The Express.
London, England, 1867-06-24 00:00:00

THE TRADES

INION IWQ111:1 r ShEFIIELD.

On Saturday morning, great eagerness was mini-
tested to be present, and the Council-hall was crowded. It
was hewn that Crooke* (Broadhead's trusted marksman
and assassin) would be examined, and also some of the
other men whose names had been given.
A very atiectiug incident in connexion with the pro-
ceeilime may here be mentioned. When Linlev was shot
a man mulled Richard Brown was suspected and arrested ;
but a , nothing could be proved against him he was set at
liberty. Nevertheless, the consequences to him were meet
painful and disastrous. Brown's business was ruined, Ins
former employers and friends shunned his society, and his
wife and mother died of grief, and be himself suffered
severely in his health froni the troubles he had t.. endure.
On Friday au interview took place between Brown and /W-
-him, who confessed that he and Crooke. were the real
murderess of Linley. The interview wax very attucting.
The chief constable said that be haul sent for Brown to
communicate to him that the BUM who shot bailey had
contemed. All Brown was able to do was to exclaim.
"Thank 4;,x1 for that." Hallam then took Brown by the
hand, and told him that he now wished to make every
reparation for the injury he had done to him in allowing
the suspicion to rest on him of committing a crime of
which he (Brown) was quite innocent. lie earnestly im-
plored torgiventais for the grief be hail caused him in not
confessing sooner. He added that he had often wished to
confess the crime to Brown, but he had not the courage
to do am Brown, who arra affected to tears, said that
he forgave Hallam, but he could never forgive Broadhead.

Before proceeding with the examination of the wit-
nesses Mr. Overend said—Samuel Crooke*, I see you are
here Up-day. We promised Mr. Broadhead yesterday that
if any persons whom he should criminate would come
forward and oiler their evidence, we would bear what they
had to say, and in the event of their making a full dis-
closure of all platten within their knowledge we would be
satisfied and give them a certificate. Your evidence is of
no consequence to us at all. The only reason why we
allow you to give evidence now is that you may
have the opportunity of gaining your certificate and
fulfil to Mr. Broadhead the promises which we
made. That which you have already told us is
false you knew it was titre, and are liable
to be indicted and prosecuted for all offences you have
done. You are now in a perilous situation, and but for
what we told Mr. Broadhead we should not have thought
it our duty to have allowed you this opportunity of ckar-
ing yourself. If those witnesses who have already spoken
, will come forward and speak in such a manner as will
! satisfy us, then we will extend our clemency to them.
The business of the commission is to ascertain whether the
offences which have been committed are associated with
trades unions. Su far as your offences are concerned,
they have been proved beyond all doubt. It is
only for the of giving you your certifi-
cate that you are lowed to speak. Standing as you
do in the greatest possible peril, with your life in jeopardy,
is you do not tell everything within your knowledge, not
only concerning the outrages spoken of by Mr. Broadhead,
but everything else, you know we will not grant you a cer-
tificate. If we are satisfied that you tell us everything
truly and sincerely, we shall look over the falsehoods you
have told.

