The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-07-27 00:00:00

CONSTABLE SHOT AT sTOCkPORT.

It is our painful duty to communicate to the
public the following particulars of • most Out-
rageous and unprovoked attack upon Win. !Lich,
assistant deputy constable for the township of Stock.
port, in the County of Chester;—
In the eve►►ing of Frick), last, about a quarter
before ten o'clock at night. William Birch
(who is assistant deputy constable of Stockport,
and who has made himself obnoxious to the Re-
formers by having taken Sir Charles Wolseley
into custody, and also from being the per.
son sent to London with the Bench-warrant

against Parson Harrison) having brought Harri-
son to Stockport, the circumstance soon became
known, and a considerable crowd assembled
round Birch's house. where his prisoner was
secured. Several threats having been made by
the mob that they would pull Birch's house down,
and liberate Harrison, Birch felt it prudent to con-
sult the Rev. Mr. Prescott (at Magistrate) what course
he should adopt with regard to his Prisoner, under
the circumstances. On his way to Mr. Prescott's, and
within a few yards from that Gentleman's house.
Birch was accosted by a man who calls himself
Joseph George Bruce (a person not much known in
Stockport, but who states that he came lately from
Loudon, and last from Dublin, and who has been
for a few weeks assistaut to Harrison in his School
of Reform, and is also designated as Secretary to
the Stockport Reform Societ)). This man entered
into conversation with Birch, and two other persons

in Bruce's company joined them. Bruce kept
Birch engaged in coaversation, and breasted him so
u to prevent his going on, and the other two were
parsing towards Birch's rear, who then began to feel
himself unsafe, and meditated a retreat ; particu-
larly so, its a considerable crowd were very near
them; however before he had time to decide on any
step, one of the two men fired a small pistol, the
bullet from which passed into Birch's breast about
the pit of the stomach, and totok a sloping direc-
tion towards the right side. "Birch screamed and
leapt over the garden wall of a Mr. Lloyd, anti
reached the house of Dr. Killer, before he fell ;
the three men then Bed. The ball has not yet
been extracted, but hopes are entertained that the
wounded man may recover.
Three men (one of whom is Bruce) him been
taken into custody, and have undergone a long ex-
amination this day before the Rev. C. Prescott, T.
W. Tattoo, and Peter Maraud, Esgis.; two of
them, viz. Bruce and a person of the name of David
Davies (who was one of the three present when the
shot was fired,) are remanded : the third has been
discharged. The person who fired the pistol has
not yet been identified, from the state of the
wounded mom rendering it net advisable he should
be disturbed.

A troop of horse marched into Stockport very early
this morning and the town remains quiet at this hour.
Harrison has been liberated upon bail. Himself
in 500% and three sureties, trot in 9.501. the other
two in lest. each.
Eight o'Clock, p. is. July 14.

FURTHER PARTICULAR,.
[Frye' tie Nottbsfielli Courier.]

Birch arrived with his prisoner at Stockport about
right o'clock p.m. and conveyed him to his house.
This circumstance was soon made known, and the
house as quickly beset with numbers, who made
trse of the most daring sad threatening language.
This Minuted, Birch-deemed-it necessary to take
advice from Mr. Lloyk and for this purpose, under
disguise, he went out of the luck door of his house,
'about eleven o'clock ; Mr. Lloyd, however, was
not to be found ; a►nl Birch, on his return home,.
lacing unfortunately recognited by one of the Re-
formers, was i►nmediately surrounded, and re.
'Celved the contents of a pistol in tit breast ;
the bell fortunately took • favaur•ble dire lion,
and lodged in his left ide. The alarm being
give►, u messenger was seat to the barracks, at
Manchester. and a troop of Hu'ss'ies (the 15th, we
believe,) arrived soon afterwards, and peace was re•
stored for time night. Three persons hare been taken
up, and this morning underwent an examination
before Thomas Win. Tattoo, E•q. the Rev. Chas. •
Prescott, and Peter Maraland, E►q. They tree re-
ma►►ded for • further bearing. Hardison wits sent
to time lock-up-house, but has since been liberated
ou bail. •
SATURDAY. JULY 24. EIGHT o'CLOCt. P.M.
A messenger whom we had dispatched to Stock•
port is just returned ; lie reports that Birch is still
alive, but that Mr. Killer, the surgeon, has not at
present been able to extract the bull 1; serious ap•
prehensionsare eidertaitied that the wuuod is mortal.
Harm 6011 is stated to have expressed deep regret
for Birch's accident, sod ssid, be did not wish to

T:

have been taken to Stockport—and neither wps it in..
,teiliteil that he should. 'bits enneeterl to have
polite by the Defiance coach t 6 thit town, •nd a per.
40111 W in waiting to have prevented his going farther.
Another line of road bad. however, bean visitors' for
his coaveysoce to Stockport, by the Manchester
Coburg coach, which Inns through Litchfield,
Newcastle, and
It is almost needless to add that this horrible at-
tempt at ussa►sivation ha* produce.] the must ohms-
__

ing orimition in tl►is iimitt of the country. 'Flout
will not admit of farther detail.

PROCSEDINGS AGAIN'? Mt lINFOft*ERS.

MANCIMITIM, JU e. v 24.
QUARTER SE.42IoNx.

INDICTMENTS FOR SEDITION.

At theor%esslows See biolictimenls have been foam' against
James Were, the &blur of the Newspaper celled 77m Mag.
&min Morrow. for twines libels upon the constituted
authorities of the couutry. lodietissents of this mitres
rermissrily nos to great kook, sad it is therefore Im-
possible fur Ns to give them in detail. We have, how-
ever, endeavoured to ascertain the remise nature of
the charges, and we tiod they nosy be molted as
:S—Thr first is foe a 'seditious libel against the G.iyere-
twist mid'Cosstimithis of the ronntry : the served and third
are of ibe like nature : she fourth is for a libel ou the whole
body of the Clergy, without regard to their denomination, so
as to &Wert religion generally ; sod the fifth is fur • libel on
she adinististration ofjestiee. Wroe has already been appre-
hended upon a Bench warrant upon two of the indictments,
and has found bail : boo *we recognisance in 5601. in
tech case; kith two sureties to 250/. each. The sureties is
tirmeme were :—Joseph Johosme, of Smedley, break. maker ;
; sod Juba Molieeus,ofStraageways, ker,
WV. In the other ease, Joseph Johnston was one surety in
!SOL ; Jobe &veep, of Jermy.street, shopkeeper, soul
Samuel Jolumesi, of libuslebill, benshmisiter, its I tfit each.

An indirtmeel has aise hers (vend against Mark Wardle
for a sedition. libel on the Government and Cinostitetine of
the country. He was eornmitted to the New Hayky prison
yesterday traria& by girlie, of a lime! warrant. A similar
warrant is hewed evilest AUKS WMe on the additives' in.
dieintents ■pew *Wei hr is charged. Tbs porpoise charged
in all them eases are them of eseitiag insidavrdierithre is
tbectientry and rebellion ageism* the Greeter/Rent.