Star. — London, England, 1820-02-26 00:00:00

Tte soldiers arri/ect s m artly after, when.all the shots woks nearly fired. Juryman—Did the warrant specify the nvture of the meeting of these persons? A. It mentioned that it was an illegal asltemblage. Juryman—And you acted upon that warrant ?—A. We did. Juryman—How niany shots were fired altogether? A. There were twenty. Juryman—Do you know whowas the person guarding the lottom place when you entered? A. Heard that it was a man (,f colour. NVitness continued—There was a light, but he did not take particular observation. Surman was dan gerously wounded in tke head by a shot; three shots Went through the hat ofiVestcOt, and he was wounded badly in the hand by a shot. On the lights being put out, several of them were going down the steps ; tvitness heard a voice say " Kill the ," but 'could not say whether it was Thistlewood's. Wit !less pretended to be one of their party in the dark, And said, " Aye, kill.them!" they thinking be was one °I their party, he escaped without any injury. Wit , - ness had Ere-arms about his person, but they .flashed in the ;nn. When the soldiers came, the deceased was found lying on his face in the loft, quite dead. lie was cautious not to fire in the dark, as he might kill his partner instead of another. The following articles were found is the place, which witness has got in his possession: eight hand grenades, and one very large one, like a canister, with ropes bound round it; several bullets, pistols, swords, bludgeons, &c.—CHere he produced one of the balls, which he found on the floor of the loft; they are in an un finished state, and calculated to do more mischief; three dozen bayonets, with screws to fix cn the end Of a stickj .Tliere• was not a shot fired until Smi them the deceased, wax stabbed, nor was any sort of violence effered. A great nuapber of ball-cartridges were found, the bayonets were quite new, but rough and unfinished. Several of the persons escaped with their swords and other weapons, it,being dark. Three muskets were also found in the place, or in the pos session of persons; several others were at the Office. Jaws /X is, being sworn, said, that he was a con stable and conductor-of the patrole at Bow-street.— He resides at 22, Paradise-row, Palmer's Village, Westminster. On Wednesday night last, about hall pastleven o'clock, witness, Richard Smither& (the diiceasedf, John Surman, and William Gill, were di rected to proceed to the corner of John -street, Edg ware-roa4, as quick as possible, and there they should meet Mr. Birnie, the Magistrate, who would give them farther directions and orders. When they ar• rived at the spot they found Mr. Birnie, who inquired if they had seen anything of the nilitarr, as he ex pected them every minute? They answered, " they had not." In about twenty minutes be called them together, and mine inquiries were made as to what number might be in the room, and whether Thistle wood was there? Mr. Birnie then gave him a war rant, signed by Mr. Baker; to apprehend Mr. Arthur Thistlewood, and thirteen more. Mr. Birnie was ggiven to understand, that Thistlewood and about oartken more were in the room. Witness had not the warrant in his possession. He believed it bad since been given to Mr.Birnie. The latter asked how many Officers there were, and if there were enonsh to apprehend the party ? Sinithers answered—le, they could secure forty. Mr. Rirnie said there must have been some mistake about the military, as they • iyught to have been there half an hour before. They then proceeded to the house without them, and Ruthven opened the door and went in first ; witness followed nest, and the other Officers close to him ; he observed a man with belts on, a fusee upon his arm, and a sword by his side, and Ruthven desired some person to cake charge of him. The prisoner was taken by the collar, and en turning him round he observed he was a man of colour. At that moment Ruthven was at the foot of the lad der; he went up, and witness followed him as fast as possible, accompanied by Smithers and others. Before he got up the ladder he heard a clattering of swords—he at that moment heard Ruthven say, 1 , We are officers—lay down your arms." Upon getting to the top of the ladder, Ruthven turned a little to the left, and he observed a number of men falling back to the other end of the room, apparently all armed. There were four men backing into a little room on the right, all armed with swords or cutlasses, and a tall man immediately brandished his sword at him, with his foot extended in a fencing attitude; he (wit ness) held up his staff in his left hand, that the man might see it, and his pistol also in his right hand.