MELBOURNE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XII, Issue 536, 23 December 1867, Page 1

MELBOURNE.

FULL DETAILS OF THE MURDEROUS OUTRAGE IN STEPHENSSTREET. (From tbeArsus)

Oxe of those barbarous outrages which are engendered by religious rancour and intolerance, and which leave a stain of ignominy attached to the community among which they are fostered, occurred in Stephcn-st last evening. The following are the most trustworthy details which could be collected from among innumerable and conflicting rumours of the origin of the occurrence. During the recent illuminations the members of the metropolitan Orange lodges displayed a large transparency of King William 111. in front of the Protestant Hull. On one side of the centre piece liritannia was represented, and on the other Victoria, with the motto, "This will we maintain.” The exhibition appears to have caused considerable annoyance to an opposite set of faclionists, and threats were openly expressed yesterday that if the obnoxious decoration was not quietly removed it would be forcibly torn down in I the evening. About half-past nine o'clock last evening a crowd of young men and boys assembled at a corner of the Eastern market, immediately fronting the Protestant Hall Threats were repeated respecting the decoration, which remained un touched in its original position. After a while the crowd commenced singing “ I’In; Wearing of the Green,” and other Lish party songs, in full chorus. The excite mont of the occasion evidently mastered the common sense and forbearance of a portion of those assembled, for before the conclusion of the song already referred to, a volley of stones was directed against the hall, without causing other damage than a va"hng on the. roe!. One ol the front i windows of the building, that next to Little Collins street, was almost instantly tin-own up, and a volley of firearms dLcharged amongst the crowd. The surprise and horror manifested by the occurrence of this unlocked-fo- event was broken bv groans and cries of distress. A proposal was made by an individual in the crowd to set fire to the hall, but the increased wailing of anguish from those who had suffere > by the discharge of firearms seemed to have subdued all notions of retaliation for the time. Foremost amongst the suffering was a boy about nine years of age, who had received a frightful wound in tl;e mouth The poor child lay bleeding and insensible on the Hags. Another, a young man named John Kano, aged 27 years, residing in Little Bourko-strcet, received a discharge of slugs in tho right temple and right side of the head ; he was also insensible, but not bleeding so copiously as the little boy. A. third person, named John Youlden, a res-pectable-looking young man of about. 10 years, residing in Royal-terrace, Nicholson street, received a severe wound in the right knee, and flesh wounds in the stomach, where the slugs or shot had grazed it. The sufferers were quickly placed in a cab, and removed to the hospital. By this time the police bad arrived, and the crowd increased to about two thousand persons. Efforts were made by the constables to force the front door of the Protestant Hall, but without success. This circumstance may be accounted for by the fact that the building was erected at a period when party feeling and religious intolerance were by no means unusual in the colony, and its construction was rendered almost bombproof. Constable Hilford, of the Richmond i j police, was proceeding along Little Collins- 1 istreet to reconnoitre for the possibility of 1 effecting a back entrance, when he observed! a man in tho act of scaling the wall which j runs along that side of the hall. The ma-i; jumped into the street, and at once bolted, into the Blue Bell Hotel, where the con-j stable followed and arrested him. Ho gave i the name of Joseph Hines, and said he; worked in a coal yard. He conducted himself in a wild and ferocious manner,! and shouted for “King Billy.” During! his passage to the lock-up bo had to eel completely surrounded by constables, in order to shield him from the fury of tho vast multitude, which was being constantly augmented. Every effort was resorted to by the police to restrain the crowd from some dreadful act of violence. Only one prevailing sentiment seemed to exist, and that was to storm and fire the building. , Eventually the door was forced, but the ruffians who bad been tho chief actors in the above scene had managed to escape. In a room of the ball were found two loaded rifles, uncapped, which appeared to have recently been discharged ; also, a i horse-pistol and a pocket pistol. Pre viously to entering the building, the police ! were compelled to exercise some severity ' in self-defence. The excited and disap- ! pointed feelings of the crowd were rapidly I diverted into another channel, and an in-

discriminate rush for the city winvJnuise' at once commenced. In the course of half-an-hour the police succeeded in arresting the following persons : —Timothy Eravrighl, 17 years, laborer, Roman Caiiiohc, charged im'li assaulting and obstructing the police in the execut ion of their duty; William Stackwcll. It) vears. tailor. Homan Catholic ; and Wm. Frenchman*

an need man. Each of these persons loudly protested his innocence. Enwrighl kept stamping about the watclihome floor, lustily bellowing, “Oh, murder, what’ll my mother siy -when she sei s my mime in I the papers?” Frenchman remained re- i served and sullen There were no firearms i or missiles of any- kind found upon the mem A young man who accompanied jKane to the huspita, said he saw a bootj maker named Clarke, of Little Collins-st., with a cun in his hand. A second rumor jconm cled with this sad occurrence represents that a green flag which had been 'exhibited at St, Patrick’s Hall on Monday ] evening, had been torn by a section of the. Orange parly, and that the threats which; hud been repeated in the market were prompted by motives of retaliation. However true this may be, it cannot be entertained as an extenuating plea on cither side. The lamentable fact that a spirit of j brutal ignorance, based on intolerance and |fanaticism, is silently nurtured within the city, has been laid bare, and it is to be hoped that the adoption of stringent measures will speedily press it out.