The Sun.
London, England, 1839-08-19 00:00:00

CHARTIST TRIALS.

CHESTER ASSIZES.

CROWN COURT.
(Before Mr. Baron GURNEY.)
Peter ..liztrray APlionall, surgeon, of Ramsbottom
near Bury ,and John Bradley, clog-maker, of Hyde,
were indicted for having, on the 22d April last, at
Hyde, attended an unlawful assembly, which was cal-
culated to excite to a breach of the peace.
Mr. HILL, Attorney-General for the Palatine, Mr.
JEttvis, and Mr. WELLSBY appeared for the prosecution.
Mr. COTTINGHAM appeared on behalf of the de-
fendant Bradley. Mr. Nl`Douill defended himself.
Mr. HILL stated the case on behalf of the Crown,
detailing generally the proceedings and meetings which
had been held in the town of Hyde and its neighbour-
hood, Bono then the circumstances connected with the
meeting on the 02d of April, and detailed the evidence
which would be laid before them to substantiate the
charge laid in the indictment.
The following witnesses were then called :
John Gattley, constable of Hyde, examined by Mr.
'4avls.—On the I°d April I observed a number of
Persons at the Working Man's Institution at Hyde. It
la a place where public meetings are generally held. It
,Was then about half.past seven in the evening—they
nad a band of music and banners. On one of the ban-
ners was " Equal laws and equal rights ;" on another,
No property qualification ;" a third had " Universal
Suffrage." The crowd, which amounted to about 1,500,
Proceeded towards Newton. I afterwards saw another
procession coming to the 'Working Man's Institution
about nine o'clock. There were about 3,000 in it.
M'Douall was among the crowd. They were coming
from Newton by way of Flowery-field. They had two
bands
of music. Some of the people went into the In-
stitution, and some remained outside. The defendant
Bradley introduced M'Douall to the meeting at the
Window. M'Douall then appeared at the window.
There was groaning when the meeting was opposite the
Magistrates' office. Heard M'Douall say, " A blood-
thirsty set of Whigs for prosecuting Stephens. I ad-
rise all men, women, and children to arm, and to do as
they are doing in other parts of the country. I have
1 Peen in other parts of the country to enlighten the
r IPseoPle, as I have done in this part of the country. 1
i "ae been to Sheerness, Chatham, and other places.
1 That the London Chartists could easily take possession
of the Tower and its 200,000 stand of arms ; that fifty
determined men could arm all London ; that there were
plenty of gunsmiths' shops where they could get arms by
a Man kicking his foot through the door ; that the London
Chartists would be ready to meet them on three days no-
tice.* There was then a shout and a cry of" we arc ready,"
and some one fired a pistol. He said they dare not
try Stephens, but Stephens would shortly try them. He
advised them not to go to the soldiers in few numbers,
out ina body, and then the soldiers would not fire on
tethemThat five out of seven of the officers of the
l,"army and navy were signing petitions in favour of the
Charter. He said fifty stout farmers' men would do more
execution with axes than three times the number of
aamPing fellows in red coats, hired at 10d. a day, and
should say the meeting was calculated to excite terror
and alarm in the neighbourhood. They remained until
!levels o'clock. There was a light inside the window,
nut no light outside where the people were. There were
of speakers at the meeting.
Bn Cross-examined .by Mr. Cottingham, on behalf of
radley—I went to the meeting about half-past seven
B°.hm"Ck. I followed it, but did not walk in the proces-
. They marched in pretty regular order.
Cross-examined by Mr. M•Douall—l have been al-
-4)11 a constable. I attended the meeting on my own
ggestion because I though it my duty. There was
another constable with me. I took notes of what I
beard next morning, and then I gave information to the
N •
taglstrates. On the following Friday the warrant
was Made out. I saw other banners but could not read
the inscriptions. About three thousand was the num-
beri that returned about nine o'clock. I did not state
t
...illy depositions that there was groaning opposite the
Women,
office. I heard you advise the men,
vl
"len, and children also, to have guns, pistols, swords,
and pikes. I noted down all I have stated the next
rooming.
M'Douall then read a passage, and asked the wit-
ness to repeat the words afterwards, which he said he '
was,_ unable to do. The speech lasted better than an
Qom.,

