Star. — London, England, 1821-09-08 00:00:00

! 1 tachment did not fire as soon as they came into Ox ford-street. .1 did observe the detachment which I first saw mix occasionally with the others. The de tachment I saw halting under the gate (for I should correct my.elf) came through, and the hearse after it. After the hearse came some other soldiers ; but the detachment which headed the hearse, did not mix with any other troops afterwards. I did not see any Officer with the detachment in the real of the hearse. In point of fact, I did not see the detach ment in thi rear Conte' through; I only saw just the head of it., There was no firing till. after the hearse had paised through the gate. I don't know what detachment it was that commenced firing ; for I saw none. Between the pistol that I heard first fired, and the other irregular firing, there might be the in terval of a few seconds. I saw the body of a man that I supposed to be shot. I haie not said, and I don't know that it was Honey. The firing had ceased at that time. As I came up, walking out of the coffee-house, I saw the first detachment I had seen drawn up and formed near Cumberland-gate, with their horses heads towards Cumberland-street. By the Foreman.—l saw a great number of bricks thrown from the Park wall. I should think there were about 20 flying—if I could count them— round the Officer's head at one time; bricks and stones. _ The Foreman.—You speak of both ?—I speak of bricks only. Witness.—l did not count them ; but I saw both • bricks and stones, I believe, thrown from and from under the Park wall. I did believe the soldiers to be in great danger. I saw none of them cut or wounded ; but I did see many of them struck with stones and bricks. I saw an Officer a good deal struck. He had no cloak. I have seen Trim since, but I should not be able to swear to him. I don't knoiv whether he was cut or wounded. I saw an Officer with the detachment at the gate. I have beard his name was Gore, but I did not know him then'. I slid see the Officer struck. I don't know whether he was cut or wounded. I saw a trumpeter with the Officer. I saw him strike a man who was throwing stones from the wall. He might have cut' at him with the point of his sword and killed him if he wished, but I can swear he only struck him with li the flat. I don't think I should know that trum peter again. By Mr. Blakie.—l should think he was a young man, not a boy. The soldiers were pelted with stones and mud : they then drew their swords. I did not see what took place in the Park. The man whom the trumpeter struck at was sitting astride on the wall, pulling the bricks off and throwing them at the soldiers. At this time the soldiers were passing close to him. They were as near as the curb-stone would allow them to go. Only one struck him. I saw another soldier attempting to make his horse go upon the foot pavement, but he did not succeed, the stones, &c. flew so thick about him. At the time I saw this I was in the coffee-room of the Hyde-pack I was there during the whole of the time I am speaking of. The windows were shut. I bad not a good view of Cumberland-gate : I had a side view. I saw stones thrown from other places besides Park-lane : some from immediately under the win dow where I was standing. The soldiers were riding up and down there. I saw some stones thrown two or three seconds before the firing. I did not see the firing ; I only heard the report. I cannot say where the hearse was then : it had got out of my sight.— The firing commenced two or three minutes after this. I cannot tell whether the Al hole of the Pro cession had passed at that time. I did not go from the window. 1 was drawn to the spot on that day by t-iriosity. I came from a house on the Edge ware-road. I saw a body borne away. I say most decidedly that there was sufficient time for that per son to have gone away between the passing of the hearse from my view and the commencement of the firing. I have not undergone any examination on this subject before this morning. I made a similar representation to this to Mr. Hanson. Having seen by the Papers that some persons had sworn that no stones were thrown till after the fiting, I felt it to be my duty to Mr. Stirling, the Coroner. By Mr. Brown.-1 was sitt;ng reading a News paper before the noise outside attracted my atten tion. On this I came to the window, and saw a great crowd of people on horseback and on foot coming up Park-lane. I saw the soldiers at the Park gate at the same time. Mr. Brown.—Mr. Coroner, that's all I shall ask. I contend that this witness does not know what provo cations the people had received at first, or whether the soldiers attacked them before they were struck with the stones. Mr. Adolphus has told us that he would call only a few witnesses, whose evidence would shorten our time, and clear up the matter, but the evidence of this witness does not do either. Mr. ADOLPHUS.—I am quite prepared to expect Inch observations as those I have now heard upon whatever witnesses I may call. I maintain that this Gentleman's evidence does prove provocation by the people. He states that the soldiers were attacked by them, and that their lives were in imminent danger. 