The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-19 00:00:00

The Balloon Riot at Leicester,

Yesterday, at the Town Hall, Leicester, before
he Mayor, Geo. Mines, Esq , J. Harrison, Esq.,
sea E. S. Ellis, E q., Mr C. J. Carttar, solicitor,
Gr„„m„lch, appeared before the bench to take legal
against certain persons concerned in
proceediugt:
the destruch,ln of Mr Coxwell's new balloon
Britannia at t,:le Foresters' fete on the Leicester

racecourse on M0n...1V last.
Mr Carttar, in a leh:Tthy address, stated the case
to the magistrates, and p?oposed to indict those who
had committed the wilful ahmage to appear at the
next Leicester sessions in answer to the charge.
The Town Clerk suggested that it would be better
to prefer the charge under the Criminal Law Con.
solidation Act, 24 and 25 Vic., chap. 97, sec. 51, for
malicious injury, and the indictment was so taken

accordingly.
Mr Ellis, one of the magistrates, told Mr Coxwell
that he was within 50 yards of the balloon, and he
did not notice the slightest obstacle to the ascent.
If there had been any, and Mr Coxwell had spoken
about it, he was sure that there were thousands of
persons who would have helped him out of his
difficulty.
Mr Coxwell explained the circumstances which
led him to open the valve, after which Mr Ellis
said he thought Mr Coxwell exercised a very wise
discretion in not attempting to ascend. If they got
a certain number of persons together, and a certain
number of beer barrels, they must expect to have a
certain amount of force. It was an unfortunate
circumstance for the credit of the town.
The Mayor said he noticed that the balloon
collapsed, but he did not notice any riot or any
approach to one. He came off the ground without
seeing any disturbance.
Mr Coxwell was then sworn. He said—l am a
surgeon and dentist, and reside at Tottenham, in
the county of Middlesex. I was on the Leicester
racecourse on Monday last, the 11th inst. I had
with me my largest balloon, the "Britannia,' and
appurtenances connected with it, including scientific
instruments and apparatus for meteorological obser-
vations. The balloon was constructed especially
for the observations of the British Association and
making high ascents. That balloon, when properly
inflated, was capable of taking up 25 people, not for
high ascents. The mention of 25 people in the bill
is always supposed to allude to the number that it
will take up for practical escents to have a bird's-
eye view of the ground. I had with me a valuable
barometer presented to me by Mr Glaisher ; the
intrinsic value of it was ten guineas. The value of
the balloon and apparatus was £7OO, The whole of
it, even the grappling-irons and valves, are lost. It
was not made of silk. The cost of a silk balloon,
which I contemplate making, would be £2,000. It
was made of an American mixture—sponge silk—
a vegetable matter which would cause it to resem-
ble cotton. There were, I should say, about
.4,000 people surrounding the balloon—about
50,000 on the ground. I tried for two hours to get
an open space from which to ascend. Some clung
to the netting, and broke. Possibly it was not
done intentionally, but with a desire to assist in
getting it off. I may explain, that with a single
piece of cordage being broken, more stress was
laid on the other part, and rendered it unsafe
to go up. Several persons in the ear were very
violent, and feeling that if I went up great damage
would be done to the community, I fell; it ncessary
to empty the balloon, as the only remedy for the
protection of the bystanders. With the pressure it
was impossible to ascend. I therefore adopted the
only alternative of lotting off the gas. I should
have ascended by myself, unsafe as it was. Im-
mediately I let off the gas the crowd commenced to
rip up the balloon, and to cut the netting, and to
threaten me personally. Violent hands were laid
upon me, and I received sundry blows. A bottle
was thrown at the balloon, and it was subsequently
picked up by my man. Whether that was thrown
before or after I let off the gas I cannot say. In-
spector Haynes and Sergeant Chapman took me by
the arm and led me off the course. I considered
my life was in danger. I have not the least por-
tion of my balloon. I subsequently learned that
my balloon was destroyed, burned, and paraded
about the streets. The car, liberating iron, and
barometer were destroyed. I am unable at the
present time to give the names of those who tock
part in damaging the balloon. I know the name of
one person, William Pegg, who used most disgust-
ing ilelnguage, and incited the crowd to act as it did.
Mr ceecwell was then bound over in the sum of
£lOO to probescute at the quarter sessions.
Mr Carttar se:shed to correct a statement afloat
that Mr Coxwell had received money for the ascent,
He had not received one' penny of the £5O. A man
who was taken by the crowd for Mr Cox well was
ferociously mobbed, and had he coat ripped up the
back as well. The defendant in t:lis case has, how.
ever, been convicted, and sent to gaol for a month.