The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-07 00:00:00

TILE MIN6IIES7ER TRADES UNION

INQUIRE

MANCHESTER., Sept. 6.
The Commissioners took their seats soon after 11
o'clock. The proceedings aro beginning to attract
much attention, and the court was well filled to-day.
George Hulme sworn. By Mr. Pickering—ls a
brickmaker, aged 33, living at Stockport, and work-
ing for Chas. Marsland. Had been a member of the
Stockport Brickmakers' Union, and had bce❑ a
treasurer for three months. Had paid money, and
was on the council in 1864. There was a meeting
and a talk about Simpson's affair in the summer of
1964. There was Holland, Brown, Singleton,
Cheetham, Bailey, and Slater there. Simpson would
employ no Union men, and an attack was deter-
mined upon. A resolution to that effect was passed,
and about £l5 was to be given for the job. Ilimself,
Garner, Holland, Slater, and Jackson were employed
to do it. They watched a week or two for an oppor-
trinity, and then went on a dark night between 11
and 12 o'clock. In the brickcroft there was Platt
the watchman, and a dog in the cabin and another
dog iu the kennel. Garner and Holland had single-
barrelled guns, and witness carried the naphtha.
Garner and Holland went up to the cabin, and he
heard the watchman shout several times. They dis-

posed of the dog by turning the kennel upon him.
Never heard the men with the guns either shout or
speak. They did not threaten the watchman if he
came out. Never heard them fire their guns. There
were about a thousand bricks knocked down. Wit-
ness helped to do that. Saw the naphtha poured on
the shed and set fire to. It was lighted by means
of matches. None of the shots he heard fired were
from their men. The watchman fired seven or eight
times. It was with a revolver. Would swear he
did not hear the report of a gun, and that neither
Holland nor Garner fired. They took the guns to
shoot the dogs. They were paid £lO for the job.
Remember Wild's case. There was no meeting
about it at the Pack Horse, but the meeting about
that was in a brickyard. It was on the 2d of
August, and George Bailey warned him of
the meeting, and was present, along with Brown,
Slater, Singleton, and others. They came to a re-
solution at that meeting that Wild should be beaten.
He could hear all that passed, and all the others pre-
sent must have heard. Slater was the man to carry
that out, and it was agreed to pay £l4. Was at the
meeting before Thorniley's attack, and £lO of £l2
was to be paid for that. He and Slater and Kay
and Potts were present at that. He communicated
with Kay before that. They destroyed ell the bricks
they could. Slater paid on that occasion, and wit-
ness had his share. Had had to do with no other
affair than that. Had not assisted in thrashing any
man. These were the only cases he had heard of
which were brought before the Union. Only knew
of Simpson's case, Wild's case, and Thorniley's case
being brought before the meetings. They met for
other purposes than these. Did not know of auy
case at Didsbury or Levenshulme. Slater generally
paid for these cases, and not the treasurer. Knew of
no other outrage determined on in his presence.
Mr. John Simpson said he was a master brick-
maker at Stockport Mocr. Was not a member of
the Union. In 1864 had a dispute with the Union, and
before that in 1863. He had a dispute in 1860. He had
a burner named George Bailey at Heaton Moor, and
he told the Union to destroy all the bricks. He
wished me to give up the yard. I had complained
that he did not kiln the bricks properly, and I at-
tempted to discharge him. There was a meeting, and
I was to try him again. There were 100 men at the
meeting. If he did not do his work after that, they
said they would discharge him. Ile did not do his
work properly, and the union sent another man. I
was not allowed to take a man of my own. They
said there was only one burner out of employ. That
was Tomlinson, who came to me. Soon after that
they fined a moulder £5, and because he did not pay
they said I must. I refused and the men went out a
fortnight. They then demanded £3O or £4O for
wages and the fine before they would come back,
and I would not pay. I then tried for eight or nine
weeks to get non-Union men to burn the bricks, and
could not succeed. I asked a stone. breaker who had
been a burner, but he said he dared not, though
he would have got five or six times the wages. At
last I got the moulder who had been fined to do it.
He was afraid at first, and I hal to stop up with
him. I left Heaton and took a field at Stockport
Moor in 1863, but the men said they could not work
till the fines were paid. Oa the Bth May, 1863, or
early on the 9th, I was awakened and told all the
bricks in the yard were destroyed. On going there
I found about 25,000 totally spoiled. About £lO
damage was done to the bricks and £l5 to the mate-
rial. They cut the strines of the barrow with saws
and the wheels off. We had suspicions of two or
three men, and told the police. I had a watchman
in 1864 named Platt. On the 17th June the yard
was attacked, and the watchman came and told me
in the morning there had been an attack and that
the sheds were on fire. About 1,000 bricks were
destroyed and the shed. The watchman's window
was blown out. I examined the cabin and found
the glass blown inside. I found some slight marks
of shot on the walls at the angles of the window,
and some small sparrow shots on the mantelshelf. I
found a large quantity of wadding partly burnt,
close to the cabin, which showed the guns were

fired very near it. I have no sale for my bricks.
The Union pay the brick setters not to set my bricks.
Had never been threatened, but one of his late men,
passing him one night, pointed to his own breast,

and said witness would have a settler there.

Peter Platt, examined by Mr. Chance—l am a
watchman to Mr. Simpson. I had a cabin in the
yard, and on the 17th June, 1864, I and my son
were in it. We had three dogs, one at the side of
the cabin, one at the end, and one inside the cabin.
Late at night I was sitting in the cabin, with a gun
and a revolver with six barrels, all loaded with ball.
The gun was loaded with pellets. The dog was first
disturbed, and I opened the door, when a man struck
at me and told me to go in again. I saw the shadows
of two men. I went into the cabin again and closed
the door. One of the men then put his gun barrel

through the window and fired into the place. I fired
back with the revolver. They then went back by the
kennel, which they had upset, and I went out and
fired at them, and they took away down the road.
I then saw men breaking down the walls of bricks
and fired at them, and they made off. I then saw
the shadow of men setting. the shed on fire. I crept
down by the walls and fired and these men ran
away. I saw seven men altogether, three knocking
the green walls down, and two setting fire to the
sheds. I then ran and called up my master. I
found two bottles, and there was some naphtha left
in one. I fired the revolver three times and the
gun once. The man who attacked the place only

fired once.
By Mr. Pickering—Saw only two men at the
cabin. Could not see their guns. It was very
dark. Kept his gun and revolver always charged.
It was from fear of outrages.
By Mr. Barstow—Showed the shot-marks on the
'wall to the police.

William Slater recalled—By Mr. Pickering—
Went last evening to the Pack Horse Hotel, and
gave Sutcliffe a box to bring to court. All the
books woo. in it except one, the cash-book, they did
not like to be brought here, and a minute book,
hick had been destroyed. Should think the

minute book would contain minutes of all the guar-
' terly meetings and council meetings as far back as
18GU. The minute book wouli: not have a minute
of the meeting held in the field.
What was there in the book you did not want us
to see '2—Ditl not know, except that they might
have some bother al,out the masters if they saw the
names of the men, and because there were resolu-
tions against masters they did not wish to be seen.
There would be no entries of the money paid for
the attacks on different places. He knew no reason
why he took the book produced (the cash-book)
away, except that things were in it they did not wish
to been seen. A good deal of money had been paid
away, and they did not like it to be known how.
After his examination on Wednesday Singleton and
other members of the Council came to him, and
it was agreed to take away the book. It was
because there were entries about sundry expenses
which they did not like should be seen. Had never
said all these entries were paid for outrages. Some