'This proves the provocation. Mr. Brown.—l deny it. Mr. ADOLNIUS.--I dare say you do, and that you will deny it by your verdict. This expression seemed to have a very strong ef fect on the Jury, several of whom cried out at the same moment, " Shame, shame !" The Foreman.—lt is most scandalous, most infa mous, in any man to presume to anticipate our verdict. A Juror (Nlr. Brown).—Mr. Adolphus, you ought to be ashamed of yourself—you should remember that you have been already turned out of society for your ill manners. Another Juror.—How dare you, Sir, presume to anticipate what our verdict may be*- (We cannot say whether Mr. Adolphus made any reply to those remarks. At least if he spoke, what Le said did not reach us). Another Juror.—lt is highly improper for any one to act thus in the Jury-room. Mr. Blakie.—Brother Jurymen, I am sorry that you should take any notice of - lanything that falls from Mr. Adolphus. I thought we had seen enough of the nature of the beast to let him take his own way. Mr. ADOLPIILI4.—I shall not answer any of those remarks. They who make them are Gentlemen— of the Jury here—what they are elsewhere I will net now say. Tht . Fureman.—.We are not Jew-gentleraen i -at all 'events, Mr. Adolphus ; we were never sent to Co- ' ventry, as you were. A Juror.—Our pedigree Is at least as good as Mr. Adolphus's. The Congsraa.—Dob Gentlemen, let us go on with the business of the Inquest, or perhaps it would be better that we should adjourn awhile in order to get cool. Mr. Blakie.:—Mr. Coroner, it is natural that such 'conduct should make ns warm ; and I am certain that if any person but Mr. Adolphus had presumed in this place to anticipate our verdict, you would order your constable to turn him out of the room. Mr. Spicer.—l hope, Gentlemen, you will let the matter drop now, and let us go on. The Foreman.—Yes, Mr. Spicer, but we are not to allow ourselves to be insulted by a browbeating, bul lying Old Bailey Counsel here. CORONER.—I think we had better adjourn a little till we cool. Mr. Brown.—He comes here because he is paid. It is his profes3ion, but we are not paid. The examination of the witness was now resumed. By the Foreman.—l saw a bariner, but did not see the man that carried it at the time the hearse came through. There was an Officer along . with the de tachment at the gate. I have seen him since. He has been pointed out to me. I believe him to be Lieute nant Gore, but I don't know it of my own knowledge. The Foreman.—lt is rather extraordinary, that you should observe so particularly his dress and his want of a cloak, and not have noticed the main , thing, his countenance ?—Because he was the only Of ficer who was without a cloak. In answer to another question witness said, When I saw the body of the man borne by, I said to the waiter, there is a dead man. He seems as if he had been shot through the heart. By Mr. Gall.—l saw the soldiers riding up and down past the Hyde Park Hotel several times. I did not see the carbines in their hands. If they had had them, I should have observed them. By another Juror.—l Gould not see the people at the end of. Cumberland-street from where I stood. By Mr. Brown.—l don't know what passed he tween the people and the soldiers before the time I saw the soldiers draw their swords. Mr. Brown.—That is again exactly what I said : the. Gentleman does not know how the first provoca tion was given. Mr. ADOLPIIUS.—When I hear such observations as this made, observations which ought rather to be left for the Juror to make when he comes to consider of his verdict—l must say that it is directly antici patory of the verdict he means to give. The Foreman.—We shall not notice what Mr. Adolphus says. Mr. Brown.—We shall chew you, Sir, that we have some Spartan blood in us, and starve you out. (We could not guess to whoin this remark was directed). Witness re-examined by Mr. ADOLPIIUS.—When I first saw the soldiers, before I went to read the News paper, they were sitting quietly on their horses, with their swords in their scabbards. When I saw them again, they were in the act of drawing their swords : the people were then throwing stones at them. By Mr. Gall.—When I first came up the Edge ware-road to go to the Hotel, I did not sec the end of it blocked up. It was not blocked up. The evidence of the witness was now read over to him. In the course of it he observed, that to his be lief, Lieutenant Gore was the Officer who was at the bead of the de:achment at Cumberland-gate. Mr. ADOLPIIUS.—There can be no doubt that Lieu tenant Gore was at the head of these twelve men. A Juror.—What do you mean by such imperti nence ? Why should you say " these twelve men? " Mr. ADOLPIIUS.-1 really do not understand such language. I say these twelve men, and I repeat it. I am at a loss to guess where is the impropriety of the Tema' k. Mr. Spicer suggested, that by " these twelve men" Mr. Adolphus meant the men who were with Lieu tenant Gore, and not the Jury; as the other Juror seemed to think. The Juror begged pardon for the mistake. Mr. ADOLPIIU said, that the mistake did not war- I 1 rant the use of the word " impertinence." The Juror.