THE DYAMITARDS AT WORK Explosions in the Tower and Houses of Parliament. Some Personal Experiences.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 93, 14 March 1885, Page 6

THE DYAMITARDS AT WORK Explosions in the Tower and Houses of Parliament. Some Personal Experiences.

London, January 29. It seems to be the fate of myself and anotner Anglo Colonial journalist to be together and on the scene, or rather near it, whenever a serious dynamite explosion takes place in London. Eighteen months ago the pair of us were sipping claret in Chambers at Westminster immediately above the Underground Railway, when the terrible affair in the tunnel, between Charing Cross and Westminister Bridge eventuated; and last Satui day, again,we happened to be both lunching at the hitehall Club, not many yards away from the scene of the outiages in&ide tho Houses of Parliament. The last-named occurrences were by far the most alarming experiences. The time being two o'clock, the Club dining-room was full of lunchers. Suddenly there wan a lo"d noise, and everyone bounded to his feet as if irresistibly impelled by the force of the concussion, which was followed by an olla podnda of strange sounds, inwhic'*, the falling of glass from smashed windows predominated. "Those d d dynamiters again," (spontaneously burst i«om each man's mouth as soon as anyone could --peak, aud there was a rush down the stairs for hats and coats. I had just reached the bottom of the flight when ! another explosion apparently from the J Sctme quartei, but far less telt, brought me up with a round turn. I can scarcely describe the sensations, but those who have stood fairly close to an old fashioned big ' .cannon when it was fired will comprehend them. Several men now drew back, loudly opining there might be woive to come ; in fact, that the houses of Parliament were m all piobabiliiy on the verge of destruction. "Depend upon it there are parcels of dynamite all over the place, and they'll 1 go off one atter another within the next hour." Curiosity, however, oveicame doubt with the majority, and within a very few second* of the last explosion a number of us weie in Westminster Hall, gazing fearfully into an impenetrable cloud of dust and soot. Quick as we bad been, the police were quicker. Constables came running from all quarters -ike rabbits fiom their burrows. In less- time than it takes to describe, a long cordon was formed and every entrance and exit to the immense building trebly guarded. We, of course, were promply expelled irom Westminster Hall, but waited with the crowd to see whether there were any victims. The first person to emerge was a gentleman, a Londoner, who had been to get some papers from a committee room, and was passing through the hall when the explosion took place. He wa« as black as a sweep, his clothes thickly encrusted with snot, his hands bleeding, and his whole frame trembling violently. The poor man seemed completely dazed, and to the countless questions somewhat inconsiderately put could make no reply, but kept muttering in a sort of ghastly monotone, "My God ! My God !" He waa led off to a chemist's shop Dy some news paper reporters, and presently recovered sufficiently to furnish the personal narrative that appears in the papers. Stretchers from the hospital on the other side ot the river now arrived, and in a few minutes two policemen (apparently dead) were carried out. The unfortunate fellows were literally in rags, torn to ribbons, the strong blue cloth rent asunder in the most wondeiful way •, their hands were bleeding and burnt, their faces black and scorched, and their whiskers, &c , completely singed off. Ghastlier human ruins have seldom been seen, and loud were the expressions of commiseration as the poor men were borne away. A short interval occurred beforo anyone else came out, and then a cab drove up, into which some women were halfcarried, half-hnstled. I saw no one else. The excitement of the crowd (now swollen to an immense mob) whilst all this was going on battles devscription. Men called down tearful imprecations on the dyna mitards, women shrilly joined in, and everybody ta ked excitedly to those around them. A burly workman, making himself heard above the din, bawled out that any Americans present had better make themselves scarce, as he didn't think he could "keep his hands off folks as openly harboured these dynamite murderers." The applause that greeted this bingularly illogical threat showed to what a state public indignation was worked up. After halfan-hour's pushing and squeezing, I began to think it time to move. Thr mob had become unpleasantly irascible, ready to lay anybody by the heels at the faintest excuse, and close behind us stood an American mining engineer, much incensed at the injustice of the populace. We went back to the Club, and there learnt that another explosion, even more disastrous in its result?, had wrecked the Tower. I append the newspaper accounts of the explosion.