Star. — London, England, 1819-09-28 00:00:00

LANARK COUNTY MEZTING. '!"•:c Lanark County Meeting, held on Friday last tt,rilton, to consider of the propriety of raising a ( ;: r: of yeomanry Cavalry, was one of the most re e;c:Ne ever remembered. There were present his ...ce the Duke of lIAMILTON, Lord DouttLAs, Lord rri,;;Ar-LN, Lord ARCHIBALD HAMILTON, and a ti liler of other eminent characters. 11:s Grace the Duke of HAMILTON, Lord Lieute ont of the County, was called to the Chair. He ogratulated the Meeting on their number and re „ectability. Ile had lately received two letters from t..eseuetary of State for the home Department, in -11 the Noble Secretary stated , that he had re -lir.erivazion from different parts of the County, ; .:.rang that it would be proper to raise a Corps of l o rruf Cavalry to preserve the peace and internal tr.-0114y of the County. His Grace being the or- I n of the Government, and Representative of his Njesty in this quarter, had called the Meeting to r . : ;iar the subject, He was sure that it would re ci,N proper consideration, and be trusted that naa wocld prevail in the Meeting. I:11 .1. I/Astir:l . oN, in an elegant and impressive :Lined the Resolutions. His Lordship stated, •',. :hie had been riot and outrages' committed h every gi.od member of society must censure Ile would not, at present, enter into the 3 (f tl.e prescat digresses of the country, but his hni,ed, that the Gentlemen would continue laige tilt= in the most effectual manner in their .r. "'though I am persuaded," said his Lord. that disaffection is confined to a small part of err lc, and these too without talent or property, convinced of,the necessity of raising a Corps of mairy Cavalry for the aid of the Civil Poem. It .c tncst proper and constitutional mode of pro ':;:g. Let the County find the means of its own itv within itself, and it will keep down the and save us from being burdened with large 74:Iitarv." His Lordship concluded with he Resolutions. His excellent speech was with great applause. ottl::trr HAMILTON, Esq. Sheriff-Depute for the av, seconded the Resolutions, and-said, that he a%cad..%l Meetings of the County, in his official icitv, for more than twenty years, and in all that !he had never seen so numerous and respectable :ecting as he saw that day assembled. After the liminous and constitutional speech of the Noble t.er of the Resolutions, he had but very little to upon the present interesting subject. The Reso. )ns had his most hearty approbation. He could Acct, and many Gentlemen present would like recollect, the troublesome period of 1793, when desi , ..;ning persons made the same insidious at itas t o :lbw:lm the hearts of the People from the ten:meat, and to create confusion and disturbance tie country. When the Volunteer Corps werk , ed, the seditious were immediately awed into True, indeea," said Mr. HAMILTON, a-there :either the talent, property, nor character, among anarchists of the present day which was then, but I aro persuadod of the necessity of raising a Corps Yeurza.lry Cavalry. And I hope the same good gilts :ill follow the embodying of it, which for -I..llt)wed the raising of the N'olunteers." • The Lan PitovosT of Glasgow stated, that, not ;2.qa:ltling the unwearied exertions that infamous .4 - 4:Las Lad made for a considerable time, to cor t!-.;! good di position of the people, they had not ere led to Any extent. " Had. our population, "he been of the same combustible nature as the is score places, the consequences might have zt:t Rut the majority of our people have trn !nought up, they have received a good ficat•o; itios.Ay all the grown people are sound :ti:er political anti religious principles. But lam Vti tiley have succeeded with a small part A few of the youth are really corrup ev:rY effort is made to spread the destructive Ills Lordship hoped the advocates of ' T4l:!l.nite and depravity would receive a timely iatk, and their deluded followers would be restored airy of thinking. The present measure met ..c read i al approba ion. Mr. !knurl( informed the Meeting that, about ',ears ago, a Petition was brought to him, signed a i.umber of individuals, stating that they work and actually starving. He thought Le . ' -!sr: unlikely, and he ordered the mat who pre . . Petition, to produce the names of the per .. • .., were its that starving state. They accord deprted, and retu rne d w i t h along list in a very time. When he was surprised at their celerity; -4 , k e d them how they could be so expeditioni? n.t.,rni e d, t h at they were organize d through country, having Committees, and Secre i+nti 'hi:mins, in such a way that they could Lr..l of business in an instant. A number of ~,•t1 11 (4 were at that time convinced of the neces , .:-.2 n . iising a Corps of Yeomanry Cavalry. The ertlen was now more general than it was then ; extended to classes who were then uninfected. I " 4ll .itr i .y seen slate masons, at the dinner hour, I; at tPI.I a • • * publication called The Black lle concluded with approving of the Ile' h ti,e,t unanimously resolved that a Corps of Cavalry be rafted to protect.the property, irterhal tranquillity of the County. • ..igra:d by this ty..five Farmers of the Upper real at the Meeting. The Subscribers ae t ; ',:f.ut two mo.:ths ago, and offered to en• z!,•:;r,:k.!,,!; anv way that eras most prop er for •,• • : Jr Constitution, and e pro • ; livc, a properties of the •; • (.‘ mrnu-itv. L ' : • PI: r:g.): of Cilasgow moved that the u.:.`Jcetingbe given to his Grace the 1 0:" his able conduct in the Chair. • , r,! AticuisALD HANIILTON for his and constitutional speech, on moving "' 'c• These motions were unanimously thanks of th.. Meeting stele also given • Licuteda,lts. . : ar.Jl. r t 4• r c • t .r.; c Cour, 1.4,1 capac t:rae a Ye wry I role say U ratio] cud v• • ••e I.Ery C;(‘‘ rise cue; li Li T ;•,1 k c!: it 1 cf • • • • • ' LEEDS, SEPTfEtEII 26. (FROM THE CORRESPONDENT OF THE STAR.) Radical Reform not only continues to be the cry in this neighbourhood, but the numbers who pursue this object, arc increasing daily, from a general detesta tion of the obstinacy with which the butcheries at Manchester are attempted to be screened by those who ought to bring the men of blood to justice. A most effectual mean for cooling the zeal of many, who from views of policy, abstain from a decided ex pression of their abhorrence of wanton bloodshed, is now contemplated by the Reformers, in Yorkshire and Lancashire. They have already recommended an ab stinence from exciseable articles of every description, and the recommendation is now acting upon, to a degree which will soon affect the Revenue to a fright ful extent: but, in addition to this, the Members of the Reform Union mean to bind themselves not to deal with any tradesman, or shopkeeper, who will not join himself to them. This subject has already undergone considerable discussion among them, and, it is not doubted, will speedily be carried into effect throughout the kingdom, and cannot 161 to add greatly tattle ranks of the Reformers. Meetings for Reform, and to take into considera tion the scandalous and outrageous conduct of the Manchester Magistrates and Yeomanry, are an nounced to be held at the following places in this District York County Meeting—{no day fixed) ; at Bramly, on the Ist October; at Halifax, on the 4th ; at Idle, near Bradford, on the 4th ; and at Bothwell, on the 11th of October. MANeHESTER, SEPTEMBER 24. Yesterday morning three poor boys, of very tender years, were brought up by one of the Police Officers, who said, that he had found them sleeping in the brick-kilns between 11 and 12 o'clock the preceding night. The boys being placed at the bar, The Rev. M-. ETHELSTONE, the Sitting Magistrite, said—" Some of them will come to the ~a llotus ! Sleeping in brick-kilns is the road to all wickedness ; it leads to every species of vice and enormity. Who are their parents ? Is there any body here belonging to them ?" Two men came forward and said, that they were the fathers of two of the boys. A very decent-look ing woman then presented herself, and pointing to the other boy, said—" That, Sir, is my son. lam the mother of nineteen children, and no complaint has ever been made against any of them before. I hope, Sir, as this is the first offence, that you will forgive him." Mr. ETII ELSTONE--." What do you think of a good whipping for him ? Is not that a good scheme, do ' you think ?" The poor mother, with tears in her eyes, begged that the boy might be forgiven ; she said, he was a very good boy, and she hoped that his Worship not have him whipped for this offence. Mr.ETHELSTONE-•••-" I think a good whipping would be of gnat service to him. But if you will pledge yourself to me that -he shall never be guilty of so great an ?fence again, I will now discharge him." The mother very readily entered into this engage ment, as did the fathers of the other. boys, and they