The Express.
London, England, 1852-08-14 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE

NORTH WALES CIRCUIT.—CuEsnac, Ac 0.13.

Cork?.

Mr. Justice Crimpton took his seat on the b-nch at nine
this winning.
THE S fOCEPORT RIOTS.
George Bell, 33, tailor ; Wee Buttery, 18, green-grocer ;
Mark G.'eare, 19, mechanic • Samuel l'restom,lll, steam
loom weaver; Thomas Wagen, 3k, throstle johber ; Joins
Slater, 32, overseer of weavers; Thomas Edwards, 18,
mill-warper ; Wee. IVaiker, 30, shoemaker • and Sassed
Williamson and Joseph Birch, who had been out es bd.
were indicted for a not at Stockport on the 29th of Ism
Messrs. Welsby, Davidson, M'lntyre, and Brandt figs
geared for the prosecution ; and Mews. Iluddlesegftes
Swetenharn, and Vaughan Williams for the defence.
Mr. Webby, havin; opened the case at considerable
lawth, called the following witnesses:
r. Thomas Escrigge, • Stockport borough magistrite,
said-1 left my mills to go to the Post office in St. Peter*.
gate, on the evening of the 29th of June. I went along
Wellington-road, into St. Peter's-gate, where the poet-
office is situate, and thence to the news-room. This was
about half-past seven, and everything was then peaceable.
About 8 o'clock I saw a number of Irish boys running
past the newsroom towards St. Peter's square, from the
direction of Iligh street, pursued by • crowd of English
leads. Some of the former took refuge in some houses is
Etchells-street, and stones were thrown at the window%
sad the remainder of them stood when they got lake EL
Peter's-square and threw stones. The Irish were then re-
inforced, and drove back their pursue rs towards High-
street; but the latter got reinforcements and turned the
Irish again. I weut to the Court-house to see some of my
brother magistrates, but there were none there then.
Some arrived afterwords, and we sent for the mayor and
military. In my journey to the Court-house, I met crowds
of both men and boys armed with sticks; hey were En-
glish. When we gut the military (about 60) we went to
Rock-row, where the Irish chiefly live, and found their
houses completely gutted. Thi re were one or two Eng-
lish houses untouched. We hero read the Riot Act,
but the violence to property had been committed before we
arrived. We heard threats against the Irish as we weut
along towards Edge ley, where we heard the people were
rioting, and as we approached Edgeley Cosiest we saw •
fire in front of the priest's house. When we got there, all
' the property in the house and chapel appeared to have been
destroyed, and fragments of furniture, chapel seats, and
books were then burned. The chapel rails had been torn
down. There was a great crowd is the street, but quite
quiet. The crowd was then dispersed by the military; and
I returned to the court-house, and on my way heard that
Park-street (Roman catholic) chapel had been attacked. I
went with the military to Park chapel, where we arrived
at about half-past eleven. There were many people about,
and they seemed peaceable; but the interior of the chapel
had been destroyed. By halipast twelve tb, people had
all cleared away.
Cram examined—We did not hear of the riot at the Park
chapel until after we had read the riot net at Edgeley; nor
of the riot at Edgeley till after we had gone to quell the
disturbance in neck-road.
Mr. Charles Hudson—l am one of the Cheshire coroners.
Left my office at 7.35, and went along the Underbank,
through High-street, to St. Peter's-gate. The town was
then quite quiet. I went into the rooms of the Reform Ass
sociatsua, and soon after Mr. Erman arrived. Heard •
noise in ike street, and on going to the window saw • num-
ber of English boys throwing stones down Etchelhestrect.
They were soon after driven back. The witness then de-
scribed the scenes spoken to by the last witness, and the
calling in of the military, but he remained at the Court-
house while the military went to the Roman catholic
chapels. During the evening upwards of 100 Irish pri-
me= were brought in, several of whom were seriously
hurt about the head. After the military had returned, Dr.
Tamer, myself, end others went into Rock-row, where we
sad many of the English armed with pieces of broken fun:d-
ee, wlieh were taken from them. The houses in Rock-
row belonging to the Irish were wrecked; the furniture
being broken and strewed about the street, and the window
inames knocked out.
Joseph Sadler—Was superintendent of police at Stock-
' port in June last. Remember quieting a disturbance in
I Rock-row on the evening of the 29th of June, and I after-
wards went with the magistrates and military to Edgeley
Chapel. Before we got there we could tee • tire does to
the chapel, and opeosite the priest's twee/. There were
many persons then moving between us and the fire. Think.
I saw something thrown into the fire. We then quickened
our pace, and when we got up, the people were standing
quietly by the fire. The people were dispersed, and we
then started to return to the Court-house; but in conse-
quence of what we heard on the way, we went to the
Park Chapel. There was a great crowd there, but I did
not see anything dune by any of them.
William Corcoran, a person who works in a mill, was
nest called, and deposed to having seen the prisoners Ed-
ward. sad Slater taking an active part in the demolition
et Edgeley Chapel, and the furniture in the priest's house.
He was croasezamined at great length, for the purpose of
'bowies that he had made admissions to various persons
that he lad not been near Edgeley chapel on the night of
the dielmellenees, but the cror-examination failed in its oh-
Francis Trevor, a shopkeeper a short distance from Edge-
loy Chapel, described the general features of the riot in that