— There were several lights then on the table, and wit ness desired the man to desist, or he would fire. At that moment Smithers rushed past him (witness), and endeavoured to get round into the little room. The tall man drew his hand back, and made a thrust at Smithers with his sword, which entered. the de ceased's breast. Smithers immediately held up his hands, exclaiming, " Oh, my Goo !" when the wit ness instantly fired off his pistol at the man who had killed him, but missed him. Smithers fell .against him, and a rush then took place ; the witness was knocked down the ladder from the top to the bottom. He immediately made to the door, when two or three other shots were fired off in the stable by some of the party. He heard a cry of " stop him," and saw a man running 9n the opposite side of the way, when he pursued and took him. In laying hold of him, the prisoner made a cut at him Ab ith a sword. His name is Davidson. Witness believes him to .be the same man who kept the dQor he had in his posses sion a fusee, such as the light horse make use of. He is quite sure that Thistlewood was the man that killed Smithers ; it was done with a thrust. The moment Davidson was secured he returned to the place.— The p isoners were all disarmed and taken into cus tody by the soldiery, when they proceeded to tie them together. As soon as they were all tied toge ther, he went to Smithers, and found him lying on Lis face dying, or dead. He found a horse-pistol, tome ball-cartridges, and bullets. lie was able to tecognize Thistlewood, but no one else. Juryman—Are you positive of the identity of Thistlesveod? Witness—Most positive; I feel Ds hesitation on the subject. [Here the witness handed some of the bullets, which he had taken, to the Jury.] A Juryman—CLooking at one of the bullets.] — This ball is made of pewter. I suppose these vil lians had been stealing pewter pots. The Jury thought it was necessary that the war rant on which the officers acted should be produced ; in consequence of which a messenger was sent to Mr. Baker, at Marlborough-street, to procure it. Wiltioat Westcot, of 17, Simmons-street, Sloane st:eetXtaelsva, being sworn, said that he belongs to • Foreinan.—C silty ! Corcrior—h Widians nevidoon guilty of Murder or *isslinagh ter ?---.Fortman—Guilty of Murder! .LAMI 11111111 Bow-street Police Office. Oa Wednesday wightlalqK a- ° the I # l 7 w ished isi t ed t f i AtSt it 2 quest g e e w Mat Ihe was sent for by Mr. Bjrnie, to go . with a party to i be tbought of some importance, before tle ve:rilici' Joho-street. ,On his arrival at the plaeo f he saw a I ills proammeta upon all the prisoners. fie 4tHhed . nun, something like a but c h er , who made a rat' at .: to know whether thole who migh t have met for a dif-' him to get out, when the person attempted to get i ferent purpose, were equally guilty of the murder something from his side, and the witness hit him on i. with Thistlewood? his eye, and kno c k e d .hi m - d own; h e was t h en se - The Coroner replied, that there could be no doubt cured ; while he was in the act of handcuffing him, that they were implicated in the murder al much as hi heard a rush, and saw Thistlewood, who had Thistlewood himself, for whatever illegal purpose previously fired a pistol into the stable, coming dOwn they might have - met. They had impeded the officer the ladder, flourishing his sword, and upon looking in the execetion of his duty, and one of them had round and seeing what West cot was d o i ng , h e d e li- killed him. berately fired off another pistol at the witness's head. a A Juryman—if any of the prisoners bad been put in t he same Westcot was knock e d d own , an d Thi st l ewoo d made t d e o:l an : en utkwood, they would probably have acte d i u t he siigiehis escape out of the door (as he supposed), it being Another Juryman—But are those who surrendered them. dark. If wit n e ss h a d not stoope d d own , h e must selves equally guilty ? • f ouer—There can be no noubt d of it. They were all amem• have been shot. Three balls went through his hat ; ihblede whole. It one I c i om is mon urp , in iii t eni eact of aIL l o f n a e mit the an in a i act di : he was also hit on the flesh of his fingers, and the clear ly m o u s :der a ball went through the cuff of his coat. He pursued to do a mischief to another, and, instead of killing hint, happens Thistlewood, but lost sight of him, and the other to kill a second, it is equally murder as if he had killed the man person .also escaped. He (witness) returned, and' s aw he intended. A Juryman—Another doubt arises i n m y m i n d. H a d not Smithers dead. these men a right to defend themselves, after the pistol had been William Giles Frankland, a watchman, being fired by the nicer Ellis? sworn, said he lives at 11, Mary-la-bonne-court. On Coroner—Certainly not: there cannot be a doubt upon • it. Wednesday night last, at half-past eight o'cl oc k, h e The Jury, by their Foreman, then pronounced a took Ings into custody while he was being pursued verdict of " Guil t y of Murder " against the follow by Brookes, whom he had fi r ed at, a nd th rew th e ing prisoners: pistol away. Bro sites called out, " Stop thief!" The James Ings, Charles Cooper, Richard Tidd, John Monument, ball passed through two coats and a waistcoat of John Charles &range, Richard Blackburn, James Wilson, Brookes', and also grazed his skin. Witness and James Gilchrist, and others unknown. ,Si n.'kes took him in ' custody to Mary-la-bonne In the course of the day, the afflicted parents of the watch-':rise The prisoner was searched, and seven deceased visited the body, and shewed much feeling or eight balls were found upon him, and likewise upon the occasion. 'The old couple were so decrepid some powder. He had sonic sacks and a belt, but as scarcely to be able to get up stair's. Smithers was nothing was found in them. a. stout handsome man, 33 years old. • Serjeant Legge, of the '2d battalion of Coldstream MORE ARRESTS. Guards, was next examined.—On Wednesday even- In consequence of private information received ing last I was called up about eight o'clock, and re yesterday by Lavender and Bishop, the Officers, that cetv - .I owe' s to march to John -street, Edgeware Robert Harrison, late a private in the 2d Regiment roa I. I was then quartered in Portman-street Bar o. f _Life Guards, had been seen to g o into the s t a bl e racks. A picket, usually employed on occasions whoop the military is required in aid of the Civil in cato-street, on Wednesd a y l ast , w h ere t h e gang had assembled, the Officers m a d e dili gen t inquiries Pow ?r, was ordered out. It was commanded by C respecting him, and they learnt that sin c e he had aptain Fitzclarence. Upon arriving at John-street, been disc harged n from the 2d Regiment of Life tve were unable to ascertain the spot whither we , Guards, he had been working as a baker in Padding ough . to proceed, and the Captain advanced to as ton, where he also lodged, but from which place he certain what we were to do. When he returned, he had absconded. This confirmed the information they ordered the picket to advance at double quick time. hadreceived, and they had then no doubt but that he Upon reaching the stable in Cato -street, I ob was one-of the Cato-street gang of assassins, but could serve! a man standing with a pistol in his hand.— n k ot learn anything respecting him, either at the ba- He presented it at Captain Fitzclarence, and I beet or at the house where be lodged. However, knocked it aside with my pike. I then seized the they proceeded in their inquiries among his connexions muzze-end of the pistol with my haul, and a scuffle and relatives, and at length they had a strong suspi ensue I between the man and myself about the pistol. tins that he was concealed at his sister ' s, in Gravel- I kept* firm hold of•it till it went of, and the ball lane, in the Borough ; to which place ty went, ;mum •by my arm tore the cloth of my sleeve,:is made a rush into the h and there found him.— (Whit is here exhibited the sleeve of hi : coat ' wh i c h He made no resistance, althounh he is a powerful appet-ed - to be very much torn). P in wrestlin g with man, and above six feet high. . lhe Officers brought the pri.orier I held my face down to the lock of the • pistol; and, bun to the Office, where he soon afterwards under d, as it went off, the ball grazed my right went an examination before the Magistrate, RICHARD eyebro v. As soon as the piitol was discharged, the BIRNIE, Esq. when he was identified as one of the prisone• let go his hold. I secured him, and deli desperate gang who were in the loft, and standing vexed h. m over to the Police. I believe the person's near Thistlewood at the time he coolly and delibe name ii Tidd. After this skirmish I followed my rately murdered the courageous but unfortunate Officer and part of the picket up the steps into the Smithers. He was clearly seen, and his per s on w ell loft. The greater part of the picket had reached the identified, there being eight or ten candles burning loft before I was disengaged from the prisoner.