—Yes, but we have had so much of it already.—The witness now signed his deposition, and with dre w. Richard Buckle Teed examined by Mr. ArooLimus. lamof no profession. lam living on my property. I reside at present at the Hyde Park Hotel. My pro perty is in Bristol. On the day of the Queen's funeral I was in the Hyde Park Coffee-house, in the third story window fronting Oxford-street. I saw part of the hearse over the trees coming along towards Cum berland-gate. When the Procession was advancing the gates were closed by persons who surrounded them. The soldiers endeavoured to open them. They partly succeeded in effecting their object. The gates were closed again by the persons who surrounded them. The soldiers were pelted at the gates while they attempted to open them. That was the begin ning of the fray. The gates were opened, after a cons►derable resistance. When they were opened, another body of the Life Guards passed through.— Some carriages followed, and then the hearse. The hearse first came into the middle of Oxford-street, opposite Cumberland-street. The horses' heads were then seized by some persons and partially turned to wards St. Giles's. The soldiers then drove the people from the horses' heads ; and, while .they were turning the hearse the other way, the hearse and soldiers were attacked by a shower of stones and brickbats. I saw the soldiers repeatedly hit. I cannot speak to any particular man as being active in the mob, it is so long since. The hearse then moved nearly oppo site N 0.248, in Oxford-street, on the left hand side— on the side nearest the Park, and almost opposite 248. The soldiers then formed themselves into a body nearly opposite No. 247. The firing immediately commenced. That was about ten minutes after I had first seen stones thrown. There was a continuation of the stone-throwing from the commencement of the dispute until the firing began ; not from one quarter, but from different bodies. By the Foreman.—l will not swear that there was an incessant throwing of stones. There might have been some intermission. It is a difficult thing to de scribe stone-throwing under such circumstances.— Great quantities of stones were thrown. By Mr. ADoLPHus.--The first seven or eight shots, as far as I could judge, were fired in the air. About half a minute after the firing began, a man was on the ground. I mean a private individual ' sot a sol diet. Ire was within about three paces of No. 241 The persons around him cried—" Murder ! a man is shot!" After that I retired from the window. I saw several of the Guards hit by stones. One man was very severely struck on the back. That whs when the soldiers were trying to open the gates.. At the time the throwing commenced, the soldiers had not, as far as I saw, done any one thing to provoke the mob, except attempting to force the gates; they desisted from firing for ten minutes after the throw ing of stones bad begun. Just before the commence ment of the firing, part of the Park railing had been pulled down, or had fallen down. By Mr. Gall.—l came up to the Jury-room on a former occasion to be examined, not knowing that it was directed that all witnesses should remain out of the room except the person under examination, but I did not stay more than half a moment. I could not distinguish peace-officers at the gates from other per sons. I did not observe their truncheons. I stated that the gates were twice closed, once partially opened, and once entirely opened. I remarked to a person who stood with me at the window when the fray oc curred, " that, from what I saw, if I were placed in the situation of the soldiers, I would have done more mischief than they did." I did not say-that I would kill 500 of the people. By Mr. Blakie.—l said before that I saw a part of the hearse over the trees. I cannot state at what pace the hearse was going. I am not certain who opened the gates. I saw the soldiers engaged in opening them. The soldiers were endeavouring to open the gates both times. When the first shot was fired, the hearse was nearly opposite to N 0.248, and rather nearer to Tyburn-gate than otherwise. I believe the whole of the Procession had not then passed through Cumberland-gate. To the best of my belief the man was on the ground before the whole of the Procession had passed through Cum berland-gate. The man fell at No. 245, on that side of Cumberland-street next the hotel. Had I been i placed in the man's situation, I am certain that there would have been sufficient time, between the passing of the hearse and the beginning of the firing, for me to have got away. I withdrew myself from the win- ' dew when the man fell. I certainly did not with draw myself from the window the moment the hearse passed through Cumberland-gate. If; unfortunately, you had been wounded after the hearse had passed, would you have attributed it to your having no right to be there? Mr. ADOLPIIVS objected to this question, as in volving a mere matter of opinion. Mr. Blakie persisted in pressing it. The Conomat held she objection to be good. Mr. Blakie.