The National Register. — London, England, 1820-10-16 00:00:00

rior.s. A eurtlßE OP SEW. T REASONABLE PLACARDS. -.......-- • BOW STREET, SATURDAY, OCT. 2: On Saturday evening a simple looking cntry lad, named Geoftery Addingfield, who stated him'elf to be a waiter out of place, was brought before the Magis trates, Sir R. Baker, Mr. Birnie, and Mr. Aliitsbull, by Bacon's party of patrole, charged with distributing se ditious and inflammatory handbills among the people assembled in Parliantein Street on that day. The handbills in question portioned mist an address from the Committee appointed to managee the subscrip ition for a service of plate for her Majesty to the public, and certainly a more atrocious publication never issued from the press. It contained the most open and undis guised incitements to rebellion, and professed to set tip the Queen in opposition to his Alajesty, as being equally .entitled to the throne of this country. There was no printer's name attached to them. The prisoner in his defence, said, that being out of employment, he was standing at Charing Cross, looking -Het for a job on Saturday morning, when he was accost- V I by a respectable hooking elderly man, who asked if he would earn a shilling, to which he replied " most willingly." The gentleman then called a coach, and . hey got in, and the coachman was ordered to drive to Whitehall, hut they had not gone many yards when the stranger pulled nut the handbills in question, and de sired him to distribute them plentifully amongst the people in Parliament Street. He gave him a shilling, upon which he (prisoner) alighted, and the coach drove oft with his employer. Mr. Minshtill, who was the presiding 'magistrate, said the prisoner must pay a fine of 201. for distributing bills not having the printer's name affixed, or go to prison.-- The lad cried at hearing this information, awl Mr. Birnie pleaded for him, observing, that he was evidently the tool of some crafty knave, and was certainly not an object for rigorous punishment. Mr. alinshull remitted the fine, but observed that he must detain him for the crime of sedition. Mr. Charles Pearson, the Solicitor, said he attended officially as Sectetary to the Queen's Plate Subscription Committee, and stated, that it was the third attempt that had been made to put forth papers of this kind, as emenating from the Committee ; but the magistrates must be convinced, front the language this bill con tained, that the Committee must have been madmen to send such an address as that to the public. They sus pected these papers to be the production of a person whom, he had some hopes, with the assistance of the magistrates, he should be able to End. The magistrates assured Mr. Pearson that he should have every assistance from them, and the boy, after giv ing a particular dererquion of the man, was taken to a . watch-rouse until inquiries could be made. At Mr. Pearson's suggestion the depositions were taken in a private room, the particulars of which we are not acquainted with; but a warrant was granted, and Vickery was despatched to assist Mr. Pearson in the Apprehension of the party charged. We are informed that Mr. Pearson having traced the party home to his country residence, about four miles from London, rally on yesterday morning, he returned to Vickery, and they both set off together at a very early hour, and surpr i sed the gentleman in his bed. He was brought to London, and safely lodged at Bow Street. . It appears that the person chaed is a gentleman of family and independent fortune.rg ign lt i Maxnat s already known to the public that a oor and orant boy, Addingfield, w as on Saturday last brought up to this office, charged with circulating hand-bills of , the most treasonable character. - When Air. Minshull, one of the Bow -street magi'. trates, was proceeding to fine this unfortunate tool in the hands of others, Mr. Pearson proposed to get the person who employed him apprehended. Haying sworn that he had traced the fabrication to an indiviclital, and hav ing obtained a warrant to apprehend him, he accompa nied Vickery. the officer, to his house, and had him taken into custody on Sunday morning. This morning soon after ten o'clock. Sir R. Barker, Mr. Birnie, Mr. Aliiisholl soon afterwards took their seats. There happened to be but little night business to require the attention of the Court. Mr. Pearson. —Will your worship proceed now then, to inquire into the charge upon which I obtained a war rant on Saturday? Mr. Birnie.