The Sun.
London, England, 1852-08-16 00:00:00

ASSIZE IN TELLIGENCE.

NORTH WALES ClRCUlT,—Chester, Aug. 14.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice
CROMPON.)
THE STOCKPORT RIOTS.
Mr. HUDDLESTONE addressed the jury on behalf of
the prisoners. He commenced by saying that in ac-
cordance with the pledge he gave the previous day at
the commencement of these proceedings, and in imi-
tation of the very judicious and proper course pursued
by his Learned tFriend (Mr. We',shy), he should
strictly abstain from the use of any topics calculated
to inflame, or prejudice, or divert the minds of the
jury from the real question they had to try. They
bad, in reality, but one object in view, and that was
to inquire whether any and which of the prisoners
were guilty of the offence with which they were
charged, for it was idle to deny that a serious riot had
taken place on the night in question. They knew too
well their duty to their clients, to the Court, and to
the jury, to waste their time by idly discussing facts
which must be admitted, so as to weaken their atten-
tion from what it should plainly be directed. And here
he (the Learned Counsel) could not refrain from ex-
pressing his deep regret—and:in doing so he was also
expressing the regret of most of the defendants—that
attacks most unseemly and most cowardly had been
perpetrated upon large bodies of her Majesty's sub-
jects. At the same time it was right to observe—
and he did not shrink from the observation—
that had the peace of the town not been as-
sailed by the inhabitants of Rock-row assembling in
a large body for the purpose of insulting or attacking
all who' passed them, there would not have been any
of those deplorable events which all must regret. He
could not help thinking that Mr. Frith, at an early
part of the evening, saw the glaring folly that some
of his own sect had committed, because the jury
would recollect that he stated, when the news of the
attack upon St. Peter's School was brought to him,
he expressed his regret and his fear that it would pro-
voke retaliation upon the Roman Catholics. He (Mr.
fluddlestone) could not help feeling that what passed
through the reverend gentleman's' mind at the moment
was only the consequence of all the disastrous con
duct that occurred upon that evening. It could not
be doubted that a very serious riot took place on the
night in question, but it was abundantly clear that it
first began in St. Peter's-square, and with regard to
that he thought it was clear that with respect to time
the witness Eskrigge must be mistaken, for between
halt-past seven and a quarter to eight there were con -
tinned disturbances in that square, and the windows
both of St. Peter's School and Mr. Graham's house
were broken. There was one most remarkable feature
in the occurrences of that night. The principal wit-
nesses against the defendants were women, some
Irish, some English, who appeared to have followed
the mob from place to place, and yet it was most sin-
gular that not one of them from the beginning to the
end ventured to say that the slightest insult or ill-
usuage was offered to them. No one would deny
that a serious Catholic cha outrag be was e was committed on both Roman
those who andnot there to deny that
chapels,
riot. Blittuti7ik part in those outrages were guilty of
question the jury had to decide was,
were the ten
prisoners, or any, and which of them
guilty
of
that
proceeded to offence
notice The Learned Counsel then
f
the counts in the indictment.
The foreman
o the jury
were ? inquired how many there
Mr. HUDDLESTONE replied
dct that there were twelve.
The JUDGE—we
with the counts now, need to trouble ourselves
Mr. HUDDLESTONE--No, my Lord ; we may take
it, generally that they are all charged with riot. The
Learned Counsel then proceeded to observe that his
anxiety was to place the case against each prisoner.
aeoarately and distinctly before the jury, so that they
might he able to see how it applied to each, and be able
to try tht mas if each was a separate case. It was
certainly not a little singular that after the magis-
traces had committed ten f the Irish they should
proceed precisely the same number of
to commit'
English by way of set-off. The jury, however, would
not come to the conclusion that_becau. se some of the
Irish had been convicted therefore the English must
The Learned Counsel
be. It would be an insult to theirh
suppose so for one moment. T
then proceeded to detail
the nature of the evidence he
should adduce on behalf of
the prisoners. With re-
gard to most of them he should call witnesses to prove
that the witnesses on behalf of the prosecution were
mistaken ; but with regard to the witness Corcoran