The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-08 00:00:00

CONSPIRACY AT HYDE.

This morning, Amos Armitage, aged 32, weaver ;
James Brown, 24, weaver; Isaac Cheetham, 35, coal-
dealer; James Hall, 25, railway plate layer ; Jonathan
Hindle, 35, weaver ; John Ralph, 36, machine-maker ;
James Shore, 28, machine-maker ; J. Shaweross, 32 ;
Joseph Doane, 40, labourer ; Peter Collier, 37, collier ;
Robert Markland, 30, nail-maker; Peter Mattocks, 28,
weaver; Thomas Schofield, 34, shoemaker ; Samuel
Shaw, 17, tailor ; Isaiah Cheetharn, 23, cotton-spinner;
Edward Wilde (out on bail), and Charles Sellars, 35,
bobbin-turner, were charged with having at Hyde, on
the 14th of August last, unlawfully and seditiously con-
spired to levy insurrections, riots, and tumults, and to
overthrow the Government of the country as by law es-
tablished, and to carry out their p'ans obtained large
quantities of arms, ammunition, and other weapons, and
did riotously assemble, being so armed with guns, pis-
tols, and pikes, and committed several breaches of the
peace.

The Attorney- General, Mr. Wclsby, and Mr. David-
son conducted the prosecution; and the prisoners were
defended by Mr. Temple and Mr. Townshend.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL proceeded to state the case
on behalf of the Crown. The prisoners were guilty, on the
14th of August last, of a conspiracy to obstruct the Go-
vernment of the realm, and also that they were guilty of
a riot. He should be able to show the jury that there
parties had been in the habit of drilling in the neigh-
bourhood of Hyde for some time, and that on the 11th
of August 500 or 600 men were drilled, and went through
military exercise. Being prepared by some previous
organization and secret communications, a general rising
was fixed for the 14th of August, and on the morning of
that day several thousand persons turned out armed
with guns and pikes in the neighbourhood of Hyde, and
by public processions and riots overawed the inhabi-
tants. They stopped persons in the streets and searched
them for arms, and went round the town to the va-
rious mills, where they put out the fires and drew off
the water, expecting, no doubt, that those employed
at those mills, being thus thrown out of work, would
join them in the attack they were making on the per-
sons and property in the neighbourhood. The work-
people, however, did not do so, and, to their credit he
said it, that out of eighteen who were included in the
present indictment only seven were cotton spinners, and
the rest were tailors and colliers. Had these con-
spirators been uninterrupted their object was to have
marched upon Ashton and ransacked the barracks. The
time chosen for these designs being carried out was at
that period in August when they knew that the police
were, to a great extent, engaged at the assizes, and when
the magistrates were also absent upon the same errand.
If the gentry and the trading classes had not promptly
enrolled themselves as special constables the conse-
quences might have been most disastrous. It was under
these circumstances that the case came before them, and
he thought he should be able to establish both the con-
spiracy and the riot, and the only question then left
would be that of identity, of which there would be little
doubt. He should call a person who was present amongst
them, himself a Chartist, and he would tell them that all
the prisoners were present. Tho Learned Gentleman
then called
Daniel Lee, a cotton-spinner at Hyde, who said that,
about five weeks before the 14th of August last, he was
a member of the Chartist body at Hyde. Meetings were
held in the Land Company's Room, at which about 500
persons were present. After the meetings were over
they commenced drilling. Capteins were appoited over
every ten or twelve men, and Sellars was the head driller.
He had been a soldier in the army. Witness had seen
him drilling in the room several times. He had told
them that they could do nothing with the military in short
nights; they must wait for long nights and short days.
He said this because a portion of them wished to attack
the army at once. On Saturday, the 12th of August,
he went to Godley-hill, and found several hundred people
practising drilling. They were moving in companies,
and lines, and squares. Sellars was then showing them
bow to step. They had pikes, guns, and pistols. Mark-
land told them they must get pikes. Ile was a captain
over seven men. On Monday night, about twelve
o'clock, I heard a noise at my door at home, and, on
looking, Samuel Shaw was at the door with a gun on his
shoulder, and Markiand with a sharp pike, about On
feet long, shaft and blade. They told me to come out,
for there was to be a row that night. Witness went
with them. He was obliged to go, for ho was charged
with being a Government spy. There were twenty
others close by with guns and pikes. They put him in
front, and they then went in procession to a field op-
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out " Halt," and told fifteen of them to go
to the lodge door of the mill. If the watch
man came out they must rush in, and if the dog came
out they must shoot him. Samuel Shaw was ono of the
fifteen men. He had a gun. Isaac Cheetham was
another of the fifteen men. Hough told them to break
into the smithies when they got to the mill, and get the
hammers and working tools that would be useful.
Another party went to the back aide of the mill and let
the boilers off there. Four of the men got on the top
of the walls, each with a pistol. They got over the wall
and broke the gates opon. The watchman was en the
other side. A gun went off, and How came out and
asked them if they had shot the watchman, and Shaw
said no, but he had shot at the dog. James Hall was at
the back side of the factory. Though asked why he had
stayed at Denton Wake's so long and not brought his
tackle. He said he could not come sooner. Howl!' gave
him a pistol and told him it was charged. From Woodly
they went to Houghton Dale factory, about a mile and a
half distant. They let the boilers off there by pulling
out the plugs. On going through a narrow wood to
Apethorn Mill, they saw Joseph Shawcross with an axe
cutting down a tree. Hough came up to him and asked him
if his pike was broken? Shawcross said, " Yes." Shaw-
cross said, " Don't say anything of it; there's ono of
Brown's spies here." They then went to Apethorn Mill
and let the boilers off there. Peter Collier threatened to
run his pike into witness if he did not go along with
them. Doane came up to witness and said he must go
with them, for they had threatened to destroy him. Six
men then came up to him with pikes, and said he must
go up to the party. He went up. They then came away
and went to the Gibraltar Mill. They could riot let the
boilers off there. They broke the doors open. Hough
told them to break into the smi hies and take all the
tools they could get hold of. The witness then stated
the further proceedings of the prisoners and others on
the 14th, and afterwards swore to the identity of many
of them.

