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

EVENING EDITION.

THE CHARTISTS.

APPREHENSION OF SEVEN CHARTISTS
FOR DRILLING.
(From the Manchester Guardian of Saturday, May 4.)
For the last four or five days, the constables of
Manchester have had information that a number of
men, prolkahly about a hundred, had begun to assemble
in the evening, about half-past seven o'clock, in a some-
what retired lane, leading from the southerly side of
0111 am-road, just beyond the Newton Heath Toll-bar,
to.vards Bagley Fold and Clayton Hall, (about three
miles from Manchester), where they appeared to be
exercised by several others, who seemed to be placed
in authority over them as leaders, apparently giving
them certain orders, in compliance with which they ex-
ecuted various' steps, marchings, and other evolutions,
though without any weapons.
The authorities, deeming it necessary to obtain some
information of the movements of these men, and also
such knowledge of their persons as wouli enable wit-
nesses to identify them, sent some of the police offi-
cers, recently appointed, to the spot, to observe their
motions. On Thursday evening, one of these offi-
cers was rqicignized,, or at any rate suspected,
by the ma under drill, for they pelted him with stones,
and he was glad to make his escape. Another, named
Higginson, was more fortunate, though he underwent
considerable questioning by the Chartists. However,
he remained, and their snspicions were lulled by his
statements ; grid he took such notice of the persons of
the men as to enable him to speak to their identity.
Yester4ty the constables determined to have these
Chartists seized, or as many of them as might be prac-
ticable ; and accordingly Mr, Beswick, the principal
police beadle, with sixteen of the police officers under
his direction, proceeded to the Oldham-road lock-up ;
and Mr. Beswick wationed the officers in various parts
of the road and within the lock-up, except three men,
HigOnson and two others, who proceded to the lane,
where they again found the Chartists drilling. There
appeared to be two squadrons or companies, one of
twenty-five men and the other of fifteen : and one man
(whose name is Riley) was observing giving the word of
command, and drecting the evolutions of the men.
The three officers reconnoteed the Chartists,
k till their drilling and exercising had terminated ;
and they separated, some going in one direction some
in another. Higginson kept in view one party of eight
or ten, who returned towards Manchester, along Old-
ham-road. Mr. Beswick, who was a little beyond the
lock-np in that road, saw these men coming along, and,
noticing their measured step, felt satisfied that these
were some of the men of whom lie was in quest. Shortly
afterwards Higginsou crossed the road, and confirmed
;,,his suspicions, or rather changed them into certainty.
On reaching the lock-up, just before the Chartists
reached the door, Mr. Beswick called out to the officers
)stationed within, and with the other policemen outside,
they instantly surrounded the men, and apprehended
eight of them, who were at once conveyed to the lock-
up. There seven of them were identified as having
taken part in the drilling ; and the eighth not being re-
cognized, was discharged. Two coaches were procured,
in one of which four, and in the other three of the pri-
soners were placed, handcuffed together ; and in this
way they were taken down to the police-office, '-Town.
hall, King-street, where they arrived about half-past
eleven o'clock. Here their names, ages, trades, and
residences, were taken down ; and they were then con-
veyed to the New Bailey, where, we suppose, they will
be b tup for examination this day. We subjoin
such iarticulars of their names, ages, &C., as they gave
themselves to the clerk at the police-office.
Edward Riley, aged 22, of Bank Meadow, operative
dyer, in the employ of Mr. Jonathan Jackson, and at
present receiving 16s. a week wages. [This man is
the individual who was exercising and directing the
others, up to within half an hour of his capture.]
Thomas Ward, 20, of Wood-street, Deansgate,
carder, in the employ of Messrs. Higgins, Ordsal-lane
Mill, Salford, till about six weeks ago, when (as he says)
the mill stopped, and he has since been out of work.
Wet= Darwen, 17, of No. 64, St. George's-road,
power-loom weaver, in the employ of Messrs. Thorpe,
and Hague, cotton-spinners, and manufacturers by
power, Bateman's-buildings, Deansgate.
John Hodges, 18, of Silver-street, Aytoun-street,
also a power-loom weaver, in the employ of Messrs.
Thorpe and Hague.
William Stanfield, 28, of Copperas-street, Shudehill,
smith, employed at Messrs. France and Boardman's,
cotton-spinner's and manufacturers, Otak-street mill.
John W4ght, 18, of Oswald-street, Miller-street,
mechanic, also employed, at Oak-street mill.
William Naylor, 18, of St. George's-road. a tailor,
woMting for his father.
These men having been conveyed to the New Bailey,
_and lodged Ig the. lock-up there, Mr. Beswick applied
to Mr. Matide, the stipendiary Magistrate, who was
in the constable's office, for a warrant against another
man who had been observed on the preceding (Thurs-
day) night, drilling one or two companies of these
Chartists in the same lane. It seems that after the
seven men were apprehended, but before they were con-
veyed to the Police Office, Mr. Beswick went with
Higginson to the house of this man, and asked him if he
had been drilling the men that (Friday) evening ; and
on the man answering in the negative, Mr. Beswick ap-
peared satisfied, and withdrew. Higginson, however,
4,,clegiared that he was one of the drillers on the Thursday
'evening, when he exercised others and gave the word of
command ; and Mr. Beswick therefore applied to Mr.
Maude, who at once issued his warrant against this man,
on an information charging him with having on the °d
of Ma. in t' tr sh N

