The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-08-16 00:00:00

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.

LANCA,TER, AUGUST 14.
RIOTS AT BLACKBURN.
Jaw., Kay, James La-
tham, James Ormond, Jain,s Howard, and Thomfa Baton, Were
indictrd for having, on the 24th of April, 113?31„ at Mackburn, in
this county, with force ant arms, feloniously broke open a cotton
mill belonging to Bannister Eccles, and Co., and destroyed the
machinery In the said mill.
Mr. STARKIE and Mr. ADDISON conducted the prosecution.
Mr. COLTMAN appeared for the prisoner Kay, but the other
prisoners had no Counsel.
John Kay—l am a constable of Blackburn ;on Monday, the
24th of last April, about three o'clock in the afternoon, I was in
Darwin-street, Blackburn, where I saw several hundred persons.
who were coming through the Market-I-lace, towards Mr. Eccles's
factory • • some of them were armed with pikes, and others with
. .

were armed with pikes, umma
guns, axes, hammers, clubs, and smicka. They were walking to-
gether as a mob generally goes t I followed them to ,Ir. ISet Ice's
factory, which they reached before me. When I got to the fac-
tory yard, there were many hundred persons in it ; those who
carried the pikes and guns stood at the doors and windows; some
of them had their pikes startling, and others had them shoul-
dered. The mill was nearly full of persons ; I went into the mill,
and at the door I met some men coming out; I stopped the first
man, but as soon as he saw me, he gut back again to the crowd;
I took the pikes, Machete, and hammers now produced, from the
persons in the factory yard. Whilst I was there, about sixteen of the
Ist Dragoon Guards arrived, and they assisted me in disarming the
mob ; several men escaped out of the yard, because they were so
numerous that we could not keep them. Nrhilst I was in the yard.
I heard the breaking of windows at the back part of the mill, and
the people, who were watiling in the yard, said that their compa-
nions were breaking through the windows at the rear. I went into
the !cower room of factory, and I there saw all the machinery
broken and destroyed. I know the prisoner Sutcliffe. I met him
at the door of the mill, and asked him what he was doing there?
He made no answer, but got back as quickly as he could. I don't
know any thing about the other prisoners.
Cross-examined by Mr. Col.xatax, as Counsel for the prisoner
Kay—The people were in the factory about balf an hour before the
arrival of the soldiers. I heard no breaking of windows, except
when the mob were escaping from the soldiers. Tue factory was
nearly full of persons.
Crose-examined by the prisoner, Sutcliffe—The power-looms
were actually broken when I saw you. I did not see you doing any
thing.
3lr. Eccles Shorrock—l had a cotton-mill in Blackburn, in
April last, for spinning and weaving by pimwer-lomens. My partners
were Bannister Eccles, Joseph Eccles, and John };cokes. On the
24th of April last, about three o'clock in the afternoon, 1 saw a
mob of persona coming towards my mill. The outer gates and the
doors of the lower rooms, containing 212 power-looms, a lathe, and
other machinery, were locked. In the upper rooms there were
dressing machines. The looms in the lower rooms were fastened
down to the atone floor by a hole drilled into the stone, and a wooden
plug driven into it. The power of motion is communicated to
those looms by a steam.engine which is on the premises. The mob
consistedor eeveral hundred persons. After they broke openlhe Fates,
one party formed to the side of the mill. That party, comisting of
about 30 persons, were armed with pikes. There was an equal
number similarly armed on the other side of the mill. Others of
the party broke in the doors of the mill, which I entered in about
35 minutes afterwards. I was in the warehouse, which overlooks
the yard, and I saw the people break into the milleand shortly after
they brought out the twist beams (part of the Mower looms) and
several pieces of cloth which had bet,v, in the looms. Before the
mob broke into the mill, there were about 200 pieces of -sloth in
the looms. The cloth was torn in the yard in the presence of the
