The National Register. — London, England, 1820-03-19 00:00:00

..I P =PRS 7 -4" / ) No. 1,227.—V0L. VIII.] THR CATO STREET OONSPIRACY. We copy the following curious statement from a paper of Thursday night, which introduces it by saying— The following is the Report of a man who has been privately exiunined, and of which he informs us he is ready to make affidavit : On Monday last, Mr. Chambers, a shoemaker, residing at No. 3, Heathcock Court, Strand, received a summons to attend, next day, ti fore the Magistrates at Bow Street. He accordingly attended, and was taken into a private roam by Ituthven the officer, before Mr. Birnic, when the following ex amination took place : Mr. Birnie—What is your name and residence ? Chambers—My name is Thomas Chambers. I live at No. 3, Heatlicock Court, Strand. Magistrate—You know Thistlewood ? Chambers—Yes, very well. Magistrate—You know Dr. Watson? Chambers—. Yes, I know his person by fecing him at public meetings ; I don't suppose the Doctor knows me. Magistrate—Do you know Cooke ? Chambers—No, I do ncr. know a person of that name. Magistrate Do you know Preston ? Chambers—Yes, I know Tommy Preston very well. Magistrate—Do you know Hall Chambers—l do not know him. Magistrate—How did you first become acquainted with Arthur Thistlewood ? Cluunbers...ln consequence of the flags used at Mr. Hunt's . procession being taken to my house. Magistrate... How came they to.be taken to your house, and by whose orders were they taken- Chambers...By the orders of no one. They were removed to the White Lion, Wych Street, from the Crown and Anchor. by me and others; and Baldrie, the landlord of the White Lion, refused to takq s dietn in; lie said he should lose his license if be did. I told bun illeould take them to my house for they could not take my license from me. Magistrate—Ali poor &shine, he has lost his licence though, and lam forty for it. But when do you say that Thistlewood came to your house? Chambers... Three or four days after the dinner given to Mr. Hunt, at the Crown and Anchor, with several other pursous. I beg to state that I nevi:A one of the flags, •• Trial by Jury," at the procession. s.. Magistrate ..Who were the persons who came to your house with Thistlewssid? Chambers—l do not know them all ; I had not been in their company before. Magistrate—Did you dine at the Crown and Anchor ? Chambers—Yes I did ? Magistrate--W ho dined there besides? iChambers—A great number of persons ; I did not know them all. Magistrate—Who took the flags from your house? Chambers—The flags were distributed z.t my house to those persons who carried them at the next public meeting after the dinner at the Crown and Anchor. I carried one myself, which had " Manchester Massacre" upon it. It was either to the Finsbury_ or the Smithfield Meeting the gags were carried ; I do not recollect which, but I am sure it waste first meeting after Mr. Hunt's entry into London publicly. I went to all the pub lic meetings, and generally stood in the waggon. Magistrate—So you lost your time by going to the procession ? 411aittibers—I am an linntite , I thought Hunt an honest imin, ate I think so still. I went to the procession; I thought him *tied to a triumph in consequence of Ins manly conduct in Lancashire. Magistrate—Were you ever at the Black Dog in Gray's Inn Lace, when Brunt was in the chair? iChambers--Never, ru nty knowledge; I never was at *private meeting. Magistrate—(Bather doubting the truth of Cliambers's 'asscr tion)--IJon't you say what is not true ; our information is very correct. Chambers—l recollect a person mused Brian asking me to take a.pint of beer at a public-house on INIe left-hand side in Gray's Inn-lane, out of Holborn, I do not know the sign. Brian and sanusof his friends were going to the Cape of Good Hope ; it teas &parting pint. Magistrate--How long have you known Brian ? Chambers—From i the time your Worship ordered me to be lacked up behind this tact, and as I consider, very unjustly, as )air Worship did not hear what I had to ray in my defence. Magistrate—What was that you were locked up for: do I blow any thing about it ? Chambers—Yes ; I was coming out of my house to get some 'eer, sad heard a disturbance with the watchmen and two men ; went up to the