— in the loft when the Officers entered it. He gave When I reached the loft, I discovered a table hi the denk,proof of his having been there from several centre of it, nearly covered - with pistols, blunder- evi Wounds in his body, which, AO doubt, he received in busses, ammunition, and other arms, of Various de- the affray, and which he could not satisfactorily ac scriptions. Three men had then surrendered—l count for. He was committed for further examin a tio n . think their names were Monument, Cooper, and Gil- At an early hour yesterday Isorning, Lavender and Christ. Ido not recollect what Police Officers were Bishop, the Officers, went dared to a miserable ho present at the time. Upon looking on the floor, I vel in Brooks'-mat ket, Holborn, and apprehended saw the deceased lying dead at my feet. His body Robert Adams, in put once of a warrant granted was examined by the picket, and I perceived the against him. He folleWed the trade of a shoemaker. wound on his right breast. I was ordered back to He some time since It/as a private in the Royal Horse the Barracks fir a reinforcement, and when -I re- Guards, in which he served five years. He very turned, the whole of the prisoners taken, at that mo- much resembles Thistlewood in person, but has a meat were collected in the loft. Upon the arrival cast in his left eye. He is suspected to be one of of the reinforcement, the prisoners were conveyed to those who escaped out of the window of the loft, on Bow-street. Wednesday night, in Cato-street. He exhibited a Here one of the Jury observed, that the Inquest most wretched appearance; indeed, the whole of the had proceeded far enough to ascertain the acts of prisoners were in a most filthy, dirty state—the only Thistlewood. The Coroner replied, that those who clean man among them was Davidson, the Black. were aiding and abetting in the murder were equally Adams, together with John Symonds, the footman to guilty as the principal, and it would be necessary to Miss Streattield, in Upper Seymour -street, were con ascertain who they were, and what they did. veyest by Lavender and Bishop to the Secretary of Here the examination was interrupted by the ar- States Office for the Home Department, at twelve rival of the Messenger, with a letter from Mr. BAICZR, o'clock, where, at one o'clock, another meeting of and was to the the Magistrate, following effect : you, that I granted a warrant on Wanes- to the Coroner. It was read aloud, Privy ouocillors took place, to investigate and b r i n g, •• I beg te inform to condign punishment these dari n g con s pi ra t ors . day, the aid instant, for the apprehension of Arthur Thistle- —The Council was attended by the w h o l e o f t h e Ca wired, and several others, on a charge of felony, and that I al. binet Ministers, the LORD CHANCIL LOR the ATTOR torwards received fr om ll& Ellis an order to lay it before the Nu . and SOLICITOR GENZRAL, and all the Privy Privy Coancil, on the examination of the prisoners when ist cos. Councillors who attended the Meeting on Thursday, tody. It has not yet been returned to me, nor do I think that . names we gave ye s terday. The e v id ence I shall be able to obtain it at the present moment. Perhaps it whose would be better to adjourn the Inquest for the present, and i against Symonds and Adams_ not being in an ar will endeavour to g et it for you to-morrow, or send you the in- ranged state to lay before the Privy Councillors, the formation on which it was issued." prisoners were referred back to Bow-street Office, William Salmon, of Edgeware-road, tailor, deposed, and the Privy Councillors proceeded to hear die evi that on Wednesday night, about eight o'clock, on dence of Captain FITZCLAKIINCE, the Non-commis passing through Cato-street. he heard Mr. Westcot sioned Officers and privates of the Guards, who were say that Smithers had been stabbed, and saw two or of the party sent to assist the Police in the attack three persons come out of the stable door ; one of upon the gang of assassins assembled in the stable them was a tall man, with a dark coat, who cut at and loft in Cato -street, John -street, Edgeware-road. him with a cutlass; he was cut through his panta- The-examination of the military occupied the atten loons and coat; several shots were also tired and tiers of the Privy Councillors till four oclock, when flying in the street, apparently from the windoW of they adjourned. Symonds and Adams were inter the shed. resided by Mr. Btasna, and this occupied so much Here the examination of the witnesses terminated, time, that no witnesses were examined. Symonds's and the Coroner expressed a wish to receive some in- investigation lasted between two and three hours. formation respecting the Christian names of those Symonds aard'Adams were detained in custody.