The Express.
London, England, 1867-06-22 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 22, 1867.

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ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

Donizetti'a La Farnrita was given on Thursday,
for the first time this season, with Mdlle. Pauline Lucca
as Leonora, Signor Mario as Ferdinando, and Signor
Grariani as Alfonso, as in past seasons—the part of
Baldassare being represented by Signor Bagagiolo, who
made so favourable an impression on his recent first ap-
pearance here as the Grand Inquisitor in Doe Carlos.
The part of Leonora, the king's favourite, is one of
Mdlle. Lucca's moat powerful impersonations, and sever
has she sung and acted in it more finely than on this
occasion.

THE MIDIS UNION INQUIRY' AT ShEFF ELD.

MORE DISCLOSURES AND CONFESSIONS.
Yesterday morning the excitement caused by the
disclosures of trades union atrocities at Sheffield was at
its climax. Large crowds of people assembled round the
doom of the Council-hall, where the examiners bold their
sittings. Broadhead was of course the object of absorbing
interest. It is thought that be would have been torn to
pieces last night as he left the court if he had cot been
well protected by the police until he obtained the security
of a cab. Broadhead, it should be remembered, in addition
to being secretary and treasurer of the saw trade, was a
principal official of the Sheffield Association of Organised
Trades, and had only recently been appointed the treasurer
of the United Kingdom Alliance of Organised Trades. '
Oa Thursday night a meeting of the executive of that
Alliance was held in Sheffield, to receive the resignation of
Mr. Broadhead. A letter was read from him stating that
in consequence of the revelations made before the com-
mission, he felt it his duty to send in his resignation as
treasurer of the United Kingdom Alliance of Organised
Trades. A resolution was proposed accepting the resit.
nation.