row, and found that two persons were charged Irti firing a pistol. One of die watchmen took me into custody. n t i conveyed me to the watch-house. I made no resistance ; I myself innocent. On urn arrival at the watch-house, with .ri and another man named Warily, the watchman bail no mee against nie whatever, and the night constable desired about iny business, whim I did. I came to blow-street "i'arning and I was taken into custody, and the watchman, who kno Marge against me on the over-night, swore positively 1 6 to ;ri nd one who final the pistol, and your Worship ordered nie tak , de d, and it was when I was locked up that I became ac t ith Brian and Ileartley. ' 96 ' sk ..•at.hdyou ever see 'rhistlewood and Heardey walk. Lelltthni :k ers r ll never knew the man tell I was locked up, and I neversaw 7my life. iistlewood and lieartley or Brian walking together Ma'B. trace —so, you know where Heartley lives, and what trade ne is ? C hambers—l do of know where he lives, nor do I know his 1, web& He has called frequently upon me since I and lie wereairi tastily together. 1% filstratei.Was ever Ileardey in your house when Thistle. wood WilS Chem hers... \ Vet. Magi strate --.,1e you sure of dust ? Chambers...l as - sure. klagislrf tl e••• On .1)u know a person named Matthews? Chambers...l do nit. pagist . _rate.. ; Are y es certa i n ? 1P o rT IN: "*" an) postive 1 do not know a man of that name. 4 enetv...Wiet Thielewood at the Black Dog, (;try's Inn when you and Brian were there altionaT II" +vet. 4'*' + '+r- ~l Our Kling, Constitution anb RAW. SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 1820. • e Chambers...l told you before thkt I wirer was at the Dog. I was at a public•house in Gray's Inn Lane. I told you I did not know the siirn. I saw Mi. Thistlewood there. Magistrate... And Brunt in the chair ? Chambers...No, I did not see Brunt there. I know Brunt well ; he is the same trade as myself. I have known bins for years ; but never knew him to interfere with politics. Magistrate... Did yon speak to Thistlewood on that night? Chauibers...no I did not; we were not good friends at that time, in consequence of Edwards coming up with him and some drunken men to my house. Magistrate. We know all about that. We will speak of that afterwards. Mr. Birnie here turned round to Ruthven and said " Edwards I believe is not is custody !" Ruthven replied, " No Sir, I believe not," and walked to the other end of the room. Alai.,rktrate. Do you know Cook ? Chambers. You asked sae that question before, and I told you I did not know him. Rutliven, who aalkud up to the witness, said—" You know Cooke was in your house on Christmas-eve with eight others. (This Rutliven swore on the Coroner's Jury that he had followed Thistlewood about for days and nightt; together.) Chambers. You asaert a falsehood, there never were eight men in my house slitior time. Magistrate—Was ever Brunt in your house ? Chambers—Brunt has been there. Magistrate—Brunt was in your house with a man named Hay, was he not ? Chambers—l do not know a man named Hay. Magistrate. Do you know Bradbum ? Chambers I know him by sight, I have seen him at public meetings. Magistrate. How many men were in your room on Christmas Eve. Chambers. I remember Edwards coming with Thisdewood to my place, bringing two Irishmen that were drunk. Magistrate. Do you recollect any thing about a sword being in your room on that night ? Chambers. Idu not remember seeing a sword that night. Magistrate. Do you not remember a brandishing a sword in jn ,our room on that night ? Chambers. 1 don't recollect that ; I do remember Edwards produced a thick suck with a blade in it. Magistrate. If there was a sword in your room you must re collect it ? Chambers. I saw no sword, except the tbing in the hands of Edwards, who pulled it out of the suck and flourished it about. Magistrate. Was it not l'histlewood who flourished the sword? Chambers. No. it was Edwards. Magistrate. Did you ever hiss Thistlewood express any thing against his Majesty's Mini,ters Chambers. Never in my iire ; I have heerd him say the country would never be worth living in till there was a Hetiarm in the House of Commons. . _ Magistrate. And how did he say you would get that Reform ? Chambers. By