One hundred years ago
LAST Saturday night, Belfast was the scene of a moonlight rifle-duel between the Orangemen and the Roman Catho- lics, which resulted in two or three deaths, and several injuries. It is said that the duel went on for several hours without any interference of the police or soldiers, the non-combatants on both sides bringing up the ammunition to the combatants, and clearing away all that could interfere with their work. For the shooting of Isaac Weir Jackson by the police quartered in McKenna's public- house during that night, nine Belfast constables were found guilty of murder by the coroner's inquest, and have since been arrested for trial. Since Sunday morning there has been no more vio- lence, but the people of Belfast are very naturally disgusted with the incompe- tence shown in the events of the last fortnight, and we notice that many of the Protestants are asking to have Bel- fast supplied with a police force on the Metropolitan type — i.e., the type of London or Dublin — and to have stipendiary magistrates, with thorough professional training, substituted for the incompetent municipal authorities of their borough.
Spectator, 21 August 1886
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