—Then, I a , k, if you had been stand ing at No. 245, when the hearse passed, would you have considered that you had a right to be there? Mr. ADOLPHE'S opposed this question, and the Coro. ner ruled that it was not regular. Mr. Blakie.—lf you had heard the Riot Act read, would you have removed from the window ? This question was also rejected. Mr. Blakie.—Was the Riot Act read at all ?—I did not hear it. By Mr. Brown.—The firing did not commence until the last detachment of the Life Guards came through. I cannot positively say that I saw an Officer come through with the last detachment. I did not notice any one in particular. I merely saw a body of soldiers. The soldiers were all in a body when they fired below 247. I did not observe an. Officer, l or any one person in particular, firing. I. know Captain Oakes by sight; I do not know him person ally. I did not see him with that detachment. If I had seen him I should have known him. I do not know Lieutenants Story, Hall, or Terry. I know Lieutenant Gore, but I cannot say that he fired on that day. By the Foretnan.—l saw a trumpeter riding about behind Lieutenant Gore. The trumpeter appeared to be a young man, from 18 to W. I should know him again. I don't recollect seeing Lieutenant Gore in conversation with a trumpeter on that day. I was in a front window three stories high. I saw a man with a banner ;he was on the ground. I did not see him struck down. I think I saw him Fet up and run away with the banner in his hand. There were so many things to recollect at once, that I cannot posi. tively say. To the best of my remembrance he got up and ran away ; but I can't say so wilh any cer tainty, for the crowd was very great at the time. I saw a shower of stones and brickbats thrown for about ten minutes. I saw none of the multitude cut or wounded by them ; though 1 saw some struck by them, as well as the soldiers were. By Mr. Spicer.—l saw the troops firing in one body as it were, without distinction. If there had been a single shot fired, either by an Officer or private, among the people resisting, I think I should have seen it. The man with the banner I did not see car ried away; I cannot positively say how he got off; but the impression on my mind is, that he was not carried away. By a Juror.—l saw some stones thrown from the corner of Cumberlancl-street. They came rather from up the street, and on both sides. Certainly, I saw no stones thrown from the spot where the deceased fell. I should say they came from rather above that spot. I don't know whether they were throwing from the corner of Cumberland-street exactly at the time the firing commenced. At that time they were being thrown rather more from the Park. __ 'By a Juror.—l don't call Hyde Park Hotel my re sidence ; but I have been there, off and on, somewhere' about two years. I have no regular residence in the ,country. My property lies in the City and County of Bristol. I am well known there. The present Mayor of Bristol rents £BOO a-year of me. I believe I should call him the late Mayor, for the Mayoralty expires in that city on the Ist of September. Mr. Brown. —I am going to ask you a downright Radical question, such a one as I was severely repri manded before for asking, Mr. Coroner ; but one which, nevertheless, with your leave, I will ask again. And this it is—lf the people chose to shut the gates, don't you think that they had a right to do so ? Witness.—l don't know: how should I? Several Jurors observed that this was merely matter of opinion. Mr. Brown.—The fact is, the Park . is held by the tenant for the benefit of the people. Mr: ADOLPHUS.--Is it, indeed ? Mr. Brown.—You know it is, and so do I. Mr. ADOLPHUS.:e4 dun% know that at all : I rather believe not. Mr. Brom—Ay, very well. There must be op, position of opinion here, a; elsewhere. There 'nut be opposition even in a bowl of punch, to m a k e i t good; so I say nothing to Mr. Ad.,lphus's ohje ct i ot. Mr. ADOLPHUS.-.-It is quite clear, that if one bob of the King's subjects is coming through the Sa t e no other body of subjects, on your own shewing, h. ts any right to shut it against them ; and Ido rep ot again, that I think there is something quite rop m hensible and shocking in starti ng suc h questions:3 these upon such an occasion. Mr. Brown.—l do not see anything shocking to i t at all; not at all : there is nothing seditiou s , cious, or flagitious, that I see in my questio n: that I know is, that Government cannot shlit tip the Park. Witness.—l heard no peace-officer, or ot h e , son, remonstrating or expostulating with the pe cr :. I did observe that the shutting et the gates was the commencement of the fray. The Guards who xent to open the gate, and were endeavouring and strtt , - gling to do so, were pelted; and then the other s da. diers, who were behind them, rode among the r mple. By Mr. ADOLPH us.--11 hen they turned their backs upon the people, the soldieis were again pelted. By Mr. HAYWARD.