were then dismissed. The following are some farther depositions relative to the massacre on the 16th ult. _ Samar. Atioaszt, of No.ll, Portugal-street, I, am about 20 years of age, and am by trade a plasterer. I am a native of Ashford, near Sakeirell, Derbyshire, but work being scarce at home I came to Manchester to seek employment , and was induced by curiosity to go to Saint Peter's, and see the Meeting. I stood upon the railing at the next door to the sign of the Windmill, until the Cavalry came in among the crowd, and formed a circle round the Hustings. The people were then wedged close to where I stood, and I endeavoured to get in amongst them, but I could not succeed, and I therefore dropped into the cellar, or area, with about six others, and we crouched down in a corner to avoid being seen. At last one of the soldiers (ifter the people had been driven away) saw us, and he called out," D—n your souls, come oat of that cellar." We thought it best to comply to save our lives, and I was the first to come up into the street, and on doing so I saw three soldiers waiting to attack us; one made a severe cut at me, but by stooping down my head I avoided the blew, and I heard his sword rattle very hard against sontething. The man who stood second did , not attempt to strike me, but the third struck me with the flat I of his sword on the head , which did not hurt me much ; I then ran to get up with the rest of the crowd, and several of the Yett. many made cuts at me, but I avoided them. When I got is the crowd I endeavoured to force myself in among them, but their ; backs were towards me, and se close, that I could not succeed. —At this time several soldiers were striking the people with their swords, and one who was very active came up to me, and seeing his sword-arm uplifted, I and those next to me called out " Murder!" on Which he said. " Damn you, get along," and made a cut at one, which fell on my biead ; I put my lunidOp and fek to the top of my head; the crown of my hat bad been cut entirely off; I turned Foetid, and the Yeoman made a se coed cut, which penetrated through the front of the bat, and slightly wounded my forehead; I followed close to the aoird i l and was sometimes scrambling On the Emend, and sotnetirati on my feet, and by the canfuskse timeniceorlads and wane st the foremost falling, the ptsailk witalikd CA hirata upon non another, and while in this sitaatioa the YeDeleery still kept cut ting at them. At kit I succeeded h gating out of the pressure, and went down Peter'oetreet, and eroded Dean's.gate where I got into an entry for safety, and then I discovered, ;kat 4 bad received a severe cut across the hack of my right band, Which has ever since disabled me from the use of It, and a stab on the elbow which penetrated to the bone. At one tinse, when the Yeoman was cutting at ins, ona of chef:lasers tame op to him, and lifting up his own sword, saidlo.the Yeoman, " You bloody rascal, that's nnirder ; if you do Jet again I'll split you down," and the Yeoman never struck OW afterwards- ((Signed Sept. 9, 1819. SAMIJEL ALLCA D. I have examined the wounds ot the above Samuel AUcard, and they have evidently bass haleted with a sabre, or some sharp instrument. I ant Vl*** that the we of one of the fingers of the right hand is entirely lost, and that k ought to be amputated. (Signed) WILLIAM BASSEtT, Surgeon. Two.tas Wu.son say*, I am an assistant to Mr. Moorhouse, a land -urveyor, living in Pooksitreet, Manchester ; on the day of Mr. liunt's Meeting I saw the people running away, and as the soldiers were stationed in Brazen Nosoatreet, they could not pass that way, and a great many came down Poole-street ; I saw one with his head very badly wounded, and he was hold ing his bead with both his bands, as it so keep the wound closed. The Cheshire Cavalry caste galloping after the people. and 'cowering the sweets, and supecting some to have gone into the tan-yard, several dismounted to go into the yard and examine I: ; I also saw the who is a town, galloping about vet y actively, and talking to the foot sol dkrs, as if giving shun slirectiotu, and they moved directly afterwards. On the 27th of August I was near the Court-house, at the New Bailey, and heard the same versiug *ith two men, in the course of which he said, " all that ago sorry for is that Ldid not take his life;" and art I had just before heard theta mention Mr. Hunt's name, I had no doubt the alluded to hitn. (Signed) TII OS. W