"Scoutling."

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 19 February 1891, Page 3

"Scoutling."

A Mbii exiratirdiiiary. base has been tried at the Manchester City Sessions. Five men, or rather lads, were in the dock charged with " scut* tling," aod the recorder and jury appeared to be perfectly familiar with tbe offence. For tile benefit 0 ( those who" dwell in tne' outlying parts of civilisation, it may be Stated that " scuttling is a north country variety of the Malayan diversion known as running amuck. One Sunday four at least of the prisoners, arming themselfds with belts and olasp knives, made their way through the Manchester streets, stunning or stabbing without provocation, everyone who came in their way. They stabbed one man so badly that he would have died but for the forethought of a bystailder in thrusting a handkerchief into his gaping wound. They slashed out the eye of another, and altogether left the marks of their dreadful handiwork on as many as five persons. This is "scuttling" and it is a Fabbath evening diversion in Manchester The recorder who tried the case alluded to it as an enormity perfectly well known, and expressed his regret that the severe measures of repression hitherto adopted had proved ineffectual. He accordingly sentenced four of the prisoners, who were found guilty, to terms of penal servitude, or of imprisonment, ranging from five years to ?ix months. The state of public feeling on the subject may be shown by the fact that tbe jury pleaded for thft utmost se verify of punishment, and suggested an application of the cat. The recorder intimated that he would willingly have ordered that infliction if the law had given him the power. This is "scuttling " in an Eng'ish c'tv in 1890, year of grace. If it were called by some other name and were done in Darkest Africa, we should know what to think of it, and of the Africans. And — too sad to say— • as a think, in contradistinction to a name, it is not peculiar Manchester. Birmingham could match these ruffians with the wretches that haunt the purlieus of her music halls. London has its " Lisson-grove gnng." Tt should make us all feel very humble to think how little, with the best will in the world, we are able to do. — Daily News.