—l have no objection: let the person charged be brought in. It was observed, we believe by one of the officers, that the gentleman was not co me . Sir Robert Baker. —He will be here. Mr. Pearson. --I ask you openly whether you have discharged him? Sir R. Baker. —He has given securities for his appear ance, and he t .ill b e here; so you may attend another day. Mr. Pearson. --This day was fix e d f or the urpose, and I wish t o k now how It is that he i s not herep? Sir Robert Baker —He promised to be here at 11. It is now_past iI, but be will be here in a few minutes Mr. Pearson.—Then I shah wait for a few 'Moines. Mr. Pearson came forward gat", and said—l beg leave to slate my charges against a person of the itaine of Frank/in, who was apprdiended on Sunday morn- Mg by Mr. Vickery and myself. Against this person I hate several charges, for fabricating and publishing placards, not only recommending sedition and iiisni rec lion, but resistanc e to the government by force, and for doing all this under the protection and amlioril of that ;government. I hold in my hand many of those trea sonable papers, issued by this person at various times.- 1 charge hum with heing at this moment in treasonable conspiracy in the neighbourhood. 1 call upo n you to grain a warrant for searching the house ill which I believe him to be in. Mr. Minslitill.—ls that the voting man that was charged here with circulating seditious placards? Mr. Pearson.—No; he wag but the instrument whom Mr. Birnie described as ignorantly giving effect to the purposes of others. I have been rive (lays and five nights in search of the author of the placard and employer of the pour boy. I now ask fur an officer to search for his person. Mr. Minslmll.—You charge with treason; the term is sufficiently intelligible. Mr. Pearson. —I charge him with treason; and I say that from this charge lie is attempting to run out of the country. I call upon you to use the same means for securing him as you would against an ignorant, a poor, and a seditious person, in the usual sense attached to the word seditious. Sir R. Baker. —We have sent to the man who un dertook for his appearance —a very respectable man, whom I have long known, and who lives in the neigh bouring parish. Mr. Pearson.—l stated other charges against him to you, Mr. Bernie. Mr. Birnie.--Yes, you did, in your letter; and I re fused on that account to bail him. lam quite sure he will not appear. Sir R. Baker.-1 know only this, that I discharged him upon the responsibility of a most respectable gen tleman who lives in St. Martin's•lane. I have no doubt that he will appear: if he does not, I shall spare no means to appiehend him, not only fur this charge, but because he deceived me. Mr. Birnie.—Where is old Mr. Williams? It was answered that he was in attendance. Sir Robert Baker. —Let Mr. Williams come forward. An old man of very respectable appea Ince, came for ward to the end of the table, Sir Robert Baker. —Have you seen your friend? Alr. Williams.—l have not to-day. Sir Robert Baker. —Will he he here to-day? Mr. Williams.—Yes, he told me so. Mr. Birnie.—( never expected that he would appear, and therefore I refused to take bail. Mr. I Villiams.-1 was to call on him; and I called at nine o'clock this morning but he was not home. Mr. Birnie.—Were you su ; rprised ? or did yo u expect to find him ? Mr. Williams. —I did expect to find him. Mr. Birnie.--I never supposed that th e accused meant to appea r , and ti. ,. refore I refused bail. .1 understood the arrangements to be, then, that he should be here at twelve o'clock, and you Mr. Williams with him, ready with bail. Mr. Pearson.—Alr. Williams, you must be anxious to get him apprehended as well as I. you probably can tell us the names of some of his relations, with whom he may have taken refuge. Is his name Frankland or Franklin? Mr. Williams.—Franklin. Mr. Peanon.—What is his Christian name?—Wil tliam. Mr. Pearson.— rendon Place William Franklin ? He liv es i n Cla , Mr. Willianis Edg .— Yeseware Road. Mr. Pearson —Has he not a son in. the Guards? Mr. Williams. —He has. Mr. Pearson. —An officer in the Guards? Mr. Williams.—Yes, -he is an officer. far. Al l t h is ou g h t to be privie.