The Sun.
London, England, 1848-04-08 00:00:00

IVEtt Cot )1(1'.

(Before tho COMMON SERGEANT and Mr. Alderman

FA REBIti ITHEIL)

THE RIOTS AT KENNINGTON COMMON.
Anthony Finlay, 17, a sailor; Thomas Howlett, 13, a
pot-bob ; James Taylor, 25, a carpenter; Henry Brown,
26, a labourer; David Anthony huffy, 21, a labourer;
George Lowers, a fishmonger; Thomas Walker, a la-
bourer; Robert Archer, a box maker; Thomas Horsey,
a currier; eettnuel Mainey, a labourer; Thomas Snead,
a labourer; George Payne, 17, a labourer; William
Bailey, William Bunton, and ltichsrd Webster, were-
indicte-d with telonieusly breaking and entering the
dwelling-house of Thomas Grey, a pawnbroker, in
Southampton-street, Camberwell, and stealing property
to the amount of nearly 1,000/.
Mr. BODKIN stated the case to the jury, and informed
them that the present prosecution was at the instance of
the Secretary of State for the Home Department, and
was only one of several that would be brought before
them. The circumstances out of which the present pro-
secution arose had taken place in consequence of an
advertisement calling a meeting on Kenuington-cora-
ruin on Monday, the 13th of March. In calling the
attention of the jury to the prosecution he would
not appeal to any feelings of alarm in consequence
of the present state of affairs. He admitted that the
people had the right of assembling to petition Parliament
for a redress of their grievances. It was one of their
dearest rights; but that right was subject to all the in-
cidents that existed in a free and civilised country. It
must receive certain limits, and if it was carried to a
pitch, and conducted in a manner to give well-founded
grounds of alarm for the security of the lives and pro-
perty of the well-disposed portions of the community, the
law would interfere and not permit it. The Learned
Counsel having shortly adverted to t!e facts of the case,
called the fallowing witnesses to support hi case :--
Thomas Grey—Was a pawnbroker and silversmith,
carrying on business in Southampton-street. Had two
houses there, one of which he used as a shop, and the
other as a elwellieg-house. On Monday, the 13th of
March, he was at home, aud, in consequence of the
alarm in the neighbourhood, he had shut up his shop
and house. About twelve o'clock on that day he heard
a disturbance outside the house, where a large mob was
collected. He heard some of them say, "Let's,, smash
the windows here and get into the place. Witness
went out to the police- station, and was absent about
an hour. When he returned the mob had gone, after
breaking into the house by means of cutting out the
panels of the door and shutters, and smashing the win-
dews. The shop was nearly cleared of all that it con-
tained, Jewellery of every description had been carried
away, watches, plate, rings, eke.,
84(1., to the value of
nearly I,oobl. The whole of the c.,sti in the tilt, amount-
ing to 131. or 161., had also been taken away.

Mr. Rob-rt Grey, the brother of the last witness,
corrottort:ted his testimony. The shop of his brother
was broken into, the door alid windows smashed, and
the whole of the property stolen in less than thirty
minutes. Witness noticed Finlay particularly, who led
on the mob, which consisted of two or three hundred
nt-rs,:ns, fl .ursbing a cudgel, and crying out " Hurrah
for liberty!" Witness also noticed Howlett among the
_ _

