The Sun.
London, England, 1839-11-16 00:00:00

VI4INING EDITION

- .
I saw the wounded man with a pike in his hand, but I
do not know how it came there.
Frederick Thomas Percy Wells—l am a son of Tho-
mas Wells, of this town, I know the prisoner Henry
Frost, I have known him about five years. I have been
a member of the Chartist club ; it was held at the Prince
rof Wales beer-house, in this town. It is kept by a man
I of the name of Ebenezer Williams. I have left the club
about three months. I was a member for about three
I weeks. I left it because my father wished me, as I
i ought to be at home at my studies. Charles Waters
acted an secretary or clerk to the club ; there was a per-
son whom they called treasurer, but I have never
seen him there. I have seen his name on one of the
I cards. I had a card given to me. The card was
I printed ; on the card was, " Newport Men's Working
1 Association. It is safe to do right." Ido not remem-
' ber it all ; the number was written on the card. The
1 card I had I have lost. The card I have spoken of is
a card similar to the one now produced. I paid one
shilling at entrance to the secretary, Charles Waters.
i On one occasion of my attendance at those meetings I
saw Henry Frost there ; they used to read newspapers
at those meetings. I heard one letter read from Mr.
John Frost. About four months ago ,I had some con-
versation wth the prisoner at the bar. I do not re-
member what passed between him and me ; there were
numerous meetings held in the town at that time. I
know a person named Vincent ; I remember his being
I at Newport. He held meetings there ; I attended two
or three of them. I saw Henry Frost once or twice
there. They were called Chartist meetings. I saw a
groat many persons that I knew at those meetings. I
' (lid not see John Frost there. I have had a great deal
of conversation with the prisoner. They were about
1 private matters, such as young men generally have
i among themselves. I saw the prisoner on Sunday, the
3(1. of November, standing at his father's door, about
three o'clock. I think he was dressed in the clothes he
inow wears. He had a blue cloth cap on his head. I
, have not spoken to him for the last four months. I
Iwas in Newport on I\,londay, the 4th of November. I
, did not go out on that morning.
Cross-examined by Mr. Geach—l do not know
i whether the ea?, is what is called a foraging cap. He
I generally wears a cap of that kind. The 3d of Novem-
her was a wet day. I have seen him sometimes in a
great coat and the cap I have spoken of—the cap most
always, and the great coat when it is wet.
By the Court—l am son of Mr. Wells, corn factor,
I whose name has been spoken of this inquiry.
George Evans was then called and examined by Mr.
Phelps—l am a banker of coals. On Sunday the 3d
: of November I was at home at Pontaberpingham.
Thomas Llewellin came to me on that evening. He
i said that I was to come along with him ; that he had a
place appointed for me. No other man came to me on
that evening. Kept my house that night with about
1 fifty men. I came down the road to a place called Wae-
y-comar. We waited there about half an hour for
other men. We then came along down to Harry
1 Charles's house. I did not know for what purpose we
1
came there. I was very wet. Charles's house is called
the Royal Oak, about five miles from Newport. I
i should think when I came there, I found 450 or 500
men there, mostly armed with guns, &c., and some had
; scythes stuck in sticks. I was forced to come. We
I then went into the house to dry ourselver. It was be-
tween one and two o'clock in the morning. I did not
know any one there. John Rapps was there ; he was
brought along with me. We staid there about a quarter
of an hour. We then went towards Newport. We
overtook two men about a hundred yards on the road
to Harry Charles's, and accompanied them along the
road. I did not then know who they were. I asked
them where they were going.
Mr. Geach objected that this was no evidence against
the boy Henry Frost.
By the Court—The evidence is necessary to bring
his case to this point.
Mr. Phelps—l am prepared to prove that one of
them was the prisoner.
Examination resumed—l spoke to both of them.
They said they were going on to Newport. There
were then four of us together. I did not then know
the prisoner. I asked Samuel Parsons what workman
he was. He said a tiler and plasterer. He was one of
the two men lam speaking of. He did not say where
he lived.

