The National Register. — London, England, 1820-03-26 00:00:00

YORK ASSIZES. TRIAL. OF MR. lIUNT AM) OTHERS. (se:eosin DAV.) FRIDAY, MARCH 1 - 1..--At half past nine o'clock Mr. Justice Bayley 100 K 1118 seat, Mr. Hunt and the other de ll intent having previously entered. The first evidence given w..s that ul 't in. Monis; he was a weaver, the ‘Vliitirooss, awl saw the people aallecting near that 'dace, with the defendant. Ndlll.lo Bamford, at limit head, oil the Rids August. There were litany I ired. of' thew under his oire.ctioll,inaie hang And counter Matching at Middleton. They were iegolaily funned in sections. and they were 2 or j,0,11.1 At least in number. They formed at one time into a hollow spittle, and were add, essed by llanitord, whir stood on a chair the middle of them; he reco 11111 l e nded them to be quiet 011 the snatch, and to take au insult 151 her than give one. Ile said situ, he did nut expect any disturtursice until the e%ening. He wore lam , ' in his own has, and distribilted it S 1110111( those who led the sections uti she march. They had two flags and caps or liberty, and switches in their hands. lie had often seen the people marching and c ttttt der matching its the fields, and un Ma high road. before use loth u 1 Angth.t. The 111141 used sometimes to be (trilled by Jhn Hayward, VIIIO hail beet) 1 1111/1110 111 tile Intsi Draw.uo o ns, and John IV hitwurtli, whofidd tics tio the Gilt Foot. Cross-csaini.ted by defendant Bamford, who appears shrewd vetisahle 111411, and is the Alllllor of some' light Poems, w Melt ale talked of ill liiiS part of the comitry. lie }.1%01C pu.it vcly w bit srewg Baullord ruin. and hamitgue the meeting adjoining the high toad, on their way to .Maneliester, on the 16th August. He dill uut re conceit heating him va? for a hat wei o the flag, nor that they were to take care and retina hone ill peace a►ti qui etness alley the meeting via, over. lie did not observe try a Ile sail cldld in llie crowd ; torte were minty women dud caildten annum them, and they might have been there without his seeing them. He had seen many processions of Orange-mein and OtitlJellOWS 41111 banners and music, in that phi t of the country. 'l' iicie was nothing at all esti am - tint:at yin them. He knew a good deal about matching, having once been a soldier. Cross ekamined by Mr. Hunt.—He had been a soldier iu the 104t11 legihieil of firm, tint had plated the service; lie was indeed a noti.cuininissioned officer, a sort el mush room serjeatit, as it was called. He never was charged with violating his oath of allegiance, and fur a very good reason, they neglected sweating him in when lie entered the army, and he took French leave of Mein one murning when lie gut tired of the service. He was nut alanurd a► peoceAsions, even at "Hunt's Set." He saw no body committing depredations of any kind fu toe crowd; they all appealed to I to he very peaceable. They might have played loyal times, though lie did 1101 lira. theist ; they were playing some music, it might he the augur's March, or the Beset ter's March, for any thi n g hr knew. They had SW Ilelies, but wit. liter they %vete stiusig enough to whip an 11111,1111.)11% case nut ul Cuort he did nut know. John Eaton, a plumber and glaziet at at Itlille.oii, in the neiglibutit hood in Manchester, saw peupte assemble iu large ti 00000 bers in his neighbourhood to gu to the meeting of the 16th of August, and Samuel Itatuturd leading them, and matebtttlt Illein like ilOidielS. 'they moved to Mau cheater by the new road. Bamford and Mr. Hunt cross-examined him at great length. Ile knew Bauitniti's wife, but aid riot see her at tl►is collecting of the people to go to Manchester. 