A person named Ca'lin was in Southamptor-street on
the 18th of March, about twelve o'clock. Saw a large
mob round Mr. Grey's shop. Saw the prisoner Taylor
hammering away at the shop shutters, break them, and
get into the shop, followed by several of the mob. Taylor
came out of the shop with a candlestick in his hand, and
ran off. Witness ran after him, and caught him in an
area in Grosvenor Park. Found some shoes upon him
anti other property. Witness also caught Finlay con-
cealed n en area with Taylor.
Dasid Farmer, a plumb, r, of Southampton-street,
who was acting as a special constable on he 13th of
March :proved that Mr. Grey's shop had been broken
into. lie saw the prisoners, Brown and Duffy, basaltic
in and out of Mr. Grey's house. Witness wrs knocked
down by the mob, and the prisoner Ai cher made an at-
;eiript to strike him. Several persons struck him, but
he could not say who it was. Witness also noticed
Lowers and Walker, who were close by him when he
was struck; thi y had both of them sticks in their hands.
and were pressing toward- the door of Mr. Grey's house.
When witness got tip, he went into the shop, and when
he returned to go out the mob dispersed. Brown was
then in custody, and witness observed to the officers that
that was one of the men he had seen in Mr. Grey's shop.
Brown said, " You had better all make a feast of me."
The witness, in answer to a question from Brown, said
he was the man whom he saw going in and out of Mr.
Grey's shop with Duffy.
Duffy, who is a black, said he was taken for another
man, and that the witues was being paid fur perjuring
himself.

The witness Farmer denied this, and stated that he
was positive that Duffy was the person whom he saw
going in and out of Mr. Grey's shop with Brown.
John Parsons, who resides in Southampton-street,
Camberwell, also proved that Brown and Duffy took a
very active part in getting into the shop When the
mob began to disperse witness followed Brown for
several hundred yards, and took a gown piece from him
which he had bid under his coat. Brown said he had
picked it up. Could not speak to any other of the pri-
soners but Brown and Duffy.
Joseph Clayton identified Webster and Horsey as
being among the mob in Southampton-street on
the 13th of March. Had known them for nine
or ten years. They went to school with him.
Saw several of the mub go into Mr. Grey's shop, and
among them he particularly noticed Webster and
Horsey. When they went into the shop they had caps
on, but when they came out they wore hats, and had
great coats on which they had not when they went in.
He also saw Burdon in the mob. Witness saw Webster
when he came out of Mr. Grey's shop give Horsey a
small paper parcel, and then both of them went away.
Had no doubt of the persons of Horsey, Burdon, and
Webster.
Another witness swore to the prisoner Samuel Mainey,
and stated that he saw him with a hammer in his hand,
breaking in the shutters of Mr. Grey's shop, and go in
and out of it.

In answer to a question from the prisoner, the witness
denied with great warmth that he had been paid by the
police to act as a spy.
Several witnesses proved that the other prisoners were
in the mob that attacked Mr. Grey's house. Some spoke
particularly to George Payne breaking into the shop,
and crying out " Hurrah for liberty." The witness spoke
to seeing watches throw❑ out of the shop of Mr. Grey
among the mob.
This closed the case for the prosecution.
(The trial was proceeding when our report left.)

CLERKENWELL.—(THIS DAY.)
Some hundreds of special constables were sworn in
for this district to-day, a great number at this office
before 111 r. Tyrwhit ; and. at the Vestry-rooms, in
Gordon,.qulre, the inhabEants are presenting them-
selves in crowds to take the oath and receive their ap-
pointmen i S.
After the swearing in of a large bitch of special con-
stables, some of them inquired of Mr. Tyrwhit in what
way were they to know one another in the crowd on
Monday; or hew were they to act together if it should be
necessary to do so?
Mr. TYRIVIIIT recommended that they should wear
each a bit of ribbon of some colour agreed upon at the
breast button, or a band round the wrist or arm. lie
did not know what had been done in the other districts,
but he bud called this morning at Scotland-yard and at
Bow-street, and he believed that in the course of the
day some general instructions would be given on this
subject, as well as on that of the supply of " staves." As
to the latter he would recommend every gentleman to
supply himself with a staff of oak of the established
length of nineteen inches.

MARYLEBONE.-(THIS DAY.)
SPECIAL CONSTABLE,.—The time of the Court has
been occupied in the swearing in of special constables.
A great number received their appointments, and
amongst them were from 100 to 150 holding the situa-
tion of clerks in the employ o!. the London and North-
Western Railway Company. Numerous noblemen and
others of high standing in the borough presented them-
selves before the magistrate and took the required oath.