Isaac Bradshaw, examined by Mr. WELLSBY—I am
a special constable at Hyde. I saw the meeting of
Monday evening, the 22d of April, about half-past
seven. There were 1,000 or 1,500 present. On one
banner, carried by a 3roung girl, was " Hyde Female
Radical Association." There were other banners with
the inscriptions stated by the last witness. The meet-
ulg Went in procession towards Newton. I saw a pro-
cession of about 3,000 returning with two bands of
music- There was a loud groan when they passel the
I\lagistrates' office. I saw Bradley standing at an open
tw,ladow. He advised the people to be quiet, so that
,neY might hear 111`Douall, who would next address
tnent ..•,
• al Douall was loudly and generally cheered. I
heard him say that the Government was a'bloody Whig
Government for prosecuting Stephens—that they dare
not try Stephens, but he would try them. That they
had got themselves into the frying-pan, and next they
Would get into the fire. Witness then corroborated the
evidence of the other constable in very nearly the same
viords, and added that M'Douall said he would meet
them in the great day of struggle, and fight with them
°l,„til last. There was great cheering during the
oldie. There were three pistols fired during the
give of the meeting. A vote of thanks was then
"'yen to hl'Douall. It was half-past ten or eleven
9:elc'ek when the meeting broke up, I think the meet-
ing was calculated to excite terror and alarm in the
neighbourhood.
3 Crags-examined by Mr. COTTINGHAM—There were
h"le hundreds of female children—there were a num-
er of little boys—there was a majority of children. I
heard Bradley tell the people to be quiet. I heard him
1 nothing about moral force. The factories close at
, ti-past seven, and they loose no time then in getting
3 these meetings.
. Cross-examined by Nl'Donall--I was a watchman
It Staleybridge, and left the situation of my own accord.
. was at a foot race at Kersal Moor after leaving that
situation. I was accused of stealing a coat there by
Some of your pupils. There was a majority of boys
and girls at the meeting. I heard you say you had been
advocating the cause of Stephens. I was often pre-
vented by noise from catching the whole of any sentence.
I got the evidence written down the next morning. It
Was written by Mr. Gattley for me. We were both at
the meeting together. The shops were nearly all shut
When the procession returned.
M`Douall then read a passage from a' speech, and
asked the witness to repeat it. He said he could not
"Peat it all, but tried to repeat the first line, which he
did not succeed in.
Re-examined by Mr. IVELLsav-1 was accused by
Joseph, Dunn, one of M'Douall's followers, of stealing
the coat. Dunn is a great fighter, and one of the
greatest blackguards in the kingdom.
enna-r—You must not use that—it is a very inde-
eent expression.
Witness—lt is true, my Lord.
COURT—But you must not use indecent expressions.
William Tinker, examined by Mr. HILL—I am a
atth'rgeon, residing at Hyde. I remember the evening of
e 22d April last. I saw the procession, in which
there were between one and two thousand persons. It
Was then moving towards the Working Man's Institu-
toa. I heard the bands of music. and I saw some
,anners. When the meeting passed the Magistrates'
Clerk's office there was a loud groan. I saw a man
fromt the window addressing the people. He said some-
thing about about the Tower of London, with its 200,000
stand of arms, and that 50 stout men could easily take
Possession of it. I was a long way off, and was not
fiery easy, I was more afraid of insults than of any
°u'lY injury. In my opinion it was a meeting calcu-
lated to excite alarm.
Cross-examined by Mr. COTTINGHAM—I went there
out of curiosity, as I heard Nl'Douall was to address the
topple. It is pretty well known that my principles are
ePposed to theirs. I have been taunted with being a
Whig.
Cross-examined by Nl'Douall—l attended some of
these meetings. I am brother-in-law to Mr. Thomas
Ashton, one of the Magistrates of Hyde. I heard
noises, shouts, and a groan from the procession. Was
Cot personally alarmed about the meeting. I am in
the habit of going among the people daily. lam factory
surgeon in that district. The people were assembled in
the thoroughfare, but no complaints were made of that.
No shops were closed on the occasion of the meeting.
Joseph hlottrim—My
father is proprietor of
the
Waterworks at Hyde. I saw the meeting on the night
of the 22d of April, and heard M‘Douall speak. He
said something of Stephens's persecution by the Go.
l'ernment that the Judges dare not try Stephens, but
that Step hens would try the Judges. 'That they had
dropped from the frying-pan into the fire—that the
business of the Convention had been left in able, Wealthy,
sad intelligent hands, and that they were going about
the country to address the people. That there were
ClO,OOO stand of arms in the Tower, and that 30 able-
bodied men might get possession of them. That there
Were plenty of stores of arms in London which could be
easily procured. At the conclusion of his address he
said, "To your tents 0 Israel," and that the people
!blast bear in mind the three glorious days of Paris. . I
heard one or two pistol shots, but the people were orderly,
listening to what was said.
Cross-examined by Mr. COTTINGHAM—I went out of
r4riosity to see and hear how these meetings were con-
, iteted. I felt no alarm—the meeting was peaceable—
' Was neither riotous nor tumultuous. I have taken no
notes of the proceedings.
_ . Mr. Corrisnßam then addressed the Jury on behalf
t.lt,the defendant Bradley. The defendants were not
_ tr.! ted for using seditious language, but for attending
itl riotous and tumultuous and unlawful meeting, and
t(!n. ) t must be satisfied that it was of a charac-
r o excite terror and alarm in the minds
f. ul'her M
... -ajesty s subjects, They were not, there-
e, to inquire whether the language was of a sedi-
-- -