— who had been described as having been apprehended Jilrouks, the patrole, who was shot at three times, in in the stable. He thought there was no distinction the stable, gave his evidence before Mr. Mama, between the case of Thistlewood and the other priso- from which it appeared, that a pistol-ball had en ners: they all entertained the same mischievous de- tered the arm of his great coat, passed through• all sign, and shelved their purpose but toe plainly, in his clothes, and bruised his shoulder, but did not being so well furnished with fire-arms, hand-gre- wound him, and there is no doubt but that it was nades, &c. He wished to know whether the Gentle- owing to his being thickly clothed, having two coats, men et the Jury were satisfied with the evidence al- two waistcoats, kc. which saved him from receiving ready received? Ira mortal wound. He was asked if he could identify A Juryman said, he wished to put a question to! the man who shot at hiin ? he replied, he had not .Ruthven, the Officer, before the verdict was pro-; the lea,t doubt of the man being lugs, the butcher, trounced ; but Mr. Pyall, the summoning Officer,. who was apprehended in Cato -street, and who was stated, that Ruthven had gone away. - one of the nine that were committed, on Thursday The Coroner wished to know whether Ray of the; o_yet ht, to the House of Correction from the Secretary Jury r, g,uired an adjournment of the Inquest ?—if St a tes O ffi ce for the Home Department ;he saw they did, he would willingly attend to their request.i him distinctly present the pistol, and.. discharge it at The Jury unanimously declared that they were sa- hi m ; h e h ad a per f ect recollection of his person. tisfied, and the Coroner, in a formal manner, asked, —He had since searched his lodgings, and found a Is Arthur Thistlewood Guilty or Not Guilty of ! var i ety o f papers, bet nothia,g ot a suspicions nature,. Murder ?" except a large ticket . with hleroglyphic and emble matical engravings on it, which he did not under •stand ; and he supposed it to relate tp Freetresourb, - -1-..11A i 2 im'Z',4,lDMiafiligia land lie-took it to a FfeethltlOlie Lodge to *sae lii• quiries respectipg it, but there it was denied to be anything relative to Freemasonry; he therefete suspected it to be some private insignia to answer some diabolical purpose, and determined to mak* further inquiries respecting it. William We,tcet, another of the Pattole, produced his hat as a relic of'the battle of Cato-street. It had three large holes in the crown of it, through which balls had passed. He saved himself from being run through the body with a sword by one of the bl'xsd• thirsty villains, by his instantly closing in upon him, when a brother officer coming up to his assistance, they overpowered the murdering wretch, and se• cured him. He escaped being shot, by wearing at the time a remarkably high-crowned had. THE DISCOVERY OF THE PLOT. The discovery of the infamous wretches, and their intended diabolical act, is next to a miracle, as we have it from good authority. A man called at the Earl of HAIIROWBY'S house, in Grosvenor• square, on Wednesday morning, between eleven and twelve o'clock, and inquired of the porter if the Noble Earl was at home? who replied in the negative. The matt appeared very urgent to see the Earl, but the porter did not give him any hopes 'ot accomplishing his object, owing to his refusing to tell his business, and it not being usual to admit strangers to see the Noble Earl under such circumstances ; the man, however, persevered, stating the absolute necessity of his seeing the Noble Earl, and making use of the following strong expression—" that if he did not see the Noble Earl, the porter would not be sitting in that chair (meaning the porter's chair in the hall) to-Morrow." The latter was induced to believe that the man had something serious and alarrning to communicate to the Earl of HARROWBY, and he then told him that the Noble Earl was riding in the Park, and directed him to die most likely part in which he could be found, and described his groom and the livery he wore, &c. The man, in consequence, hastened with all speed to the Park, and discovered the groom as described by the porter, hailed him, and asked if the ' Gentleman before him was the Earl of Hnattown? The groom replied in the affirmative, aqat the man, told him he wanted and must speak with him. The groom