vicinity, in the course of which he got severely beaten for
remonstrating with them on the fully and wickedness of the
w irk of demolition they were pursuing.
The Rev. Mr. Frith examined—l am the priest of the
Edgeley Chapel. About half-mist 9on Tuesday evening,
the 29th June, I received some information which caused
me to leave my house. I went to the Church Inn public-
house, and spoke to the landlord. I then returned home, and
seem alter a person told me to get onto( the way as the crowd
modes' at hand. I went into the chapel at once, and re-
nned the emceed vessels to a place of safety. While acing
le, the windows were 'stashed. and I heard them
Mennotiog at the doors. I them went up into the belfry,
end pulled up the ladder and cut the rope of the bell. 1
wee very much alarmed ; and remained there three quarters
dam hour. While there, I beard people below breaking
the pews and smashing the organ. I also beard thumping
at be trap door leading into the belfry, as if trying to
husk through. Saw, too, a person pulling down the rail-
ing opposite my house, and levelling the brickwork. See-
ing slight below, and suspecting the chapel was going to
be amid, I got to the root of the chapel, and made my
wee to the shelter of a stack of alumr rising from my
hem, where I remained till the military came. I then
get down to my house through a window. The house
Wee • perfect wreck ; the staircases were de-
mikheolt the house strewed with books, papers
eel brats farniture ; the doors knocked to pieces, and the;
eelmiew-sashes and other parts of the house all but demo.
Md. The library and one of the registers of baptisms
wove destroyed, sad the sacerdotal vestments either missing
Of partly spoiled. There was a fire opposite my house.
Ceaseexemined—The Ike was about eight or ten yards
from the house. Had heard in the course of the evening
' that windows bad been broken at St. Peter's Church, and
I may have expressed regret, and said they might retaliate.
Mary Howley, the wife of a hawker, living in John-
street,
Stockport, identified Samuel Williamson as having
been one of a mob of 400 or 600, headed by a man named
Garner, going in the direction of Edgeley Chapel. She
swore to having seen Williamson break some wiadows of
.he n h, in John-street, with a staff with which he was
armed.
Jane Dose swore that the mob 'pukes to by the last wit-
ness broke her windows, and thee belie be. hie 111111/A ,
They went towards Edgeley. She Heed is Jeliddheet.
On the return of the crowd they broke her firestkra. The
prisoners Birth sad Williamson she swore were inIbUOMMIs
and the former broke her windows.
Mary Goodie also proved that Birch was one of de rash
in John.street, and that he said to hey, that be modd
murder and destroy all before them, and behead Ile pied
as well.
John Mulvey, between 10 and 11, maw the weer=
from Esgeley chapel, after the demolition, and
them identified Joseph Birch, who held in his hoed a pine
of wood covered with white cloth, as if it had been part of
a broken seat, or something of that sort.
Ellen M'Donald, living near Edgeley Chapel, stated, that
on Teesday, June 29, she left service at Edgeley Chapel
about half-oast 8 o'clock. Saw a crowd in Edward-street,
coming from the Halsor. going towards Wellington-read.
Ilserd them say they wondered where all the b-- blehmen
were—they were all asleep or gone out of town. New a
crowd standing between Edward-street and Johmeileset.
and heard them my the mune. One said they ale wee
gone out of town, there is mare at the catholic chapel, end
we'll go and light up." The said if they got hold of di
Frith they would kill him. Others said, let's not go lore
catholic chapel, let's go to Reek-row." After that saw •
mob in Rock-row, and heard them say let's go and kaeth
the catholic chapel down." She also proved having men
Thomas Walker assisting to knock in Edgeley chapel does
with a staff, when the crowd were attacking that pled d
worship. The crowd gut in, awl sees after Walker s►
turned with • brass cross in hie bads whisk he broke es
the Gags.
Re he. haelemehl 'tufted the delimmy of the het
*item n ha the bigsgili giWallsgii, awl the part be leek
at idgedep Carpi
Illoogoosillsohow swore te the primer, Samuel Needs.
asi!tietei who hide sped the pear-box in Maim
C end take something sat during the not.
Harney, a &elegy girl, swore that the primer.
Mesh wasoreof the paned eddies up the hee
'Appetite the Her. Mr. Friths and while the pia*
leddissi were hernias. About hedged use the ant
ssedeg, she saw him, with a wombs of ether penes%
heidikep into cellars inhabited by the bleb in the vicinity
ds Oise relied Walker's-yard. Tbe piety remained there
Mhrse
Abe Divine, a washerieenadamind that she had des
alien ersdeg out of the vestry ligasy el, while it
MS klieeked, with a Mat oak Is be bed.
aella Bedew a bricklayer, depend del he saw William
Waligir god eitintimriesoets) when the Daley Chapel
det heehes haw Illiseer told Walker that eon of work
wadi idtheAesd Welherreeil it would see, sad he wadi
depths Ile west Is Ihe me* eel Ali Shp asd hoe
twealdeg easy sun tho wheel irladess,-but
alter be went to valet in kick'' in the dew of the shape
ant the school.
Jobs Mesas eweee that William We wee ese of a
s ens.leede sobdieles the rid died be WI der* lobe
Midis Me. Feitlee (the piled) beam Mar he
be said, Now fetch out the hy di pried,
'sand we S erseify him." The door of the bestrime then
bed= epos, aad the people west in. Medea lassees, ewe of the Ikeekpert pollee, proved
that aseted the iamb epos Perbwhietias= he saw
eat Pei& shoe the ppm bed Ines
eesordies es the well with a dose of loooroy weeds one
be ink him ids wok* iddedlidalp. a• seramisi