mob. The doors appeared as if they had been broken by large
bitumen. The looms in the lower rooms were all broken. The
case, iron wheels, and the drums of the engine were broken. It
would require considerable force to break them; The shafts were
thrown down, but being made of wrought iron about an inch and
a quarter in diameter, could not be broken. The shafts were in
caps or gallowses, which must either have been broken or forced
before the shafts could be thrown down.
Cross-examined by Mr. COLTMAN.—The prisoner Kay was in
my employment ; and I think he was nt his womb un that day.
When the attack was made nearly all the work.people were out of
the factory.
By his LonDsii ir —I can't exactly tell what Kay's wages were.
but I think about nine or ten shillings a week. lie was then in lull
work.
Cross-examined by Mr. COLTMAN—Some of the cross shafts
may be taken down by taking out a pin like a linch pin, which is
in the cap, but the main shafts are fastened to the floor. None of
the main shafts were pulled down, but some of the wheels of the
main shafts were broken.
By the COURT—On the morning of the 21th of April all the
looms were fit for work, but in the evening they could not perform
any work.
Bev. Richard Noble—l am a clergyman, and a Magistrate for
this county. On the day of the riot I was in Darwin-street,
Blackburn, which, together with the fields adjoining, was filled
with people. I had sixteen dragoons and a small party of infantry
with me. We went the nearest way to Mr. Eccles's factory, bet
the crowd-was so great outside the yard that I could not get in until
the military made way. Numbers of persons, who were making
their escape from the factory yard, passed close by where I stood,
and 'onto ran against me.
George ltigley-1 live near Mr. Eceles'n factory, and I saw the
mob, consisting of 500 person., about the mill. They were doing
nothing whilst the people inside were breaking the looms, but
when time soldiers came, the mob took up stones, and threw them
at the soldiers.
John Morton—l was in the employment of Kay, the constable.
of Blackburn. About three o'clock, on the 24th of April last, I
was standing at the outer gates of the factory, when the mob,
headed by the prisoner (Riding) came up. Ile and others of the
mob clapped their hands and then their shoulders to the gate. I
have known him for several years, and I spoke to hint un that day.
They forced the outer gates, and I saw the prisoner go towards the
place where the power looms are at work. I did not sec hint go
Into the factory, but In half an hour afterwards I saw him coming
Out of the back window. He sweated very hard.
Henry Hilton—l am a barber. I was at Mr. Eccles's factory on
the 21th April 'a t The looms wee all broken. I saw the prisoner
(Sutcliffe) there, but I did not see him doing any thing, except
wiping his face. He seemed to be very warns.
Cruss.examined by the prisoner, Sutcliffe—When I saw you
there, the mob had not dispersed.
John Morton recalled.—l saw Sutcliffe coining out of the fac-
tory niter the mob had dispersed. lie was walking out.
George Colbum, a little boy.—On the 24th of April last I was
in the employment of the prosecutors. When the mob came I was
in the factory, but I left It and went on the top of the smithy ; I
saw the prisoner Kay striking the looms, with (as I thought) a
piece of iron '• when I saw him do this to the looms I came down
from the smithy, and I saw Aim come out of the factory door. He
swore by his Maker there was a great smwdec in the room, and he
never would work there any more.
By the COURT—I am sure Kay was not in the factory until he
came with the mob.
Cross-examined by Mr. COLTMAN—When I was on the smithy
the factory windows were shut; when Kay came out of the factory
the mob was inside breaking the looms; he went away before the
arrival of the soldiers.
Re-examined—When I saw Kay ho was In the third room ; he
used to work in the fourth room.
Betsey Longsworth—l was in the prosecutor's employment.
When the mob came to the factory, I saw ,lames Latham and
James Otmerod. Latham had a stone-breaking hammer in his
- I and Oimerod swore a great oath, and said

;rud lwaacnit:crtinrfle, down if I.(!id not hoW zn nnige: I cannot