LIVERPOOL SECT RIOTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 647, 26 October 1909, Page 5

LIVERPOOL SECT RIOTS.

V "PASTOR" ,WISB CHOOSES GAOL. : , (By 'Tolegraph'-Press;','Assoc'!atlon-7Copj'rlg)it.l ) .:..-.'.--. ,- ■■■ ■;;-,- »■ London,-' October .24;..'-: ." Pastor '!.. George Wise has begun to.scrve a terui of-four months' imprisonment at Liverpool for. ; his refusal torgive,;surct) r to,refrain from holding his Bible-'elass parades, which led; to. some;. rioting- recently.: ■'. ;'.;"',-' . >''■ ■.'•;■" ...Sixty thousand Protestants ; accompaniod Mr.JVise to the gaol gates.' ■'■■ '■!''.-V: "'-.".-'■■ ' ;THE CASE •OF Mfi,V WISE-;. '; ■The.riot in Liverpool;iiv : 'Juno.:arose .out. of tho opposition of Orangemen ,to a Roman Catholio procession, which was ■ abandoned at the request of the police.- The-riot nevertheless eventuated, and v Tho Times" thus reports thosubsequentcourt proceedings: "Four leaders of tho Orange party, named James Holden, Alexander Cotter, Jnbn Walker, and John Tanner, were charged in Liverpool with inciting to disorder during' the faction.riot on Sunday, Juno 20. Fortyrtwo oth,or, prisoners were charged with riotous conduct.. The Stipendiary at first said he felt disposed to 6Cnd the principal defendants to the assizes in order ,that they might havoisuch a lesson that similar disgraceful l scenes would not'ocou.r for a generation, :but, aftor. hearing tho evidence; which showed that • the, Orangemen -had some gi'ound for Relieving that emblems would be carlried in a Roman Catholic-procession despite a promise given to "the pofice, he bound tnem over to keep the peaco for sfc months,They promised to do their'utmost t<) prevent further disorder. In cases' of.'personal- violence fines wcrcimposcd, and ono man who struck the horses of tho mounted police with a heavy ; bar and attempted to strike : a sergeant with the bar, was cent to gaol for sis months." - ■'.- .

On August 10 Mr. George Wi6o, known as Pastor Wisa, tha Liverpool Protestant leader, was ordered to giro personal surety that he would be of Rood behaviour far twelve, months, in dofanlt four months' imprisonment. Mr. Wise refused to give tho surety, and refused, to' discontinue his Bible-class parades. .On Aiigust ; 18 ho was released own rocognisanco pending an appeal against his conviction/Then, an now, a crowd of many; thonsnwls awaited. Mr. Wiso at Walton Gaol, and when he emerged ho was received with frantio cheers, A jubilant throng, followed him all the. way to the reformer's chnrch; whore.Mr; Wise ministers. Ho declared that he was "will, inn to serve the four months' imprisonment rather than betray • the cause of Protestantism." In the course.of tho' court proceedings, on August 13, Mr. Justice Hamilton asked why Mr. Wise could not enter into his own surety toltoop tho peace. Mr. F. B; Smith, K.C.i He might seem to bo making sonio admission that ha was doing what he ought 'not to have done. Today's cablegram indicates! that Mr. Wipe's appeal has failed, and that Jio is to. sorvo his four months'' sentence .:' '...'.:.; -..v.', ■'.'-;.,'