Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 March 1901 — RIOT IN THE COMMONS. [ARTICLE]

RIOT IN THE COMMONS.

Sixteen Irish Members Dragged Out of the Hone* by Policemen. - Sixteen recalcitrant Irish members hi the British Parliament were carried from the House of Commons by a squad of policemen about midnight Tuesday, shout ing “God save Ireland." The trouble began in committee, when Mr. Balfour applied the closure on the educational estimates without giving an opportunity for discussion of the figures for Ireland. The Nationalist* shouted, “Gag, gag," and refused to lenve the House when a [division was taken. Mr. Flavin cried: “1 protest against the way ail Irish votes are closured.” The speaker asked if the Irish members refused to obey the order. There were cries of “Yes. yes.” The speaker then named sixteen of the recalcitrants. Mr. Balfour moved their suspension and it. was agreed to without a division. The speaker ordered them to withdraw. They refused amid great uproar. A squad of police was called in to remove them. Neyer before has a scene such as accompanied the removal of Mr. Crean occurred. He struggled fiercely with the attendants, who summoned the police. 'Five policemen seized Crenn, who could not he moved for several minutes. Meanwhile other policemen were struggling and fighting with the Irishmen, who obstructed the passage of the police to Crean’s scat. The Irish shouted: “Don’t kill him.” The Nationalists fought and struggled frantically, but the police succeeded in dragging Mr. Crean out. Irishmen shouting “Shame!" “Murderers!" ami "South African brutality!” The speaker called upon Mr. McHugh to retire. He defiantly refused. Twenty policemen again stormed the Irish honchos. McHugh fought fiercely. Fights between the. police and members were fairly general. While McHugh was being carried out, Patrick O’Brien excitedly appealed to the speaker to “Stop this most distressing scene." The speaker responded: “The scene is certainly ns distressing to me as it can tie to the Irish members.” Tht> speaker then asked other recalcitrants to leave quietly. They shouted refusals. The speaker then ordered’ their removal. The police grappled with them and carried thetn out forcibly over the 'benches. White Donelan was being removed the Nationalists sung "God Save Ireland.” Flavin shouted at the Unionists, who sat silent, “You will be carried out of South Africa in the snme way.’ Then Flavin was seized ami ejected. Several constables were badly handled in the scuffle.