ia every <vay to rescue the prisoner. A civilian, however, dashed through tho crowd, and with his stick kept it back and some c->n<*tables on other beats, hearing of the fi^ht, arrived on t><> scene. The prisoner was placed in \ cab, together with one of the. crowd who had been actve id hi* attempt %o «escue the prisoner, ai;<i was conveyed to the watchhouse. Tin manner in which the mnj mty of liin crowd behaved was disgraceful, several men respectably J.'essod, being conspicuous in hooting the" police, and throwing every obstacle iv their wav to prevent the constables t>o n taking away the prisoners: