MURDEROUS OUTRAGE IN STEPHEN STREET.

Southland Times, Issue 864, 13 December 1867, Page 2

MURDEROUS OUTRAGE IN STEPHEN STREET.

(From the Argus, 28th November.) One of those barbarous outrages which are engendered by religious rancour and intolerance, and which leave a sfcain of ignomy attached to the community among which they are fostered, occurred in Ste-phen-street, last evening. The following are the most trustworthy details which could be collected from among innumerable and conflicting rumors ot the origin of the occurrence. During the recent illuminations, fche members of the metropolitan Orange lodges displayed a large transparency of King William ill. infront of the Protestant-hall. On one side of the centre piece Britannia 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 factionists, and threats were openly expressed yesterday that if the obnoxious decoration was not quietly removed, it would be forcibly torn down in the evening. About half-past nine o'clock last evening, a crowd of young men and boys assembled at the corner of the Eastern . Market, immediately fronting the Protestant hall. Threats were repeated respecting the decoration, which remained untouched in its original position. After a while the crowd commenced singing " The "Wearing of the Green," and other Irish party songs in full chorus.; The excitement of the occasion evidently mastered the common sense and forbearance of a portion of those assembled, for before the conclusion of the song referred|:o, a volley of stones was directed against the hall, without causing other damage than a rattling on the roof. One of the front windows of the building, that next to Little Collins-street, was almost instantly raised, and a volley from firearms discharged amongst the crowd. The surprise and horror manifested by the occurrence of this unlooked-for event was broken by groans and cries of distress. A proposal was made by an' individual in the crowd to set fire to the hall, but the increased wailings of anguish from those who had suffered by the discharge of firearms, seemed to have subdued all notions of retaliation for the time. Foremost amongst the sufferers was a boy about nine years of age, who had received a frightful wound in the mouth. The poor child lay bleeding and insensible on the flags. Another young man, named John Kane, aged twentyseven years, residing in Little Bourkestreet, received a discharge of slugs in the 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 Toulden, a respectable looking young man of about sixteen years, residing in Royal-terrace, Nichol-son-street, received a severe ' wound in the right knee, and flesh wounds in the stomach, where the slugß or shot had grazed it. The sufferers were quickly placed in a cab and removed to the hospital. By this time the police had 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 maybe 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 bomb-proof."Constable Hilford, of the Richmond police, was proceeding along Little Collins-street to reconnoitre for the possibility of effecting a back entrance, when he observed a man in the act of scaling the wall which runs along that side of the hall. The man jumped into the street, and at once bolted into the Blue Bell Hotel, where the constable followed, and arrested him. He gave 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 he had to be completely surrounded by constables, in order to shield him from the fury of the 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 had been the chief actors in the above scene had managed^© escape. In a room of the hall were found two loaded rifles, uncapped, which appeared to have recently been discharged ; -also, a horse-pistol and a pocket-pistol. Previously to entering the building, the police were compelled to exercise some severity in self-defence. The excited and disappointed feelings of the crowd were rapidly diverted into another channel, and an indiscriminate rush for the city watchhouse at once commenced. In the course of half an hour the police succeeded in arresting the following persons :— Timothy Enwright, seventeen years, laborer, Roman Catholic, charged with obstructing and assaulting the police in the execution of their duty; William Stackwell, nineteen years, tailor, Roman Catholic; and William Frencham, an aged man. Each of these persons loudly protested his innocence. Enwright kept stamping about the watchhouse floor, lustily bellowing, " Oh, murder, what'll my mother say when she sees my name in the papers !" IVencham remained reserved and sullen. ' ii There were no firearms or missiles 61 any kind found upon the.men. A young man who accompanied Kean to the Hot' pital, said he saw a bootmakar named Clark, of .Little Collins-street, with a gun* in his hand. A second rumor connected with this sad occurrence represents that a green flag which bad been exhibited at

rli Hail on Monday evening, had been torn by a section of the Orange party, and that the threats which had 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 either side. The lamentable fact that a .. spirit of 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. The men already in custody will be brought up at the City Court this morning.