I LSON. Witness, Jag. HAINES. Jtasern Ounce, of 29, George Leigh.etreet, apprentice—l went to the Meeting about half-past eleven, and stood near the Quakers' School; when the horse soldiers came up, I endeavoured to get away, and went first to where the foot soldiers were stationed, in Dickenson -street, when one of them presented his bayonet, and stabbed me on the left breast ; another stabbed me with his bayonet on the head, and my hat came off with his bayonet, us I lost it; a third stabbed me on the left elbow; and a fourth struck me on the shoulder with the butt-end of his piece, and bruised me very badly ; and from all these wounds I was unable to work for a fortnight. his Witness—Jas. HAMM JOSEPH OGDEN, mark. ADJOURNED INQUEST AT OLDHAM. (From the rinses.) OLDHAM—SATURDAY NIGHT. INQUEST ON JOHN LEES.—(Evidence continued.) Thomas Whittaker continued.--We took three pints of ale on the road. It came to Id. the piece, what we drank in the Dusty Miller. In another plate we drank a pint the piece, three of us. At Westwood we had a quart all three. The other man was called William. We had no other liquor but ale. I cannot say we were all sober ; the deceased was rather tipsy-like, not exactly what they call drunk. He walked well enough. He went to Stock port on Monday, and returned on Tuesday evening. I was with him. We left Stockport at six in the morning, and stopped in Manchester till two o'clock. We had some roast beef with us. We stopped at four houses as we were going to-Stockport. In three houses we had a pint betwixt us, and a pint the piece at the last. At Stockport we drank chiefly beer ; no spirits. There was neither of us tipsy. I call it drunk when I am not capable of doing any thing.— In Stockport we spent one shilling and sixpence the piece, and sixpence the piece back to Manchester. We walked to Manchester, and came home in a cart. We never drank any spirits. It was on the Sunday following we had a glass of brandy and water for eightpence. He appeared then well enough ; he never made any complaints to me. It was about the Tuesday that he appeared to grow worse, and lost his appetite. He kept growing lower and weaker till he died. He began to complain on the Wednes day night as we lay in bed, that he had a terrible pain in his shoulders, that he could not bear them to be touched. That was the first time I heard him complain of his shoulders. On Thursday night he complained of the pain in his left foot, and could not rest at all. My mother told the Doctor, who or dered it to be washed and poulticed. From Friday he had no knowledge at all of what was done or said to him. He complained till then of his shoulder and leg if any 'one touched it. On Sunday he became speechless. I spy cuts on his coat at the back of his neck. It might be a couple of inches. By Mr. HARMER—At the wakes (fairs) we drank only beer : he was never drunk ; he often refused to drink. Joseph Wrigley.—l knew the deceased about a month before die l 6th. I met with him on the 16th, in Oldham, when he seemed in excellent health : it was at the bottom of the Bent ; I saw him in what is called Peterloo's-field now. I had seen him in several places on the way to Manchester by mere accident. Just before Mr. Hunt came to-the field, I saw him near the hustings ; we were both close to gether. There was a great commotion afterwards, which removed us a little from the hustings. There were many women and children about - us. We agreed en the ground, but not before, to come away together. I neeer saw the Cavalry till the shout was made, and then they advanced cicise up to the hustings. We were on the ground about half an hour before.. I saw the deceased receive a wound round his head, on his right arm, from a sabre. He was protecting himself from one of the military, when another rode up, on the right side, and cut him on his right arm, which he had extended over his head to protect him. He had a walking-stick in his right hand, but made no use of it. He then fell backwards and brought me down under the horses feet. I saw no more of him till I saw him coming bonne, when he refused to take any thing to drink, and said his arm was getting very stiff, and he must have it dressed. He said he had got a wound on his back from a truncheon. I saw a cut on the back of his coat. The only wound I saw given, was that by the soldier, not the one against whom he was protecting himself with his right hand over his forehead. Mr. Hunt had said