Cross-examined by Mr. TEMPLE—Have attended
several Chartist meetings. I spoke once in August, and
was put out of the room for it. Did not prick Markland
with a pike on the 16th of July. I never said I was
ready, and would stick some of the bloody tyrants. Since
the 14th of August I have been living with a person for
whom I have worked.

Mr. TEMPLE—Where?—(The witness hesitated to an,
swer the question.)
Mr. TEMPLE—There can be no difficulty in answer.
ing the question, surely.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—I may at once say that
the witness has been in the custody of a certain apecia,
high constable, whoso name I do not wish to have dis.
closed.

Mr. TEMPLE—Oh, I don't wish anything revealed to
which the Attorney-General has such an objection.
By Mr. TOWNSLIEND—When charged by the men
with being a traitor I always told then] I was not. I
was in the habit of communicating to the policeman
Brown all I knew.

The JUDGE—It is not likely he would tell the mob he
was a traitor. Like your clients, he pleads not guilty to
the charge. You may call it a lie, if you like; I don't
call it a lie.

By Mr. TOWNSHEND—I never received any money
from Brown. I did not see a man named Fanell on the
night of the 14th of August, and ask him to join the
mob, saying, " The blow is going to be struck to-night
in all the capital towns i❑ England." Did not say to
him that " the Government are going to hang all the
State prisoners, but we'll prevent them."
Thomas Brown, police-officer at Hyde, John Ogden,
watchman, and several other witnesses were called, who
spoke to having seen the prisoners armed, and parading
the town as descrbed by the first witness.
This closed the case on the part of the Crown.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL consented to a verdict of
acquittal being taken in the case of Doane. He did not
think the evidence warranted a conviction,
Mr. TEMPLE then rose to address the jury on behalf of
several of the prisoners, and was proceeding when our
report was dispatched.

SHIPWRECKS.—The following shipwrecks appear
under our marine intelligence:—Schooner Ury, Humes,
of and from Sunderland to Dunkirk, wrecked upon the
Barnard, off Lowestoft, on the morning of the 4th inst.;
the master, Thomas Nicholson, the mate, and a boy
drowned, the remaining two of the crew taken off the
wreck, and landed at Lowestoft Harbour in an exhausted
state, by the Southwold lifeboat. The boat Monarch,
of St. Agnes, Cornwall, employed in the herring fishery,
was swamped in a hurricane off the coast on the 3d inst.,
and all hands met with a watery grave, the crow having
consisted of four men. The brig Fate, of Lynn, was
sunk on the 4th instant, five miles north of Flatn-
borough Head, in consequence of having come into
collision with the Glenalbyn, of Leith, which vessel
was towed into Hull by the Brilliant steamer: the crew
of the Fate were saved and landed at Hull. The Espe-
ranee, Lamuretto from Bourdeaux for Redon, was
wrecked on the 28th ult., near Maumusson; the crew
ware, happily, saved. The Lord Lynedoch, Tailor, from
St. Petersburgh was totally lost on the night of the 18th
ult., between Seska, and Nerva Islands ; crew saved.
The Podi, Glogovato, for Cork or Falmouth, appears by
advices from Trieste, to have been stranded on the 16th
ult., near Semani, between Durazzo and Voyaza ; the
crew had abandoned her ; assistance has been sent her.
The Janet Kinnear, Kinnear, was wrecked on the 24th
ult., off Dolginess; she sunk on the south shore; master
an crew saved all their lives, but lost all their property.
The barque Sterling, from Waterford to St. John's, New
Brunswick, was wrecked on the Murr Ledges, Grand
Maran, on the night of the sth uh.; crew and part of
materials saved. The Treffler, of and from Bremen to
Hull, foundered on the 30th ult., 50 miles N.E. or the
Spurn; crew saved and landed at Hull. The Henrietta,
which went on shore on tho Cow and Calf Rocks on the
Ist inst. has become a complete wreck.
EMBANKMENT DESTROYED ON THE SCOTTISH CEN-
TRAL RAILwAY.—We hear that there is an embankment
carried away on the Scottish Central at Dutnblane,
which renders it necessary to coach a distance of about
seven miles. We have not heard that am.accident hap-
pened to the trains or passengers fartheriftn detention.
—Dundee Advertiser.