When Broadhead came forward yesterday morning to
continue his evidence, his appearance created intense
excitement, and as he answered the questions put to
I him by the examiners, he was watched with absorbing
interest by all present. Broadhead had apparently
lost all that show of callousness and bravado which
formerly marked his demeanour, and he appeared to
feel deeply the position in which he was placed. He
gavy * answers in • manner which showed that he
was at length ashamed of the eerie' of atrocities with
which he had been connected. The sensation in court
when Broadhead confessed that he hail employed Crookes
to commit the Hereford-street outrage was quite inde-
scribable. This outrage was the origin of the present
inquiry, and in fact of the general investigation into the
operation of trades unions throughout the country. The
perpetrator, Samuel Crookes, has never been suspected,
but has always borne the character of a respectable hard-
working man. The other day he was summoned from the
workshop to rive evidence ; and although be confessed to
heel,* shot Link}, and blown up Wheatman and Smith's,
he denied all knowledge of the Hereford-street affair,
or rather he was not so much as suspected. It appears that
there was so lately as yesterday morning • compact
between Broadhead and Crookes, whatever else they
confessed, not to disclose anything respecting the
Hereford-street outrage. The position of Crooke" is very
serious ; it is now proved that he committed the Hereford-
street outrage, and he her not made that full disclosure
necessary to entitle him to • certificate of indemnity.
At the opening of the court William Bruadhead was
called up for further examination. Before the examina-
tion commenced Mr. Overend said that in the inkiest of
the public, of the union, and of himself, he wished to give
witness another warning. He found that he had never
given the commissioners a single name of a single person
who had been engaged in rattening. He had never dis-
closed • single fact that had not been (thickset' previously
by witnesses. He had never admitted anything but what
he could not help admitting. Witness Opuld now have
to tell everything he knew about those things, and if it
should turn out that there were other things with which
he was associated, and that he had not told them, un-
questionably hie certificate would be withheld. Again, it
was not in the interest of the men with whom he had
been associated to keep secret their names, because if
they, believing that witting would keep their names
secret, should go and listen to the evident* brought for-
ward and not come forward, he might be the cause
of their being brought into trouble. If they were not
under the impression that their names would be con-
cealed, they might come forward and state what they
had done. By concealing their names the witness
was Sot only putting himself in peril, but also putting
them in pent, and he (Mr. Overend) therefore cautioned
witness with regard to other transactions respecting
which he had not spoken, to make a specific, clear, and
full disclosure.
Mr. Broadhead—Can I expect that the same mercy will
be extended to the men whom I shall implicate that has
been extended to me?
Mr. Overend—Certainly
Mr. Broadhead—Then will give you all their names.
There is a statement which I wish to make to you
before other questions are put to me. I will begin
with • statement I made to you yesterday respecting
the Hollowell affair. That statement was untrue. I
have heard Dennis Clark about Hellewell's affair.
Clark did not blow him up, but Shaw did, so Clark told
witness. Witness paid :11. or Si. for that affair ; he
paid. it to Clark, The paper which was formerly pro-
duced was drawn up because be heard Shaw had cir-
culated reports. He knew Shaw was working as well
as receiving scale. Shaw was detected working by Mar-
tin and be (Broadhead) was obliged to bring the case
before the committee; and as he did so Shaw, to be
revenged upon him, began circulating these reports.
Witness therefore drew up that document and
said nothing to any one about it. When the ease
came before the committee he (Shaw) was questioned
as to the reports he had circulated, and he believed
Shaw would deny them. And in the second place be
asked him before the committee if witness ever did
employ him to do such a thing, but witness also believed
Shaw would,deny t hat,thinking he would get hie scale stopped
if he did not. Witness determined then to call upon the
committee in Shaw's presence to sign that document, and
to hold it as a protection against any statement Show
afterwards might make. When the committee met wit-
ness carried his plan into effect, and, as the minutes
showed, he asked permission to ask Shaw a few questions,
which the committee granted. He then questioned 81311 W. !
Shaw answered, and, as witness anticipated, the commit-1
tee was satisfied, and feeling himself somewhat secure, he I
then went nee the business with that determination ex-
pressed in the minutes.
Mr. Overend—Have you anything else to say?
Witness—Yes. About the case mentioned yesterday of
Elisha Parker. That was done, I believe, by Elijah Smith,
John Taylor, and a man called Green. Ido not know if
Bradshaw was there, but he might have been.
Mr. Overend— Was not Bradshaw one of the parties?
Witness—l do not kuow. They are the only persons I
know of. They are all three dos&
Mr. Overend-1 thought so. Now mind, I tell you.
Did you hire them to do it?
Witness—Well sir, they came to me after it was done.
Mr. Overend—Did you hire them to do it! You know
you were there at 12 o'clock one night?
Witness—l have no recollection of it, but I paid the
men who did it some money. It was not a large amount.
I will not swear I did not pay them before they went. I
have no recollection of having any conversation with them
at all, but the impression on my mind is that they came
to me first and I paid them some money. I oanuot swear
that I did not speak to them at all.
Mr. Overend—Now, then, I will ask you, did you "peak
to Bradshaw about this being done before it was done?
Witness—l have no recollection of that. I "peak to the
best of my recollection.
Mr. Overend—Will you swear Bradshaw was not pre-
sent when the money was paid for Parker's job? Witness—
I have no recollection of it. I can say no more. I be-
lieve he was not. Witness continued that he knew a man
named P.andorth, who lived at Dore. He was not cue of ,
the party.
Mr. Overend—Perhaps you can tell us something about
the shooting of Parker himself ?
Witness—Yes, air. A person named George Peek, senior,
was hired by me to do somethingtostopbim from working.
I did not know anything about the manner in which it
was to be done. He had seen me several times, and
was a member of the union. He is alive. To
the best of my recollection I think I went to his
house at Dore one Sunday, and had an interview with him
on the subject. We left his house together, and went
down to some fields. I think it was in summer time, and
there we had a conversation, and agreed upon something
to be done, but whether he defined what that something
was to be I don't remember. I did not suggest that his
house should be blown up with gunpowder, but it was
finally settled that something must be done.
Mr. Overend—Will you swear that you did not agree to
have him shot?
Witness-1 don't remember. Bamforth told me that he
bad a serous' nom who would shoot him, but I forget hie
name. He told me that he knew this wan would keep it
secret The affair got done, and the amount he was to
receive I cannot remember, but it was a large amount—
between 201. and AL, and perhaps wore. I have never
bad any conversation with the man who did it. It was
neither Bamforth, nor Elijah Smith. I am not aware
that Elijah Smith before his death made • confession that
he wee one of the men who did it.
Mr. Overend—But it is here in writing, and we can pro-
duce • living witness who will swear to that.
Witness—lf the question is repeated till my death to
me, I eannotsay any more. Sam Crooke. was not therethat I
know of. I have seen him this morning. My object in talking
to Crookes this morning was to agree how much we should ,
confessand how much withhold. (Renewed sensation.)
We agreed to withhold the Hereford-street outrage. I
was a party to that. (Intense sensation.)
Kr. Overend—Who committed it?