Crooke did not appear at all abashed by his position.
He gave his evidence in a straightforward manner without
any visible emotion. He said that on looking over what
be said on the last occasion he found some things which
were not right.
Mr. Overend then asked witneas respecting Linley—if he
had not stated that he shot him in the shoulder when in
reality he was shot in the temple ?
Witness said he stated that he intended shooting him on
the shoulder, but he missed his aim, and shot him in the
head. He ,lid not intend to shoot him in the ear, and was
not instructed by Broadhead to do so. On the first
occasion witness did it himself. He left • pistol in the
street to make it appear that it hail been done by • pistol.
He blew Liuley up at Poole's, in the Wicker. He put some
gunpowder down the cellar-grate early in the morning. He
put it down the cellar grate, and it went off. He lit the
fuse. There was • butcher living in the house at the time
named Poole. When putting the powder down the grate,
be threw it as farin the cellar as ever he could in order that
the explosion might have the greater effect in the house.
Broadhead engaged h irn to do that,and paid him, he thought,
15/.,hut he had done so many jobs that he could not exactly
remember. The second time Linley was blown up witness
knew nothing about it. He knew Samuel Baxter, of Les-
ley, and he put a can of gunpowder down his chimney.
Broadhead engaged him to do that, and witness employed
a man to help him named Thomas Needham. Broadhead
paid him 151. for that. 151. was the regular amount of
payment. Witness had no animosity against Baxter • they
were on very friendly terms. Witness did Baxter because
Broadhead told him ; he did not ask any mamma He
did it bemuse he was asked to do it. Broadhead also
engaged witness to do Wilson's "blow up" in Headford-
street. He did not know Wilson at all. For that affair
he got about 151., same as usual. He by himself
blew up Reaney's wheel in the Park by the order of Broad-
head. He likewise got 15/. for that. He had no animosity
against Heaney. Fearnehough was working there at that
time. Witness had nothing to do with Joseph Hellewell,
of Block wheel, nor with Firth's affair, which Broadhead
mentioned the previous day. He had had a little talk
w'th Broadhead respeoting this affair that morning. Wit-
ness had told Broadhead he did not do it, and Broadhead
had said he stated so yesterday, and he thought witness
did. Witness did not know who did that. Before
that, however, he did put some powder down Firth's
chimney. For this purpose he took • ladder from some
new buildings in Searle-street, but he was so weak be
could not rear it up. While he was trying to get in the
place the powder went off. He was to have 154 for that
affair; but, because there was only a very little
damage done, Broadhead did not wish to give hint so
much, and he only got the full amount by saying he had •
man named " Runk " with him. Witness was much
pressed as to who " Hunk " was, but he maintained it
was only a nick-name. It meant generally in Sheffield
" Uncle, but he would swear no uncle of his had been
concerned with him. Witness was engaged by Broadhead
to watch at Firth's, and to shoot at John HellewelL There
was no such person as " Nunk " at all ; without had never
had to do with such a person. It was only • name he
used as an instrument to get the money out of Broadhead,
as Broadhead did not wish to pay the money to witness.
Mr. Overend—You say Broadhead would not pay you
the full amount because you had not done as he expected,
but I should think a bargain would be • bargain.
Witness—Well, sir, a bargain is • bargain, but in many
cases if the thing was not dope right there was a shuffle
about the money, and in these cases I had to shuffle about
them. It was the shuffling respecting the money that
caused me to 010 the name of Hunk, and Broadhead has
often asked me who that man was, but I would not tell
him. I cannot pretend to implicate a man who was not
with me. Witness continued to say that on one occasion
he attempted to shoot Hellewell ; the Mat time
he had Hallam with him. He went several times on the
Midland Railway, and watched through the window of the
shop in which he worked to shoot him. His instructions
were that he was not to kill him. He was never told to
kill any one. Broadhead instructed him to do that job.
One night they raised their gun to shoot, and found that
they had mistaken Woodhead for Hellewcll. He never
could get a chance to shoot at Hellewell for a long time.
About that time they had Wheatman and Stuith's::
hand, and Broadhead said they bad better attempt
man's ; it was wanted more than Hallowell's, and said
that they were to let Hellewell alone fur a short time.
Hellewell's case was then given up for some time.
When an outrage was to be done they were often paid •
small trifle beforehand, but never the bulk of the money.
That was paid after the work was done. Respecting
the Hereford-street outrage, be was sorry to say be blew
up Fearnehough, and was employed by Broadhead to do it,
and received 151. He gave him the money with which to
buy gunpowder, and said he wanted Fearnehough blown
ace because he was doing so much damage to the trade.
Vo itness knew Fearnehough was doing wrong in some
way or other. The witness then confessed to numerous
other cases of blowing up of a similar character, but said
he had done very little at rattening. His business was
the blowing up and shooting business. Battening was nut
worth his bothering with. (Sensation.)
Mr. Overend—Have you done any business for any
other unions except those of which Michael Thompson and
Broadhead and Broomhcad are secretaries?
Witness—Those are the only ewe with whom I ever
had to do, and I have never been employed by any person
connected with any other trade in Sheffield to do any
outrage. Witness assured the commissioners that he knew
of no other person who had committed such outrages.
lie bad heard of such things being done, but he did not
know aho did them. In reply to • question "whether he
knew who did the Acorn-street outrage," witness said ho
did not know, but it was rumoured at the time that
"Slipper Jack " had done it. He did not know who that
man was. "Slipper Jack " had a great name at the time,
but he could not say for what.
Mr. Overend—What do you mean by having • great
name?
Witness—When people get talked about. The question
was again asked, but witness said he could not answer the
question. Oa being pressed, he said—Well, I have agreat
name now you know, air. (Sensation.) I don't know this
man. I know nothing about him. He thought he had
told all he knew. He did not look much after any one
else's bulkiness but his own, and hail trouble enough to
keep it secret. He had previously sworn sot to divulge
the Hereford-street outrages. On Friday morning they
agreed not to do so. He and lircadhead agreed to this.
He was disgusted with himself for doing that, and be had
determined not to admit it. Broadhead,however, came and
admitted it, and so he bad come forward to tell truth.
. .

He would 'not alter his statement let the commissioners
either grant or withhold his certifc►te.
Joseph Copley was called, and after receiving a severe
admonition Irons Mr. °versed, was duly cautioned as to
the statement be was about to make. The evidence
which had been already taken was reed over to him, and
after being questioned se to what he chose to alter said
he bad a statement to make respecting the Hereford-
street outrage. He did not do it, but was there when it
was done. Broadhea I employed Crooks., and Croukrs
employed witness. He was paid 11. He never spoke
to Broadhead about it. He had no quarrel with
Fearnehough and never spoke to him. He was employed
with Hallam to destroy bands. Hallam did it, and
then they shared the money. (lark was present with
tl•em when it was done. It was Clark who had really got
the job to do it. Hs had Dever shot at any man, nor been