WILD BATTLE WITH POLICE.

Shannon News, 2 December 1924, Page 1

WILD BATTLE WITH POLICE.

CONSTABLES DRAW BATONS. DRUNKEN GUEST’S ARREST. Extraordinary scenes attending the celebration of a wedding at Liverpool were described at an inquest held last month on the death of John Gaffney, the bride’s father, who was arrested following an affray with the police. It was stated that pictures and furniture were hurled out of the house on to the street on to the heads of the oonstables. The mother of the bride wrenched off the bedroom window and threw that at the policemen. Several guests ran out and attacked the police with pokers; while the bride’s father, using a steel fire stool, injured several policemen before he was arrested. The trouble, according to the police, began when they arrested one of the guests for being drunk and riotous in the street. The other guests immediately rushed out of the house to the rescue. The policeman was kicked and fell. While he was on the ground he blew his whistle and other constables quickly rushed to the scene. They were confronted by a hostile crowd of about 300 people. “We had to draw our batons and strike out," said one police officer, "or we should have been killed.” Gaffney, who was a dock labourer, aged 51, received a baton blow on the head during the struggle. He died oi septicaemia in the prison hospital while undergoing a term of imprisonment. The jury found that the wound on the head had no connection with fits death. They exonerated the police from all blame, stating that “the police acted properly in view of the extraordinary circumstances.” The Coroner: “I entirely agree." WANT TO BE ONE OF OUR £5 TO £2O A WEEK MEN AND WOMEN?