A SINGULAR ENTHUSIAST.
A London paper of Dec-mber 5 records the following : — "Ywstorday afte'noon shortly after 2 o'clock, a m^st uiugu «r eoeuo took place m frout cf ht Mttniu's Vestry ha!'j which ia m close proximity to Trafalgar fcquare. An appar ntly respeotable young man of about 30 y< ars of age was Been carrying several y*rds of Iron chains, and proc c id to th tront (if the Vestry hall, nhioh is protected by some strong iron palings. The man was named Harding, and he adopted a moat extraordinary mod* of showing hip views is a " peaceful Anorchi t." He was accompanied by a f fiend who set to work jn a very busine^s-lik-* way and chained him to the iron palings. The chaia was passed over his shoulders, down hia middle, through his lefts, and finally the ends were twisted round iiis wrists and locked, Theße singular proce- dings for a time only attracted the att ntion of a few pafcseis by ; but a member of tbe E division po'ica came up and asked the meuri g of what was going on. '* Snrely you are out ©f your mind," Baid Sergeant 11 B. <( ( h no, I'm not, said "arding, "I c tme here from a sense of duty, toprotestagainst the way the rights of Englishmen are being taken away. I bs*e done this to lHa«trate how ttogliahmen ate being o' alned. My ol jeotls to give yon tome idea of the principles of peaoeinl anwoblsm." The police-it rk:e*nt told Harding tb»t he was obstructing tbe roadway, and he would have to remove him. " That you may do," replied HardIn? "If you oan." The orowd wore In tamely amused at the difficult position ia wbioh the police found themselves, for on their endeavoring to remove the chains they founi they were moat firmly fastened, and Harding took advantage of the oppornufty to expound bis view*, Tbeiergeant shook thechalos, and bn-nqht from Htrdlng the obiervxtioa, "Your object Is to hurt me ;" *bd this oaused a few la the crowd to shout, " Doot hurt him." Httding, seeing he had some few sympathisers \n the orowd. laid he par* ticolnrlr asked the at'ention of thosi greientto wbat w»s going on* Tbe police continued tbe-r effitts to try and sever Bardlng's chain?, and after a short time they forced one part of the ohaia over the top of the palings, whereupon Harding said he would undo the other port, and the key was searohed for with which to open the lock. Harding said he would address the crowd whllo the p-l'ce were releasing him He said the f QTernmant was tyranny ; popular governm iVt wab no less a tyrar ny than any other The polioe told him he must desist from speaking, and Harding Ki(d that If tbe (ady who resided nt the oute to wblch the palings were aliened tola him to go away he vnuld do so. The look was at last opened, and the chains were removed from Harding, who ex* qlaimed, " Mind I don't give In. Understaaci that I am ready to die for free spefoh with a smile on my face.*' He was ihaD t^ken Into custody by Sergeant X 11, and Police Gonatabie E 342, and removed to Btw street poiloe station. An* other officer followed carrying tbe chains H*rdlng"> friend also want to tru station, sta>|6git was his intention to offer ball fjr hia.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AG18880206.2.20.2
Bibliographic details
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Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1759, 6 February 1888, Page 3
Word count
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569A SINGULAR ENTHUSIAST. Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1759, 6 February 1888, Page 3
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