Final Stages
Skeleton riots continued elsewhere until 1892 when they faded out. In 1889 at least 669 Salvation Army members were assaulted, including 251 women. On one occasion, while defending themselves 86 Salvation Army members were arrested and imprisoned on disorderly conduct charges. When a new Salvation Army Corps was opened in Potton in Bedfordshire on 1 June 1890, large contingents of the Skeleton Army made fun of the local Salvationists. The War Cry reported:
- "... the skeletons did all the shouting and we had only the opportunity of blessing them by showing unruffled love in answer to the disturbance in our proceedings"...."The skeleton flag was out with its coffin, skull and cross-bones as well as the whole Skeleton force, uniformed, beating a drum, playing flutes, whirling rattles and screaming through trumpets. One of their chosen leaders was carried shoulder high, ringing a bell and attired in an untrimmed coal-scuttle bonnet. I noticed that the publicans looked pleased to see this array and several waved their hats. But we were good friends of the skeletons, twelve of whom sat at our tea table... Their leaders were very courteous and sincerely desirous of keeping their somewhat rabble followers within bounds. Almost implicit obedience was given them. Their skeleton War Cry was freely sold, but doesn’t quite beat the original".
At Guildford the corps officer’s wife was kicked unconscious close to a police station and a woman Salvationist fatally injured. At Shoreham too, a woman was killed when a stone hit her. The mayor of Eastbourne stated he would, “put down this Salvation Army business” with help from the Skeleton Army if necessary. Skeletons attacked many Salvationists. Salvationists considered it unchristian to defend themselves but thought the police should protect them. The case of Beatty v Gillbanks (1882) holds that the Salvation Army was acting lawfully when marching, despite having knowledge that their assembly could well lead to riots.
As their intentions were ultimately peaceful and unrelated to the cause of inciting riot, the court found their actions to be within the limits of the law. That it was known that their marching may cause riots was not found to be a breach of the law, as it was the actions of antagonistic parties which led directly to the riotous behaviour.
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