—Mr. Pearson, you are now st e ppi ng too ate. Mr. Alinshull, Mr. Pearson, and Mr. Williams, retired then to Mr. Stafford's room, where the inquiry was proceeded with. Mr. Stafford returned soon after wards, and said that Mr. Williams denied having given bail. Sir R. Baker. —He certainly gave an undertaking; I don't know whether he considers it bail or not. He soon afterwards retired into Mr. Stafford' s room, to - assist in th e i nquiry. From th e examination of Mr. Williams it appeared 1 that Mr. Franklin was a gentleman of large and independent fortune, and that he had a son an ~' officer in the Guards: he also said that he had been on the Sunday with the officer and the prisoner to Mr. Birnie, at his country house, in order to obtain his libe ration ; but that Mr. Untie refused to comply with his request, and had advised Mr. Williams, as a friend, not. to have any thing to do with the prisoner. In defi ance, however, of this advice, he went to Sir R. with the p r i soner; and that gentleman disch argedlLker him' out of custody, upon ilk promising to appear on the neat day. A t t hi s time Mr. Pearson observed that he had ' received information that Mr. Franklin was probably, at a house in the neighbourhood, awl requested that an officer might be sent with him to search the house.-- Vickery was appointed to that service. The house in question belong s to a Mr. Dennis O'Bryati ; is situated in Craven -street, Strand ; and it was represented at the office (we know not with what degree of truth) that that gentleman has, for several years, held a sinecure place wider government, north 8001. per annum ; and that he is a writer for a certain morning paper, which advocates the cau se of the Alinisters. Information was given at the office that Mr. Franklin had been watched for some days, and has been observed to 'sleet every day, at the house of Mr. Dennis &Bryn, with some othe r di st i nguished characters connected w ith the Ministerial press ; and that all the treasonable and seditious hand -bills are carried to that house, and the conspirator s are admitted liv a signal given of drawing a stick alon g the railing. When Mr. Pearson and Vic kery arrived at Craven -street. they were refused admit tance by the servant; when Vickery threatened ingot in at the window. At length a gentleman from within, who appeared not to like the aspect of affairs. came out; and the officer took advantage of the door being opened to enter the house followed by Mr. Pearson. Mr. Den nis O'Bryan soon made his appearance, and declared moat vehemently that he did not even know Mr. Frank lin, although Mr. Franklin has been traced into Mr. O'Bryan's house constantly during the last three years, mid alth oug h Mr. Williams, upon his examination, admitted th at h e had met the aforeatud Mr. O'Bry au at M r. Franklin's house. Dennis The search of Mr. O'Bryan's house was unsuccessful, and Mr. Pearson returned to the otlice. During his ab sence Mr. Haydon contrived to draw some very important facts from Mr. Williams. He admitted that on the Sun day night, so late as ten o'clock, Mr. Franklin told hint he meant to go out of town, and that that morning at eight o'clock, Mass Franklin had told burn that before twelve o'clock her father would be above 100 miles from London. Mr. Pearson, attended by Mr. Haydon, Mr. `Nilson, and two oth er gent l emen, then went to the Secretaryoi State's office, and had an interview with Mr. Clive, who, very much t o the astohishment o f t h e party, bad received intelligence of all that had transpired, and was as well acquainted with the mysterious escape of the accused, and all the minutiae of the case, as were the gentlemen themselves. lie further laboured to justify the conduct of Sir Robert Baker, by raying the charge was only that of a misdemeanour, and that therefor e h e m i ght let him out at his di scret i on. Mr. Pearson, with great energy to Mr. Clive, told him, that he begged he would expressly understand, that, in the presence of the gentlemen then in the room, he invited tile aid of the Home Depart ment to secure the apprehension of the accused ; that, as the Secretary of State was in the habit of offering rewards, and issuing proclamations, fur the arrest of offenders of comparatively minor importance, he earnestly entreated of him, that very day, to take measures for the appre hension of this daring offender. Mr. Clive said that Lord Sidmouth was not then at ihe office; but that, if Mr. Pearson would call another day, he would receive an answer to his application, Mr. Pearson replied, that, as he believed the accused would quit the country, it was that eight