'filet e were women and children t 'lough in tile crowd, and they were going en quietly like withers. The Orange-men and Odd-fellows WM/VI with banners, and Matfett' often with theta. He disliked the Reformers, they made "such * to do" about the country, and in what lie said could not of course he considered as wishing to favour them. Joseph Favier, grocer, at Oldham, saw the men going in marching order .rum his part of the counti y to the Manchester meeting. He was a special constable, and was employed by the magistrates of his district to count the inimbees of the popmace. The division that funned near Oldham cousiated of 66-t in tegular array, but many hundreds loosely accompanying them• Dr. Healy, our of the drfendauts, whu w said to be a quack doctor, was their leader. A variety of witnesses gave similar evidence to this forming and matching 011 in military array, between Mancliestsr and tile adjoining townships on the 16th of August. John Ashworth, an engineer, working at a cotton fac tory near Nlaiieliester, deposed, that us the ciuwd passed he heard one or two of them say, they would make Man - Chester a itaw.coss befoul In hi. crussaexamisiation by Mr. Hoot, he admitted, that though his wile and children were in Manchester, aild the distance between him and them only four ur sive miles, he never sent user a messenger to get them into a place of safety, after healing this threat tail) , in the day. In his crusxexamination by Mr. Hunt, he admitted, that he sent his cart with goods to Moturlie.ter, uu the day of the meeting without me least Roger lintwi.tie, un Attorney, and clerk of the Manches ter race.cuurite, was examined at weal length. lie reiatid the whole pat ovular. ut tue Alanclietdir meeting—lt. ioweinuty ftona inherent putt..—ii. aLronsoi4 appeato - anee, anal it, diterSloll - JUSE a. it uas necio a bandied times told t i tote pirolic.—lle use meeting dciididoy Illegal. - Several urittovea wen:tit:Antis/ea as to the atote or A...n• ehester un ire lush August, mut Cork es itlenee m genital, de.eribed it as exposed to .110111 unC4/31111.10 maul; to meeting. Jawrs Du s icofie, a cotioa manufacturer its the ucip,hhour hood of Maiielte.ter,also threatening expreinions trout some of the crowd as they pass‘ d, and teas al t o rued, as a place of hi. had beets burnt Coati :iy Inc Luddites in 1614. — lie via. nn the siiine day tie Alenelo net-, and c• ruiiuly Ibuught erre it a tiles cistg greatly cairulatrd to nrl.he terrur into t whabitauta of so large it ton, u . ii i ,„ km.; f rom nonce he saw moon the turoughrive, desiring ail people to kee l , tlio or (auntie. witnioo (loots, that the mit tin; wow(' loe titisers• 41, lie oneorly acirt to bet Mr. limit ',lawn the ha.. Ling. ; he then tame oo:ty, and returned ouly when the auiinels load dis,tersr.l tne memos. several cuter witnesses were examined for the prose cution, sod c fn.. examined by the get , od.iits without eliciting any new tact—the following IS the cl.iss exami nation ut one ut them, (a Mr. Al4ltheW Cooper), by Mr. Hunt. How do you do Mr. Cooper ? I hope you ale well ; have had the pleasure of seeing you before. Mr. Hunt then weut ou to examine MM. Witness is 411 41:C01111141n, - THE NATIONAL REGISTER. -- • -•- and also a law-stationer; lie was also employed as a se cretary to a c 111111 l iitiee in :till of the civil power at NlAll ellestcr. He was not in the employ of the police, execia that situation emild he so considel ed. He had oee,,s 11 1 1 l a i e 1111 l inuatications %vitt' the Conrier and Muroiug Post. Ile %tote an account of the ineseitt; (lam hit memory, airiest by his mites, w h ich he sent to the Cone ire. He does nut know whether it was Morrie& He believes the account in she Courier Was front the Inocuitig papers. He did not then report for the Mot g Bost. Ile writ once a clerk to a professional gentleman at Alsmenester. He was af terwards instructed tor the excise, but he got no situation in it. His father was *supervisor of excise, and surveyed the brewery of Him es aud Fogg at Hullo's W duces was 4 clerk le thou when lie Was only 13 years of age. He was next asked why lie lel t it, mid, appealing to the Judge,sitiii,—." Whets I was 13 years of age 1 was clerk to theise gentlemen, and put sonic of their money to my own use, for what'll I was discharged, but I have since paid it hack a itti compound interest to one of the firm:." He diva added, " I won't!, iny Lord, have paid it souner, but at my father's death 1 liad three young brothers de pending opus' Inc fur support, and I thought they had *frame claims upon me." The money ads paid a few mommas ago. It was Ike first motwy lie had since the ctr -1 stance occurred. It was about 11 years since this happened, and lie was now neatly 30 years soilage. It was since lie gave evidence against