The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-03-18 00:00:00

MR. HUNT'S TRIAL.

YORK 4SSIZES.

• (RY OUR EXPRESS.)

FPfcre Mr. Justice BAYLEY and a Special Jury.
THE KING V. HUNT ♦ND OTHERS.

Ai l'hursday rimming the long-expected trial of
1.1 . Ilunt and the nr!tee Defendants indicted for a
, oiespiracy on the 16.11 A taguset last at Nlanchester„
eaeolisenced at York. At a very early hour in the.
ecerning some persmas of the first respectability in
roe county were admitted. By: au, arrangement
I:lab/anal considerately made by .the High Sheriff
aid his Deputy, with the aid of .Mesars.• Brook and
Bulnier. and .the attention of Mt. Suavely, the Go-
ve,uor of York Castle, the Reporters for the Lon.
d.el press were admitted through a private entrance
xt a quarter before seven in the morning. The box
to the Jury is waiting, and the treats usually occu-
pied by attorneys, were reserved for the Magistrates
of the county', their own box being insufficient to
uffurd them accommodation, the attendance being
so full. The ladies, who in general grace country
Courts with' their presence Ito fascinating grouper,
ware not detemed by the impeltdiug risk attendant
upon the terrible pressuremf • owd, and many
of them had obtained admission. ore the Castle
rates were thrown open to the pu lie. Long be-
fore the Court sat, the prelude to theafteliserious
business of the day was filled up by • of liu-
aaorous incidents which occurred among the persons
wh,' were so fortunate as to obtain early admission.
The galleries were kept locked until the hour of
public admission; but many who had got access to the
body of the Court, and who were there prevented
from occupying sesta otherwise appropriated fur
visdors, adopted the expedient of ascending the
galleries, without putting themselves to the inter.
int-diate trouble of mounting a flight of stairs. They
scaled the walls, and helped themselves to the
trout rests without ceremony. At ten minutes past
right o'clock the Court was thrown open, and the
rush into every part of it was tremendous. lo less
than a rui tttt le every corner was crowded almost to
suffocation, and the assemblage that then tilled
toe Court presented a most singular spectacle.
Ludier, apparently of rank, were hustled about by
the yeomen of the county, and for a moment the
usual courtesy which all men wish to pay the fair
sex was suspended ; the general decorum was only
forgotten for a moment, for owing to the excellent
e;-iangenients made by the official persons who had
the superietrudance of the Court, no more were
admitted in the first rush than could obtain accom-
modation without any greater inconvenience thou
rl at usually ericouniered in crowded ineetinge„
I:arnedinu ly before the Judge entered, Mr. Ifunt,
Air. Moor house, and the other Defendants, 10 in
smother, with Mr. Frierson as their Solicitor, took
their seats at the Barrister's table. The Rev. Mr.
Ethelstrine, the Rev. Mr. Hay. Mr. Sylvester,
Mr. LI u I toil, Colonel L' Estrange, Colonel Fletcher,
teal the test of the Manchester Magistrates, were
also in the throng ; but such as were subpoenaed as
wittierans were ordered out of Court, until they
erre called upon fur examination. Witnesses at
tenth I.ido, withdrew by order of the Court. Lord
powdea was also present.
At once u'cluck the Defendants were arraigned,
and they severally pleaded Not Guilty. When the
bills were found against them its Lancashire we
published • copy of the indictment—it charged
•Hrury Hunt, J. Saxton, J. Morehouse, S. Bom-
bed, R. Jones, George Swift, Robert Wild, J.
liti.q;lii, J. Healy, and Johnson, with a conspi-
racy to alter the legal frame of the government and
constitution of these realms, and with meeting tu-
multuously at Manchester, on the 16th August last,
with tlo,oollpersons, many armed with sticks, which
they carried on their shoulders like fire-arms, and
with bearing tags 01111 banners, on which were in-
ecriptious and devices calculated to inflame' the
minds of Lis Majesty's subjects against the consti-
tuted authorities of the State. There were several
counts, varying the form of the indictment, but in
substance implicating the accused in a conspiracy
egsoirt the State. .
The filtiowillt: Jury were sworn to try the case :
Wm. Halt, Esq. Foreman I Timothy Nuncio, of Clifton,
Wm. Chaytur, Esq. Esq.
Thus Felker, EN. of Layton Get), gc Beau irk, Esq.
Jobs Holton, F.sq. of stank I John Chadwick, Esq.
Gen. At Minim, Jun. Esq. ifin. Seib,, Esq.
Thutaaa Rotuma, Esq.

A tf:.'t was prayed, and the following names
added tit the special list :—Septimus Bromley, of
Scutt:naffs, near Hull, and George Addy, listi.
last Jti"• r expressed a desire to betatonerat-
ed tram attending on this Jury, but as he had no
petsional objection, the Court declined excusing
him, and the above-named gentlemen constituted
the Jury.
Defendants conducting* their own defence were
permitted to 'eminent. at the Counsel table, where
Mr. Hint took Ins station.

M. • iiilinoir''wppeaved as Counsel for Mr.
idourhonae. and Mt. HOLT for Mr. Saxton.
Mr. Latitibate'rpeeted the pleadings, and at
hatf.tinst nine o'clock
Mt.SCAIeiLTT addressed the Jory for the prose.
eutieni, in r llifectli'arlitch occupied wit hour and
35 iniireitesAW dElifery. He commenced by
stating, that the case which he was under the ne-
er.sity of opening to thesis arose out of circuit'.
stances *Lids hot obtuiued much importance, mud
which had je seititteittthe public mind, that lie was
persitaded- the Jury 'bid often heard the subject
c iniaised throughont'jihe country. He merely
at lidded' to tkinattilloitiqy fur the purpose of entreat.
jog therh, so-fit isitit'ons possible, -tor their own
sakes as weil,Us fit that of justice, to bluish
froni 111eir 'Mud .*Wateter Impressions • they 'had
sufferelf it-44 touching the transactions
out tof7litO,cle this arose, mod solely to
bring' tlifir vetitiO:npinnilstrfacts which the* should
hear supported in .etridpince before them- in that
Centre. MAU its hosing this
trial Beard bleftwei ItiletistJury of the County of
Yotk. Compised. • is' it'llltsys wee, ;of Gentle. •
. seer, of se.siliKt intlifigluee *eel hstetrity-e Jury
that could' Wt to° " rVereir be supposed at..
•""fectlid hi" SOY" %eel •.'tirisprbery prejudice,
which mew peolospe fin* rwisseluee in the par.
tacutur ewe elsewhere. The Defendants were