The Sun.
London, England, 1839-05-06 00:00:00

Mr. MAUDE then called on the prisoners for their

defence.
Wright said in his defence, he was merely wateh'rg
the men who were drilling, and walked behind the men
until they were taken by the officers.
Stanfield said Wright was his shopmate, and he bad
formerly lived at Newton, and was then in search of
a mouse. He saw the men drilling in the lane, an .I saw
the officer (Higginson) come and look at them, and upon
walking down the road he was taken into custody.
Darwen stated that he was a hand•loom weaver,
and went last night to see Hodges, and after supper
went up Oldham Road, where they met the men

marching.
Darwen's father said, he could not have been at the
drilling, because he had not been sufficiently long out
of the house.
Ward said, he saw the men marching and he ran
when the constables come up.
Naylor said he went to his father's garden last night,
and went to see the men parading. They asked him
to join them, and he walked down the road with them,
when he was taken.
Hodges said he was a steam-loom weaver, and went
with one of the prisoners (Darwen) and he saw a number
of men marching, but be denied that he was:of the party.
Riley denied having been near the place. He had
been to his sister's.

Mr. Beswick said that the prisoner Riley refused to
tell where his sister lived, or he would have inquired ;
and there was another officer who would identify Riley
as being the man who drilled the other men on the
Thursday night.
Houghton, the officer, stated that he saw Riley in the

lane on the night before drilling the men in the lane.
The constable of Newton said he was quite sure that
the prisoners were the men who had been drilling.
He had followed close behind them, to see that no one
else joined them or got away.
Mr. Beswick sail, that it was half-past ten o'clock
when the- prisoners were taken.
Mr. MAUDE said it was a melancholy thing to see
six young men bringing destruction upon themselves
and their families by such illegal practices. They were
the dupes of mischievous persons. They would find
that the law was far toostrong for them. He was
sorry that the prisoners were the dupes of a number of
mischievous men far more clever than themseves. As
to what their ulterior intentions might be, he was not
going to speculate upon that ; but that they were ex-
tremely illegal there could be no doubt, and their con-
duct showed that there was a combination amongst
them for some illegal purpose. It was not at all neces-
sary that they should use arms to show that they were
in the act of drilling. With respect to Riley, he had
committed an offence for which he was liable to
transportation, and the offence which the others had
committed subjected them to a long term of imprison-
ment. They would be sent for trial to the Assizes.
With respect to Riley he must find two sureties in 1001.
each to answer the charge at the Assizes, and the other
prisoners must find sureties in 50/. each to answer for
their offence at the Assizes. Forty-eight hours
notice of bail to be given in each case.
The prisoner, Fairplay, was then brought up, and
Higginson said that on the Thursday night he went up
to the lane nearly at the same place where the other
prisoners had been drilling. The prisoner was drilling
the men, and the crowd broke in amongst them. The
prisoner ordered them to hold up their heads, and gave
other directions. He formed them in line, and
marched them down the lane. I came down the line
with the prisoner, and talked with him. He began to
suspect me, and asked where I came from. I said I
came from Flixton, and he asked how they were going
on in that direction, I told him they were all going on
well. He offered to let me lodge with him that night,
but I refused. He said he would meet them again on
the following night.
The petitioner denied the charge altogether.
Mr. MAUDE said the prisoner must find bail in sure-
ties in 1001. each, himself in 2001. to appear at the
assizes, with 48 hours notice.
A man came forward and said he had been in the line ;
said none of the prisoners were the men who had been
drilling the others.