Report of the Commissioners of inquiry into disturbances in Londonderry

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2990.


Sir E. Reid, 4281.


8 LONDONDEREY RIOTS INQUIRY COMMISSION, 1869.


No. 9 on Map. Butcher's Gate to its highest point, viz., the bastion to the south-west of the Walker
monument.


The population of Londonderry, in all quarters, is, as regards religious profession, a
mixed one, Protestants and Catholics alike inhabiting every district. Within the walls,
however, the great majority of the inhabitants are of the former creed; while the Bog-
side, which is occupied by the humbler classes, may be regarded as peculiarly a Catholic
quarter.


Having stated so much as to local circumstances for your Excellency's information,
we now pass to the consideration of the riots which took place, as detailed to us in the
evidence of the several witnesses.


The first distui'bance to which our attention was called—and nothing in the evidence
given on the Inquiry led us to think that any advantage would have been derived from
going further back in our investigation—took place on the 20th of July, 1868 ; and was
generally dealt with in the course of the proceedings as the Corporation Hall riot. The
history of it is briefly this ;—


Parliament was on the eve of dissolution, and Lord Claude Hamilton, and Mr. (now
Sergeant) Dowse were seeking the representation of Londonderry, in anticipation of the
general election, the former in the Conservative, the latter in the Liberal interest. With
a view to expounding his political principles, and securing support from the section of
the electors who might sympathise with them, Mr. Dowse decided on delivering a lecture
in the town, and with that object obtained the use of the Corporation Hall, which it was
Mr. Bond, 859; customary to engage for similar purposes. The intention was not to allow the public
Mr. Hogg, 1009. indiscriminately to attend the lecture, but to regulate the admission by tickets, so as to
prevent disturbance and to secure for the candidate a fair and uninterrupted hearing.
The lecture was announced for the evening of the 20th of July, and in the course of that
io'"i9^^°^°' information reached Mr. Dowse's friends which led them to apprehend that an


Same witness 1025 ^'tfack would be made on the Hall, whereupon they communicated with the Mayor, and
et seq. ' ' requested him to take the necessary steps for its protection. They, at the same time,
Mr. W. Young, made arrangements to introdvice some fifty unarmed men of the working class into the
lobby of the Hall, and the passages, as an additional security. In compliance with the
request made to him, the Mayor caused a portion both of the local police and the con¬
stabulary to be in attendance about the hour named for the lecture, the local men, about
Mr. Hogg, i065-ri. eight in number, being posted close to the entrance, at either side, and the constabulary
stationed through the Diamond and Bishop-street, to assist if required. The lecture was
commenced at the appointed hour, but shortly before, about a quarter to 8 o'clock,
Mr. Hempton, 32- P.M., a body of young men, about forty or fifty, left London-street, where the Apprentice
ioJ''-UO?°^^' Boys had their club-room, in procession, marched down towards the door of the Hall,
Sub-Constable Sor- and as they approached broke into a run and dashed forward. As they did so they
raghan, 2717-40. drew from iinder their coats short sticks and bludgeons, with which to force an entrance.


few city police were powerless to resist them, and gave way; but the gentleman
taking tickets at the door, Mr. Hogg, a member of a leading firai in the city and a very
powerful young man, stoutly opposed the entrance of the attacking party, endeavouring
to close the door against them. In doing so he received a severe blow on the head.
Evidence, 1103. from a bludgeon, which cut open his face; but the protective body of workmen stationed
within the building, rushed to his aid, some of them having extemporised weapons by
tearing down the banisters of the staircase, with which they struck at the intruders.
The result was that they effectually repelled the attack.


Mr. Bond, 899-914; Simultaneously with this attempt to force an entrance into the Corporation Hall, it
Mr Stafford \^633 attacked externally by a crowd flinging stones and brickbats at the windows. Mr.


43.' ' ~ Bond, J.p., Chairman of the meeting, narrowly escaped being hurt; but the window-
shutters being hastily closed, no injury, of any consequence at least, was sustained by any
of the auditory.


Mr. O'Neill, 1360- When this attack on the Hall commenced, one of Mr. Dowse's friends, Mr. John
O'Neill, J.p., a Roman Catholic gentleman, who was inside, at once left the Hall, and
hastened to an ante-room (spoken of in the evidence as the Round-room), the windows of
which open on Bishop-street, over the entrance-door which it was attempted to force.
Hurrying to the window, Mr. O'Neill was struck with a stone. Apprehending from
what he saw, that serious rioting was likely to occur, he wrote on a slip of paper an order
for 100 soldiers, to the oflicer commanding the garrison; being, at the time, under the
impression that the Mayor, who resided in the country, was out of town. His Worship,
however, was, in fact, present in the Diamond, where Mr. O'Neill met him shortly after.
The military soon appeared; Mr. O'Neill took them in charge, and proceeded with them
to the Diamond, where their presence seemed to restore order, at least no further rioting
took place that night.


Ml-. Young, 2993. That this attempt to force the Corporation Hall was pre-arranged, and that thos