only a few words, to be peaceable and quiet, and then the sol. diers came. We were on the ground half an hour before Mr. Hunt can*. The damage happened, perhaps, five, ten, or fifteen minutes after Mr. Hunt came ; perhaps sooner: there are persons here who saw the carnage, and can tell the time accurately. l We could not get away, the crowd was ro great.: The Yeomanry Cavalry came up first, and then the 16th, And they got so confused that I cannot tell which of them struck the deceased. There was an Officer, -who gave me an opportunity of escaping,. • I shoOld have-been left dead. I cannot tell whe ther- they struck or Cut any, in comirig.up•to, the rigs I cannot say that there wasa way open; le were running in every dfrection.-- : . Them was a shout from the people and from the Mi litary, rrho were then standing still, and. waving their swords. over their heads and shoulders. - The military then came as fast as they could make their way through,the people. I could only see the horses' heads when they got into the crowd. They cut be fore I could get away. They made their way.st least 400 yard through the crowd. When they were a dozen yards from acne I first saw them cut. iVe had no idea that they would . cut, or we might have Fos away quicker. The pedple made no resistance: lie horses might widk dr gallop for what I could see. Ido not know whether they cut before or not. They cut several more, but whether before the de ceased was cut or not I cannot tell. I saw them cta Ling at the carriage in which women were. They cut through my hat. t saw none that was cut before John Lees. I saw .ntarty cut afterwards; but Ido not know whether by the Y ., • the 15th ; I did not observe whether '" upper lips. An thficer down, " FOr shame, • to get away. Don't got up I saw them _ sword broken some hid* not for me that the . . people to get away. There might be from half a dozen to a dozen soldiers in my view. I could not see any distance. I ran off behind the Officer's horse; and went along with a body of the crowd:, I saw none cut there, and did not look behind me.. The soldiers had gone another way. lie was a Yecmanry man that put the point of his sword through my hat ; he thrust it through, did not strike me. I called to him not to murder me, and he struck no more at me. They did not hurt me or John Lees, in going up to the hustings, and I cannot tell whether it was the persons who went up to the hustings or others. I cannot say whether they struck in coming up to the hustings, but I saw their swords going in all direc tions. I saw their swords rising up and falling down. It might be about half-past one. I had no previous information that the military were coming, till , heard the shout, and then I saw them coming. We believed that they were coming only to arrest the speakers. They did that, but they were not content with that ; if they were, John Lees would not be now dead, or I ill so long. They did not give the people time to get away. I never even heard of the Riot Act being read, land I saw no person having a paper in his hand. I saw none in coloured clothes, 'and none but those on horseback. I never heard of a Magistrate ordering the Meeting to disperse. I was upon the hustings to have a view of the Meeting be fore Mr. Hurt came. I was anxious to get away, but I was trampled down under the horses before I could escape. The soldiers desired me to go about my business, and asked me if I would ever come there again? Whenever they struck they said, es Go about your business." They struck many times at Lees before he was cut. Upon my oath I never saw Lees strike. He warded off blows by receiving them on his stick. He did not strike before he was wounded, and I did not see him after. I never saw any one at tempt to strike at any horse or soldier. I saw nothing thrown or cast at them. I heard no reports of gap or pistol at that time. I never heard John Lees say that he had dismounted one soldier. He was not hurt by the first soldier, because he received his blow on the stick. Mr. Hunt was on the stage when I fell down. I did not see him taken into custody. I saw no horse nor soldier on the ground. I think - it would not be above ten minutes from the time I fell till L got off the ground. I went then to my sister's house, where I got myself washed and had some refresh ment. I often saw John Lees before at a public house—a News-room ; Abraham, I don't.know what you call hint. These are questions that I do not think proper to be put to me. Coitowea.