I (Hind) that lie had gist this money. The whole sum, incluiline the interest for II years, was about 251 ,or less. He had out told Mr. Scerlesi, or Mr. Milne, ur allr. Mule, that lie hail com mitted iii;s *et. He had often thought of it before, but he had not been able to pay it sooner he was only about two years in business for himself. The money which he had taken was marked : lie could not tell why he had not been piusecut est : he did not know that be (Hunt) hail heard of this traistiaction; it he had, lie avoid have been better prepared, and have gut a most aatisfactury letter from one of the partuels, to whom he had since repaid it. The reason of his not being prosecuted was DUI, as tar as lie knew, because his lather was a supervisor of excise, and had din his power to serve the ba ewer, his master. ,tar. Hunt next asked whether the money which lie had given, instead of that of which lie lied robbed, his Master, was nut paid out of the poor-rates at Manchester. At this mode of examination, and particularly this last question, considerable disapprobation was manifested in the Court. Witness at the ineettemtlid not take down the whole of what was said. His attention was ceded to another quar ter for a time by the art ival of the cavalry. He took no more notes then. The whole of what he teed to the Gem was nut taken down at the time. tie took stoics from which lie now read. His notes weir only the heads of what was said, as he was not a short-band writer. He was certain the words he had used, or exactly to the same effect, were used. Afier some other questions from Mr. Hoot. witness left the box and another was called, but Mr. Justice Ilayley said to the Jury, that, as they a ete then fatigneddie would not go any far thee fur that evening. The Court was then adjourned, at seven u'cluck, till to morrow at mime. THIRD DAY. This day was occupied by examinations of little Interest, exceptio.; those of James Platt, one of the Cuastables of Mani heater, and tot W. Hulot', Esq. a magistrate of Manchester, and *no, it app,ais, if lie eau be believed, took the lead in the allairs of the fatal 16th of August. The sohj 'd is an auridgement of their evidence Ja stns Platt, curt 1111 l eil by Sergeant ;hillock—ls a con stable belouging to the police-odice in Manchester Waa 0 0 the ground at St. Peter' ..urea, on rile 18th of August. Cruss-exismined by Ali. Hunt —About live years ago he ar i a become courses Led with the police. He could riot say liat the pr ice of a thinsi.y, or forged note was now. 'fur orice f u those) then, to the dash tanguage, was t , n bob tell shillin,:*). Thal was, that a IL trod note was sold for His Yoe a ledge of ibis arose ft 1111 l thei circumstance ail Isis fattier having bast several forged notes p awed upon him. He succeeded in detecting several of Ole persons, kind he would do the same *gain. He cad given I. Ili-. for the 51. note, and Bs. fur each disuse:a Tar Mall Will, sold tollll uu notes was now at large in Manchester. Witness was not suspected ;wan accomplice This was the cause of his hi si introductiou to Nash's. He hid inveigled several since, one of them was hanged. Witness would nut say how lIILICII matey he got for the convictiusi of that man. He saw Mr. Hunt, Mr. Johnson, Bamford, Healy, and \iisorliouse, cis the hustings. He would swear that tie saw Moorliouse fin lite hustings: lie wend not say that the people dud nut esieci Mr Hunt on his arrival: he Was not hot 011 till: tic did nut see the people commit any breach of the prat e w here he was. W. Hutton, Esq., ex:rutin:ell by Mr. Scariett.— I am a magistrate of the county of Lancaster, and was at Alanelios ter on the 16th of August. The magistrates first assetua.ed at the Star -lain, and them adjourned to Mr. liuktint's house., which overl o oked St. Peter's area. We assemoled bet 14 rest ten and eieven o'clock, and received information tie oath, relative to the approach of large bodies of people. A, Chairman of the bench of Magistrates, for the comities of Lancaster raid Chester, mat it of my • • was taken up in writing; but I frequently looked out of lime sr luta w, and 5455 large bodies of men approach. l elari veal tie it it thrasher or men had ru-lied in, locked their :u ins tie A ctlier,and