holding public meetings and petioning. mean meetings in the open air. I like fair and and open pro ceedings; for play and bp secret work 13r me. lam a Radical Reformer. Magistrate. What do you mean by Radical Reformer? Chambers. Why, that I and every honest neat should have a vote in electing those who make the laws affecting liberty, lite and property. Magistrate. Nonsense; it is all from this stuff being propa gated, that has caused all this disturbance in the country. l)o you nut think that things of this sort had better be left to men of property and talent who have the administration of State affairs; for if they ruin the State they ruin themselves. Chambers. In somllleases they might; but every man ought to have a vote. _ _ - —. Magistrate. — Do you know a person named Hall ? Chambers. I said before that I did not. Magistrate. Do you net recollect giving •Haa five pounds of bill earirid;• e in your room ? Chambers. No, I did not. Mig,ris4rate. Not know' You must remember that on Christ • mas-eve stooping down and picking up something which you gave to Han? _ _ . Chambers. I do not. I never had a ball cartridge in my house in my life to my knowledge. Magistrate. You must remember if you had. Our intelli correct. Chambers. If I had had such things I would have said so candidly. I came here to speak the touch, anti nothing but the truth. Magistrate. Yon certainly must have recollected if you had. You have given your evidence very fairly. Do you not remem ber Bradbury being in your house on Christmas Eve ? Chambers. I can't peak positively. Ile might have been there. I was at my work. I perfectly recollect Edwards being there from the exprons he used, which were. (The Magis trate here stopped the witness !) Magistrate. l)o you recollect Brunt's being at your house ? Chambers. He might have been there ; but Edwards bring. ing two drunken men, so disturbed nu:, that I do not positivtiy reutetnber who was at my house; there were fluff or five persons there. Magistrate. Do you recollect any particular expression that Thistlewood used that night ? Chambers. I do not recollect his using any particular expres sion at any time. Magistrate. Not about his Majesty's Ministers. Chanibers. No, none whatever. I have heard him say that Lord had robbed him of some property, and drat he never should get it back, till a Radical Reform took place in the House of Commons. Magistrate Did you not hear him say something else ? Chamlrs. No, except that a Radical Retinal most be had. and woullihe had , and I have heardhundreds say so besides him, and which I verily believe myself. Magistrate. Do you not recollect H all and thetball cartridges ? Chambers No, I positively asserted before, that I basin ball • .. cartridges. Magistrate. If we should Mi ng Hall to your face, would you still persist in what you have said ? Chambers. Yes, I should like nothing better than being corr. fronted with a coati that dared assert such an infamous lie. Mat,i.trate It Mae had bean any thing of the kind you would have recollected it, I am sure. ? Chrinihers. Certainly, 1 should have remembered it. I do recollect that Edward,— Lifers the worthy Magistrate again stopped the witness, when t z I 4 j / z it 4e , L 4- [PatcE 94d. going to speak of Edwards, and said, Do you know a public.. house in Round court, Strand, called the Scotch Arms ?j Chamber,. Yes I do. Magistrate. Were you ever at a private meeting there ? Chambers. I have been there three tiwes. but never as I told you before, wan I at a private meeting. Magistrate Did you ever see Thistlewoed there ? Chambers. No never in my life. Magistrate. Do you key the landlord ? Chambers. Ido not kills whether I know the present gag or not. I soled and heeled a pair of boats for the landlord via kept the house three or four months ago. I went for them and I carried them back to hint, and I went afterwards for :another pair to mend ; these are the only three times I was ever in the _ . Magistrate. Do you recollect any of the company that were in the house either of the time, you were there ? Chambers. I never saw any body there but thieves and whores. I came away without the job, and never went there afterwards. Magistrate. You said von were at the Black Dog when Thistlewood was there. Cliambets. I said no such thing. I said I was at a public house in Gray's Inn Lane, on the left hand side. Magistrate. Who was there with Thistlewood ? Chambers. Thistlewood did not speak to me, nor Ito mix:. I told you before we were not friends, in consequence of his bringing Edwards and the drunken Irishmen to my huose, and in consequence of the horrible language that Edwards made use of. I never 'liked Edward,, lie was a had character. 