--I did not observe the ma n whom I saw fall, or shot. throw stones or do any thing improper. The time that elapsed between the turning of the hearse bosses' head% towards Tyburn. gate by the soldiers, and the moment at which ti,, matt fell, was, I believe, about a mnute, or a tai. nute and a half. I think not more. By Mr. Gall.—The hearse was nearly op?..73ite No. 248, when I saw the first shot fired.—(Here th e witness's evidence was read over to him, orric doubt arising as to the fact that the witness had previously deposed to this circumstance. It appeared by the Co. roner's notes, that he had done so in the precise terms stated by Mr. Gall in putting his question).—r rom the time that I saw the first shot fired, till I saw th e man upon the ground, might be about half a minute The Foreman here requested that the Jury migh t be allowed to retire for the purpose of dining, snd solicited the honour of the Coroner's company. The CORONER gave his permission, but declined the invitation. Mr. PA own.—Perhaps Mr. Adolphus will eat some► thing with us ? Mr. ADOLPHUS al SO declined. The Foreman said, they would not exceed ratan, and the Jury retired at three o'clock. On the return of the Jury, at a few minutes pa/ four o'clock, _ John Llog4 was called, and examined by Mr. ADOLPHUS.-1 live at No. 12, Great Cumberland. street. lam no profession. I look after a house be. longing to Lord Bapot. Oa the day of the Queen's funeral I saw what passed at Cumberland-gate. I was at the window of Lord 13agot's house, nearly facing Cumberland-gate. I saw twelve of the Litt Guards on horseback fcr about an hour before the funeral came up. During part of that hour then was a great deal of hissing, and groaning, and yaws. ing at them. A little before the Procession'came up, there came up Park-lane, and that way, a great mob of people, and closed the gates. The hearse was then approaching the gates. The soldiers then rushed up to the gates to open them, and a most furicus attack commenced upon the soldiers, with stones and such sort of things, from ail directions. After a gist struggle the soldiers - got the gates open, but they were shut again once or twice, and the stones kept flying in all directions. In all this time I did net perceive that the soldiers used more strength than was necessary to open the gates. Mr. Blakie submitted that this was not evidence. The Coroner had befose objected to evidence of this description. Mr. ADOLPHUS said, that what the witness ow ' was matter of evidence. Mr. Blakie thought, that the quantum of force which might be sufficient to open the gates, must be a matter of the opinion of the witness. The CORONER thought there was nothing unrea sonable in the question, and it was allowed to stand. Witness continued.-1 saw some persons, whom I thought to be police officers, assisting the soldiers to open the gates. They had short sticks, and I took them to be police officers. Some of them might have been the undertakers' men, but I cannot say. I saw several of the soldiers struck with large stones, bricks, and brickbats. I saw one or two of them that were quite doubled up upon their horses. There was rico of them with his cap (helmet) knocked off. Upon this the soldiers endeavoured, when the mob got near them, to intimidate them—to drive them back, by flourishing their swords. When they rode to wards them the mob would fall back, and whim they (the soldiers) retired, the people would throw again. I saw the hearse come through, and the mob got hold of the horses beads and turned them to St. Giles's. The heads of the leaders were turned down. I mean to say, by the snob. The Life Guards, when they saw that, turned back, and turned the horses heads towards Tyburn-turnpike. After the hearse got through, there was not so much throwing of stones and brickbats, but still there was some. The principal part of the soldiers had gene on before the hearse. From what I saw, up to this time, I really considered the lives of the military quite in danger. Up to the time of which I have now been speaking, I had heard no report of fir e ' arms. I heard some soon afterwards. I heard the report of fire-arms. It might be five, six, or se ven minutes afterwards; I can't say how many exactly . , I did not see who discharged them. I only h ear d the reports. I really cant say how many pieces were discharged. There might be fifteen or twat) . - -The discharge was nearer to Tyburn-turnpike than to Lord Bagot's. I saw a man carried P 2 61 Lord Bagot's window from towards Tyburn-tual pike, but I saw no other. I saw the soldiers who they were returning from Cumberland-gate. Solo of them, two or three, had their faces running d ove with blood. Their lothes were all over mud and dirt. That's all I saw. ' By Mr. Gall.—l was at the window from before the gates were shut till they had passed Lord &got s ' a good while. By Mr. Blakie.—l have been examined before ef this subject by Mr. Hanson. The 'mune of that el" minatiun was, if not the same words, at least L.: same substance as what I said here. I hold a plac., tinder Government. I am one of the IlouselieP Trufapeters. ,z ;11.1 Mr. Mall,—Wly witness ha: .. tQ.