—l am not satisfied that you knew him. Witness.—l can prove that, Sir. Mr. HA list en —You have sworn it. That's enough. Witness.—l did not keep an account of the several times I saw him, or where it was. I saw him at Pub lic Meetings. But the time I particularly got ac quainte4 with him was the 16th. I saw the body, and I should have known him then if I had not been told of his death. Robert Neild fetched me to give evidence before the Coroner. (The witness here gave a minute account of the deceased's dress on the 16th.) His bat was none of the best. I saw nothing the !hatter 'with it more than with any other hat much worn. The crown was not cut or torn oil. .BY NA MIER. -I am unwell now from the *minds.' I• did not go for any riot or disturbance, nor John Lees. There was not the least distuibance or• desire of riot before the Military entered. There were many women and children among the crowd. They were all in good humour. There were no arms. I had.the handle of an old umbrella for a stick. The shout from the people was to shew the soldiers that they regarded them as friends, and I understood the soldiers to return it. They advanced in a few minutes afterwards'. We did not endeavour to get away till the soldiers began to cut ; but then it was impossible to get away. It would not be in the power of many to stoop to the ground to get any thing to be thrown, if they wished it. I saw no attempt. It was in the morning I noticed the hat.--(Mr. Harmer had been, on this occasion, interrupted by the Coroner for put,. ting leading questions. Mr. Harmer said, it was only to save time ; but he would proceed legally.) Robert Neald.—l am a hatter, and knew John Lees for seven or eight years. T he first time I saw him, after he was wounded, was at the sign of the Shears, Newton Heath, on the 16th of August. He shewed me the wound on his right elbow, and he said he had a wound on his shoulder, which none had looked at. I looked, and observed what I thought a stab. I saw his shoe rent. 'This was ,about five o'clock. I had seen him pass the window, and called bim in. Ile pointed out Joseph Wrigley to me as we were going home, and said, " That is the man that saw me have my wounds ; he was with me."— They then met And shook hands. I did not know Wrigley then. Wrigley asked us to go into the Wool Pack ; but the deceased refused, and said his arm was stiff. The witness now produced the coat. The right.sleese was all covered with blood. The Foreman v mid,,be believed it to have been the de ceased'i wit; - Fir be had seen him often pass his warehogie,wiskiti :it was what is called corbeau.— He also .. .proadwesl the shoe, which was forcibly torn 0p... 5. • Vtio toltoNti wished to have the identity regu. Mr. H,rtistin7sxid, it *as very easy to do so, if the Airy wishectit. The Couozitti laid,' he had no doubt oldie iden tity, but he :wished to proceed regularly. Vt'itness,proceedad.—l saw him on Sunday, the 29th, He.then complained much, said be had lost his appetite, and that he was very ill. - It being now nine o'clock, and Mr. Harmer having intimated' that he had at least 50 witnesses to bring forward, besides the witnesses still to be examined on the part of the Constable, the Coroner became con vinced that it was quite impossible to avoid an ad journment, and therefore adjourned till nine o'clock on Monday morning. The interest excited by the proceedings before the Coroner is most intense. The pressure of the crowd - . _ repeatedl i i 5 Iti image In WIIKU vrurrlcu wcrc. alAcy UM. ..*.r• 6 . • hat. I saw none that was cut before The interest excited by the proceedings before the I sa* .niarly cut afterwards; but Ido Coroner is most intense. The pressure of the crowd ether by the Yeomanry or the 15th ; I into the room obliged the Coroner repeatedly to in- rve whether they had beard on their terfere for fear the floor should give way. A consi- An Oificerof the 15th said, when I was derable multitude continued assembled at the doors s ha me , w ont you give the people time and windows of the hone during the whole time, Don't you see them down!' When I but the greatest order and quietness were preserved. • N them cutting at the people. I saw a —Sir Charles Wolseley, Messrs. Woolen, Johnson, Isom' inches from the point. It was Knight, Moorhouse, Fitton, &c. were anxious spec. that the OJicer interfered, but for the Litors throughout the day. I• • 4 I : i i a~ ', ;tit I V ~r I