1 saw • Thisdewood on Christmas Day. and told him I would not suffer such persons as Edwards and the drunken men to be brought to my house. Thistlewood said that Edwards brought the drunken men. I told Thistlewood that I was sure Edwards was nothing but a spy. The dreadful language he used at my house, con vinced me he was a spy. Thistlewood told me I was mistaken in the person. for he was an honest man. I told Thistlewood that it would be well if be was not deceived in him. Magistrate. You never was at any private meetings Chambers. No, I never was. I never kept any secrets, and if they had any, they never trusted nie with them. Whew I told Thistlevood that Edwards was a spy, lie said, he thought so once, but he was satisfied to the contrary. Magistrate. You may retire. Chambers then withdre x. 0 STATE PittgoNEßS.--The arrangements deter mined upon for the trial of the State Prisoners are as follow :—The Grand Jury for the county of Middlesex will be summoned to Hicks's Hall on Monday the 27th instant. Two of the Judges (we believe Chief Justices Abbott and Dallas) will be present, when the Special Commission will Le opened, and the Charge delivered to the Grand Jury; after which the Judges will adjpurn the Commission to Monday, the 10th April. The Grand Jury will proceed immediately with the exa mination of the numerous witnesses, and as soon as the Bills are found, notices of trial will be served on the different prisoners, with printed lists of the witnesses to be produced against them, according to the provisions of the Act of Parliament.—The Spe cial• Commission will be re-opened, pro fin- nut, at the Old Bailey, on Monday, the 10th of April, but, as the common Sessions of Gaol Delivery commence on the 12th, is is supposed that the Commission will again be adjourned over the Sessions, so that the State Trials, in all probability, will not take place bcliire the 20th of April. On Saturday William Greathead Lewis, the late proprietor of The Coventry N.. corder, was taken into custody by the principal tipstaff of the Court of king's Bench, in consequence of another criminal intbrmation filed against hint by his Majesty's Attorney General. lie wits at the house of Major Cartwright. iu company with Mr. Wooller; at the time the officer arrested him. Mr. Lewis was ac companied by Major Cartwright and Mr. Wooller to the house of Chief Justice Abbott, and tendered themselves as his bail, which being acceptbd, Mr. Lewis was act at liberty. There are not lees than four informations now pending against this indi vidual. Extract of a Letter from Dornoch, dated gth March 1820 :—" You have doubtless heard of the celebrated Capt. Barclay's wager to beg through Scotland 101 six weeks, and to live upon his earnings iltniug that time. lii pissing vesterdav through this town, he was arrested and carried before haillie Nickol, who committed him to prison as a vagrant, for a week. during which time lie is to be kept at hard labour., When Capt. B. was tarred before the Baillie, he spied to him who he was. and the reason he had for travelling in the way ha was doing, but he waN lint belleVed. I'lolll the remoteness of this place from Kincardineshire, it is likely that the worthy Baillic had never heard of the Captain's former singular arnet etlings." Mem: DOT s. —The late Mr. West Awl to rely , that iti k being o ne d a y i n t h e p r es e nce of our rale ,Mon his Majesty faindiarly asked him how old he was, a "Mr. West having stated the number of his ' , vars. the it rejoined, "'Then when I die, West, you will shape 10. your shoes." The near p eriods of the deer:ova the.," Painter and his Royal Patron may well remind the classical reader of those of Horace and Mamas,: about 1811 i years ago. .. . `24 . ‘ 4.00 DPIIN ..... : )11111 • • *IL .? - 4 11' " • S ~+ :~ %:''