'y, ..ownship —ewton, cen pre.
sent at and attending a meeting or assembly of persons,
for the purpose of training and drilling. persons
to the use of arms, and practising military ex-
ercises and evolutions, without any lawful authority
drom her Majesty, or the Lieutenant of the county,
or any of her Majesty's Justices of the Peace of the said
County, contrary to the statute, &c. Mr. Beswick, ac-
companied by six officers, then proceeded to the cellar
of this mail, near the Lamb public-house, Oldham-road,
abq 400 yards beyond the lock-up, but on the oppo-
ditOlide of the street. The officers reached the cellar
abquit.a wader before one o'clock this (Saturday) morn-
ing, and found the man in bed. He was dressed, hand-
cuffed, and brought away, and was conveyed to the New
Bailey lock-up. His own account of himself was as
follows :
Widliam. Fairplay, 46, dealer in potatoes, &c., Oldham-
road. He has been in the army, having served as a
prlvate in the 82. d Regiment of Infantry, during its cam-
paigns in Italy and America. When told why he was
apprehended, viz., for drilling the men on Thursday
night, be denied that he was at Newton at all that night-.
At the late hour at which we write, and under the
peculiar eircumstacces of the case, we forbear all com-
ment.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
Manchester, Saturday Evening,

The prisoners are charged under the 60th Geo.
111., with having been, on the 2d day of May, at
the township of Newton, in the said county, pre-
sent at and attending a meeting and assembly of
prTsons for the purpose of training: and drilling
persons to the use of arms, and of practising mili-
tary exercise and evolutions, without any lawful au-
thority from her Majesty, or the Lieutenant, or any of
her Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the said county,
contrary to the statute.

By the first section of the 60th Geo. 111. cap. 1, it
is enacted that " all meetings and assemblies of persons
for the purpose of training and drilling themselves, or of
being trained and drilled to the use of arms, or for the
purpose of practising military exercise, movements, or
evolutions without any lawful authority from bis Ma-
jesty, or the Lieutenant or two Justices of the Peace
for any county or riding, or any stewartr, by commis-
sion or otherwise, for so doing shall be, and the same
are hereby prohibited, as dangerous to the peace and
security of his -Majesty's liege subjects and of his go-
%ernment ; and every person who shall be present at or
attend any such meeting or assembly for the purpose of
training and drilling any person or persons, to the use of
arms, or the practice of military exercise, movements, or
evolutions, or who shall train or drill any such person or
paisoins to the use of arms or the practice of military
exercise, movements, or evolutions, or who shall aid or
assist therein, being legally convicted thereof, shall be
liable to be transported for any term not exceeding seven
years, or to be punished by imprisonment not exceeding
two years, at the discretion of the Court in which such
conviction shall be had ; and every person who shall at-
tend or be present at any such meeting or assembly
as aforesaid, for the purpose of being, or who shall
at any such meeting or assembly be trained
or drilled to the use of arms, or the prac-
tice of military exercise, movements, or evolutions
being legally convicted thereof, shall be liable to be
punished by fine and imprisonment, not exceeding two
years, at the discretion of the Court in which such con-
viction shall be had." _

At a quarter before two o'clock the prisoners were
brought up before D. Maude, R. J. Johnreys, J. R.
Burnes, J. Fletcher, William Smith, and William
Gurnett, Esqrs.
After Beswick had stated the charge against the
prisoners, he called David Higginson, one of the Man-
chester police officers, who stated that in consequence
of the directions of Mr. Beswick he went to the town-
ship of Newton, where he saw a number of men drilling
in a lane. Tha prisoner Riley was the man who was
giving the word of command. After the drilling
was over the party made an agreement to meet at the
same place at four o'clock on Sunday morning. The men
were in two companies, about. thirty in number,
and then formed into one column. Witness marched
with the party down OldlOin-road and gave the signal
to Beswick, who called out the police officers who
were
stationed in the lock-up, and captured the prisoners
with the
exception of Fair le (Another man was
also takeO, but as
out•
fallen in prorniscuta.terw ard appeared, that he had
si Y withthe party, and had only a
short time before left his work, he was discharged.)
The Constable of Newton, ttiyho was formerly in the
London police, corroborawteT v
respect to the committal of the goglinesnoco's account with