Samuel Parsons sworn—l am a tiler and plasterer. I
live at the hand-post, that is, about three quarters of a
mile from here, on the road to Risca. I know the
Welsh Oak. Ido not know who keeps it. It is about
five wiles from Newport. That house stands between
I the tramroad and the turnpike-house, on slanting
i ground. I was there on the Sunday night between
the 3d and 4th November. I saw a great many men
there ; I could not see how many ; I could not see
the end of them. It was about one o'clock, morn-
ing. I did not go there of my own accord ; three
I,hen came to my house and staid about a quarter of an
4 hocr. Most of the men were armed with pikes,
' scythes, and guns. I left them. I wanted to get away.
I am net a Chartist. I never attended a Chartist
meeting in all my life. I overtook the prisoner, Henry
Frost, about one hundred yards from the Welsh Oak.
I think he had blue clothes on ; but it was very dark.
i Ido not know whether he had a hat or a cap on. I
asked him if he was going to Newport ; he said " Yes."
lam not quite certain which of us spoke first. We
walked on together and met Evans. He overtook us,
or we overtook him, I am not sure which. It was
about 130 yards from the Welsh Oak, on the road to
Newport. One of them asked—it was Evans—asked
me if I was going to Newport. It was in the presence
of the prisoner. Evans asked who it was I had with
me. I said, Henry Frost. We met some men on the
toad ; they were coming towards the Welsh Oak. They
sopped me and asked where I had been. I said to the
Welsh Oak. They asked if there were many men there.
I said there was, and if they took my advice they would
ge home. They made me no answer. I then came on.
I do not think Henry Frost had any conversation with
these men. He passed on with Evans while I was
talking with them. George Evans came and called
me, and I came away. I then went home. Henry
Frost came in a minute, and then went out again. A
roan named Thomas Williams came in also, but
they did not stay two minutes, as I said I wanted to
lock the door and go to bed. I have no doubt the pri-
snner is the person who was with me. It was three
o'clock when I got home. I had scarcely a word of con-
versation with Frost on the road. I was talking to
Evans about work. We had no conversation about
who we had seen. I did not like to say anything about
if, When we met Henry Frost, I asked him if he was
g•ling• to Newport. I knew him directly. I was talk-
i.3g to George Evans, saying it was a bad job, and about
work. I can't swear that the prisoner did not speak to
the man after we left the Welsh Oak, but I do not think
e did. I did not see which way he went after he left
Louse. My house is about a quarter of a mile from
Turnpike-gate. I had not seen the prisoner for
a long- time before that night. It was a very wet night.
There is a footpath through the fields from my house
towards the town. Henry Frost lives with his mother.
I think a person could go down a path through the Six
Acre, and get to the prisoner's father's house. I never
heard the prisoner called by any other name than Henry
Frost. I will swear I never heard the prisoner say
anything to the man that came from the Welsh Oak.
Cross-examined by Mr. Geach—When I overtook
the ,'risoner he was walking along the road to New-
port ill
his usual way. He made no noise or disturb-
ance atilt description. I saw many men armed that
night. The prisoner had no weapon that I know of.
I do not remember ever having seen the prisoner before
on the road to Risca. If the prisoner had spoken to
other men I should have heard what he said. Don't
remember that be scarcely spoke all the way. If he did,
I cannot remember what he said. If he had said any-
tking on a subject on which it is not usual for boys to
speak, I think I should have noticed it. Cannot tell
his age. He may be about fourteen. He is not a
very frightful-looking person to meet at night. I was
first examined about this yesterday. The prisoner was
net one of the persons who forced me to leave my house.
Did not see him with the persons who were armed near
the Welsh Oak.
George Evans was then re-called.—Did not hear the
men that were armed say where they were going to.
Arrived at the Welsh Oak about one o'clock. Have
stated that I overtook two men ; one of them was the
last witness, and the other Henry Frost. We walked
, three or four miles from the Oak towards Newport
before we met any one. We then met ten or twelve
men, who spoke with Samuel Parsons. They spoke as
if they knew each other, but I don't know what they
said, as I was ten or twelve yards from them. I moved
on and left the prisoner and
Parsonswith the: men.
tI ot
wus a quarter of an hour or more before they came
nee again. The prisoner and Parsons were then with
th men, as I had previously left them. Did not hear
1
say anything to them, for ho came away from
them. When I went back for Parsons the prisoner
stood 00 the road, and we all came on together. The
men cam, with us and we came on together towards
Newport. Nothing was said while we were together,
of
any consequence. They turned off the Risca side
of Parson's, i2ouse. I, Frost, Run
en% and Parsons,
came on till we came to Parsons' house, and then Sa-
muel Parsons and Frost turned off, as I supposed, to
Parsons' house. They did not say where they were
ving. We went on towards Newport, and Betaken
into custody on this side of the Stow turnpte.
There was a third person in sight when Frost and Par-
eons' left me, The man overtook me by Parsons' gate.
The prisoner had on dark clothes and a cap.
Cross-examined--I was in Thomas Pontin, s employ
till Sunday, 3d November. Have been in custody
since. Was discharged out of custody to-day. a
examined by the Mayor on Monday morning before the
riots. Was first examined about Frost yesterday morn-
ing by Mr. Phelps, and some other gentlemen. l'Y
evidence was taken down. Never to my knowledge
saw the prisoner before the night of the 3d November.
Daring the time I saw him, he was walking along in
a quiet way, and conducting himself with propriety. He
was not armed, or taking part with those that were.
Mr. Thomas Hawkins examined—l am Mayor of
Newport. I was in Newport on Saturday, the t2d, and
Sunday, 3d inst. I was not Mayor then ; Mr. Thomas