surrounded the bindings. I. could perceive float tile winauw ilatarcio people coining forward to address the meeting; tr the situation in which 1 was placed. I had a sten over almost the whole cf St. Peter's area; the nutithcr of poi-sous as 'ern. bled was estimated at 30,030 the meeting did unduuatedly A nspire terror tutu the mutts of the inhabnants. I received depusitiun on oath to that edict, rind I stirs lied the exit aurilinary way iii which the people approach. is. Alan, gentlemen stated to me, that tee, ie. is ratty alarmed; and lucking ti, all the circumstances, my opiiiims was ilrit tin towu was Ito gloat danger. The population of Aliineheisii and aafordocciading to the Ct.64.1i44 of VW, *as 11111,000 souls. alaticliester was a large place, luta cantateed mail) slays CIA warehouses. The magistrates ill censcquen, e of thew plot ceilings eh:eased it tiece•sary to issue a vs:or:Mt for the appretiensant id' their supposed leaders, as Inch ods aivrn to Nuthiasatlier in the presence of sine tit Ille Chief tutr4a loirbuf hue toolslll, Or else it Was handed I 1111 l byWe Col4,l,tilit'S. W4lllll'l say o hither tile wart ant was 1)50(141w lint k it hard breu Matte out or nut. In givieg tue warrant 10 Nadia, he said lee could nut execute it iv Ititout i nhlnty tad. thew wrote two kite's, the our to the co, :tilde,. 1 , 1 sit Ye omens y, the other to Col. L' lilts ange, reipainut4 CO , Ue to the house w het e the magistrates .viii, o airs In. accordingly did. A troop of the Alasiclb 'ter Yeoman, y soots after arrived front the Mosley Street end. fora . I..rit Advanced. I believe the borough-reeve was with Hein when they formed fur that purpose. /ruts the appearauce of the el ewd, and f their general conduct, I conceive it w totally impossible for the constables to serve the warr an t ithout the assistance nit' the military. The crowd closed she 1110..te111 the Yearinaiwy had entered ; and when Col. L'Esi range an tved, and asked w hat hr wits to du, so convinced was I of their petition situation, that I exclaimed " Good God, :sir, don't you see how they are attacking the Yeomanry ? disperse the crowd I" he advanced and the diversion of the crowd took piece, Cross-examined by Mr. Hunt.—l declare that I have related every thing exactly as I saw it. I could not see distinctly, so as to know yon oil the hustings. 1 mean that I entail not distinguish your person from that of ano ther. The hustings were, I believe, about 31`0 or 400 yards from the a inflow where I stood : but though I saw a map of the place, with he adineasiii einem, I es snot speak exactly to the fact. I could not distinguish yon lons another; but I could perceive the persona locked together round the hustings, because they formed a com plete cordon, and weir bale-headed. 1 believe solenuity that those people near the hustings were locked arm-M -arin. I saw then► linked, I believe, by the arms. They were as close together as ever they could be. and weirs distinguished from the rest of the crowd. Though thu ' distance was so weal as to prevent me distinguishing an Milts iilual on the elevated hustings, still 1, and others, could see the pe•csoes beneath locked together. I swear this from my own knowledge and observations, and stmt front what I was told. Mr. Hunt—Can you, Sir, standing in that elevated situ ation, and look ing t.und on the c partitively bewail number Of persons eiuvr pirseu•, see whether their arms are lucked ? [Here a very consideratile tumult of approbation was Imanifested, partly in the galleries, but principally in the ower part of the court. His Lordship strongly commented on suet impropriety of conduct, and a mail was immediately brought into the witocss.box, wino was accused of having • joined loudly in it. His Lordship, after a suitable admoui time committed him to the Castle-gaol.] The trial then proceed-d. Mr. Ilunt —You will now look to the benches, where that crowd is elevated, one abase another, and say whether you can see a hat they are doing with their arms ? Witness—Muss I answer that my Lord? Mr Justice Halley—You may declare whether the op portunity you had of viewing the meeting on the 16th of August, was better than that which you have of seeing the people now present. %I/nuns - I had i► much better opportunity of seeing the uersoin at the meeting than 1 have of observing those in the court. Mr. Hunt—Could you see the arms of the persons then ? Witness-1 cuuhl bee them wedged, and, 1 believe, baked together. Mr. Hunt—Could you see any part of their arms ? Witness.