History with Brian James: The wild Irishmen of Lambing Flat

Early in the morning of Friday, a drunken brawl took place inside the premises and subsequently moved out side . Another one of those brutal scenes which is a disgrace to the district.

It appears that a row between a section of Irishmen, and some of them, the Donegal men, who were un the act of kicking and beating a man who was on the ground, when some Cornishmen passed the house, and not being of sufficient force, went behind the house and got some sticks, and pushed on the Donegalers, who fled leaving behind them two men, whom Mr Booth dragged in, and hid under his bed.

One of them was much hurt and Mr Booth dressed his wounds and cautioned him to go quietly home.

Thinking that it was all over, Mr and Mrs Booth went to bed at about seven in the morning, when they were awoke by a loud noise. A mob had entered the house and were beating with sticks any man they could lay their hands on. One man who was intoxicated was much hurt having been beaten about the head.

Between 7 and 8 o'clock, four Cornishmen having recently arrived from Victoria were sitting at the bar in Dollimore's public house when in rushed a mob of about thirty, violently assaulted three of them with pick handles.

Mr Dollimore said he had not seen a more desperate thing; the men were knocked down, beaten fearfully, kicked and jumped on. The three men now lie in a dangerous state, it not being certain if they will live.

The police were immediately on the alert to discover the perpetrators of these outrages and managed to arrest twenty two men . Troops were seen to be marching about with fixed bayonets and are keen to bring the men involved to justice. At Booth's, Dollimore's and at the Kiandra hotels people are moving about armed with revolvers. A group have threatened to burn Booth's place down tonight. The police are about in force and the night should pass quietly.

The readers should not be misled into believing that the disturbance is in any way political, or in any way aimed at the government. It is simply a row between a group of Irishmen, English and some native born. It must be remembered that a large number of very respectable Irishmen are prepared to be involved to prevent these murderous attacks.

Clerk of Petty Sessions and Crown Lands Agent from 1862 to 1880 when the division of these offices took place. He was fidus achates to free selectors in general under the new Robinson Land Acts. His sound knowledge on land legislation allowed him to assist Judge Wilkinson in the collation of land statistics for his "Australian Magistrate" where-in such assistance is referred to IR as he was universally known. Transferred to Albury as crown Land Agent and eventually was Chairman of the land Board at Forbes He died at Moss Vale on route to Young for a health change in January 1900 and was buried at Waverley. Edwards Street was named after him in the north part of town.