only, that the services of his Lordship would be of any use; and that, therefore, he would call again if such were Mr. Clive's pleasure; but he would not l eave the neighbour hoMr. Pea r son w receiving a decisive left wi t h Mr. Clive answer two of the seditious hand-bills. and was appointed to call again at half-past four o'clock, at which time that gentleman and his friends returned, and Mr. Clive, addressing them, said, that Lord Sidmovth did not see any t hi ng in the'hand thall bit one s to j of the ustify two his interference. It should be stated, bills left stated, among other s e di t i ous and inflammatory expressions, the followiug ; alluding to the execution at Derby :—"Strike not at all, or strike home.; think of our personal insupportable servitude, and always remember that the alteruative is, liberty, or a glorious grave." Mr. Pearson replied, that if such were Lord Sid. mouth's answer, and for such reasons, he had drawn his conclusions from insufficient premises; adding that he rested his claim to Lord Sidmouth's interference, not relying upon those placards, infamous and treasonable as they were, but also upon 18 others, all of which had been circulated during the last three years. Mr. Clive said distinctly that he had stated this to Lord Sidmouth, who had replied that he saw no occasion for the inter ference of the department o ver w hi c h h e presided; and, therefore, Mr. Pearson and his friends made their bow, and retired. Late last evening Mr. Minshtill, announced to Mr. Pearson, at Bow-street, that, finding the tale of Adding field to be true, and that he had been the dupe of the designs of others, he (Mr. Minshull) had shown com passion to him, and had only fined him al., and sen tenced him to hard-labour in the house of correction for three months!!! A ge n tl eman standing by said, with great feeling, " From such csarpasaiva, good Lord, deliver us. " What a singular inversion of the rules of judgment. --a Mr. Franklin is charged with being the author of this bill ; poor Addingfield could not read it. Mr. Franklin is a man of fortune. Poor Addingfield is the very picture of wretchedness and distress. Mr. Franklin is charged with having for three years Pal dea voured to excite the people to treason and rebellion. Poor Addingfield, evi dently had not brains enough to catch a goose upon a common. Yet Franklin is permitted to escape, and Addingfield receives the compassion of a Magistrate, which sends hint to jail for a criine of which lie was unconscious, and imposes a fine which he can never pay. TUESDAY son ,a OCTOIBER 10. This day Mr. Peargain appeared at Bow Street, accompanied by Arthur Seale, John Hock ley, and Jas. Brown, as witnesses, to prove some further charges against Mr. IVilliain Franklin, for the publication of other infamous placards. It appeared front the deposition of John liockley, that during the night before the concourse of pecrihe were assembled to witness thechairing of Sir F. Burdett, Mr. Franklin had employed the deponent to put about the most populous parts of Westminster, and those streets in which the crowd were collected, hand bills of the most violent character, endeavouring to profit by the the agitated state of public feeling to create tumult and insurrection. The good sense of the people, however, rendered stem proof against the machinations of this mysterious individual. it appeared further, that lie employed the bill-stickers as late as twelve o'clock at night, and went about with them while they ported up the bills, which was done under his direction. This occupied diem until between three and four o'clock in the morning, during all which time he remained with the men. It further appeared from the deposition of the info ? . main, that on the night previous to th e l ast smi t h& ad Meting, lie had watched Mr Franklin from the hou.• of the printer ill Tottenham Court Road, with a faits bundle of hills, which he earned to a coach, and with it another ent frienatd (whosew IlalliC Mr. Pearson did not deem prud that ti me to disclose, went as as stand at Charing.ers, when they alighted, tea and the ant into anoth e r coach, doubtless to bailie any endeavour to trace them ; in this couch Mr. Fratikliu wesit as far stas Parliament street, and then got out and went wi h the parcedown King -street, and then tured up Dow reet! the examitiant waited, and in a n bout Italian hou g r Mr. Fratiklin returned to the coach, drove to Craveta.