informed his Noble Master, when he stopped his horse, and the man presented a letter to him, which the Earl opened and read, and having informed him that he had a deal more to communicate, he dis. mounted from his horse, and walked and talked with the man for some time. ness de that nn and en, The tal at Smii ceased', hands, ness killed I him, a knock( He imi other s party. man rt he pur the pri name i lame n sion a is quiu Smith( David! The p tody I them t Cher, I his fac tome I recogr Jury Vim Dit which AJ This 17 bans Tlht rant o in con Mr. B icsl FURTHER PARTICULARS. The conspirators were examined before the Privy Council separately. Serjeant Legge and the privates were in attendance the whole day, and were con veyed into the different rooms where the prisoners were, in order to be able to identify them. None of the prisoners seemed at all inclined to address the per sons in the room with them, except John Monument, the shoemaker, who entered into a long explanation with the Gentlemen near him. He said, among other things, "that he had not been in the loft ten minutes ' before the Police Officers arrived—that he clime - by Thistlewood's desire, of whom he had some know ledge—that when he saw arms, he was sorry he came; and wished to go away—that he had heard nothing upon the subject till after the King's death—chat he had seen Thistlewood once or twice at a house which he named; that he was told there were several simi lar meetings ; the purpose he did not particularise. He denied that they were bound together by any oath; but it was a general understanding among them, that whoever was guilty of treachery was to he taken off. He had heard something of going to Lord H A It. ROWDY'S, but he declared he knew not for wl n it."_ It would be almost impossible to select a set of men more disgusting and ill-favoured than the conspira tors first arrested—vulgar, feroCious, and particu larly malignant. Davidson, the man of c,lour, was the best-looking man amongst them. Ings, the but cher, had one of his eyes severely wounded ; he had discharged a pistol at one of the Officers ; but it. missed' its object, and the Officer struck him with his staff on his eye. In the same room with him was another of the prisoners, a man apparently about 60, whose features, attentively considered, betrayed more resolution and malignity of purpose than any of the rest. He threw around him a scowl, which seemed /to say, that among those who were looking at him were some who would have been victims, had the plot been carried into execution. Other warrants were issued yesterday, and Laven der and Bishop went in search of the persons intended .to be apprehended. Among the grenades found on the premises in Cato -street, was one weighing upwards of 141 b. It is a large tin canister, filled with gunpowder and combustibles, and is wrapped round with rope-yarns, which bind to its sides old snuffers and pieces of old iron. The whole had afterwards been dipped in .tar, and covered with an outer coat of brown paper.— There is a fuse at the top, and the 'intention wad to throw this into the banquet-room on fire. When once exploded, its effects would have been horrible. During die whole of ycsactday morning, notwith. standing the weather being so unfavourable, num bers or personspf the first respectability, in their car riages and on horseback, have been to view the spot, now rendered important, as the rendezvous of the confederates of the hellish conspiracy. About eleven o'clock, Captain FITZCLARENCE, accompanied by two friends, walked through the street. Shot marks are visible in various parts of the premises. The sta ble and hay-loft are under the charge &f the Police Officers, who.have strict order's to suffer no one to enter them. A private passage, from No. 6, in John street, to the back of the stable, is also under the charge of the Police, who, as well as the inhabitants of that house, are strictly charged to suffer no per son to pass that way. Yesterday morning, on making further search in the stable; in Cato -street, the Officers discotered eleven pike-handles, concealed under a door, and a tuck-stick. The former are about five feet six inches in length, and two inches in diameter. They are quite green, and appear to be young trees recently cut down. At one end is an iron ferrule and a socket to receive the pike which hat been described to be . formed at the end of the stilettoes. A considerabl e quantity of ball-cartridges, found in the areas lithe neighbouring houses, which it it supposed iverip thrown away by the ceospirators is their Agin, have $l.l/1«, -• ~~