—l could distinctly see the outside men linked Mr. Hunt —Then, from the appearance of the others, ;mu believe the rest were linked ? 11'eloes<-1 have no doubt of it. Mr. Hula—Hid any of the people, when I was advancing, turn round and give a► shout of defiance to the co ,tables ? Witness--Not that I know of. The shouts of applause that were bestowed uu had great illllll€llCe with me its settling the warrant, because you hronght with you a great FlCCeWitlii of strength to the nundwrs already ee , tlrcled. Mr llunt—Y on say, depositions were made Is fore me, in the siin.ailar. nuniner. Were you c ttttt inaudersiu chief of the ma_istraies osi ilia: day? Willie:Ai-4 was President of the Lancashire awl Cheshire ina i ,istiates. I did sit know that 1 used the siisgular nuns. Orr. The warrant was signed by use and others. The first deposition, not against you, Mr. Hunt, but with respect ter the alarm or the town, was aurae about half pita eleven Of 12 o'clock. Elle lust deposition was made inatiediately after you ascended the hustings; it was made by a person Ifillibtltl Owed. Ido nut know the exact terms of that war. rant, us I have nut seen it since. It was placed in the bands of Nadirs, and directed to In arrest Hunt, Jnuisenu, Knight, aiiil aloorhouse. 04..1.1)' affidavit sr as made befure the warrant was go anted, mid atter you had abtell.leil the lee. ingS. 11 h.•o toe warrant was made out, l had a very stioug idea that 515 service would be a tank of great ilidiculty.-- N rata. r I nor any of my constables, ti my knowledge, Called on the people to make Way fur the cOlistahleb to appreadt the hustings.l ii as not elected chairman of the euagisti Meson this occasion because OH one else would u n dertake the task: the situatani was °t ere.! to Ws one else. I never seers the i 11111) I was a short time iu the local militia. Mr. Hutt—l believe yuu saw very litre service until that day ? Witiiess—l don't call it service. I t• ink the warrant granted on the Oath of ()well set forth that you, Johnson, and I\lllol, acre proceeding through the man in it car. Mr. limit—Then us 1 wait in a barouclie, that is not cor rect. Mr. Justice Bayley --You cannot make any remark on the warrant, UllieLL it is produced in court. 11'iutessvoutunued—I did not say that when you ap proach. d, the mob set air a shout of deliaace. 1 said, whi tr th.: Yeomanry approached, the people set up a great sinful, groaning, and brandishing their sticks. The space loch the cavalry made in their appu midi was inimedi..tely tilled up. 1 calmot say that it Witt filled up by the coutsla bles out the light, and the people on the left, endeavouring . to escape. I unity know the space was iaintedi .tely tired up. 1 think der idrdty (lint the spare was fulled up for toe purpose of clioing them, and cuttiog thcar very few cliululicri in the crowd. I cautint undertake to swear that 1.410 one. e a good many women, undoubt edly. I heard the woonai pal Ocularly noisy in basin; and booting the cavalry when they lint appeared. Wlwu the yeomanry advanced to the hosting., 1 saw bricks and atones ing. I have riot stated that they were levelled at the Moe eiLll I swear it. I iut ie theta Mt : 11° woke tied impressirm, l &sired COI. to advance . rho, aOs Hot time for me to consult my brut her magi.itruitr , as to senulin,:, iu more military. Neither 1 out any of 10 Y brattier •t rates had attempted to pi rsuade the people to ilispeise. I saw some of the parties match into the hod in beautiful order. Mr. Mut—And this thnu;, which was so Leautiftd. created :Outrun in your trader heart? 91Vttnrss—'That body, which marched so beautifu:ly, dill curate great alarm in It, tow n. Mr. Iluot—W ivy did you le.: ye the w indow ? W ace's—!;.cause I gate any lintels to Cul. I.' l'Arange. Mr. Hunt-- Was the Carnage tino dreadful to kids Viatue,A— I would rattier not are Any advance 0 1 t he hiary• 11r. (loot—Then you gave orders fur that which )011 1.41 out the courage to witucts t