The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-28 00:00:00

Wm. Martin, and Thomas Maguire were among
the attacking party. Martin was on the bank, and
had a pistol ; Boylan also had a pistol. I did not
see Maguire do anything.
Cross-examined by Mr. T. Cottingham—l first
communicated with the police the same night. A
policeman told me I was wanted in the beer-house
next door, and I went with him. I was asked to
give a description of the men I had seen, and I did
so. The attack lasted about 20 minutes. Pickup
did not remain with me during the fight, nor did I
see him after he left me.

Witness was examined at some length as to his
identification of the prisoners named by him, but
without any variation in his evidence.
George Mulholland, a lad about 12, was next
examined. Ile said—l was playing near the rail-
way arch on the llyde-road on the afternoon of the
18th inst. I saw about a dozen men sitting about
on the bank near the arch. When the prison van
came through the arch a man came forward with a
pistol, and shouted to the driver, " Stop, or I'll
blow your brains out." That man was Allen. lie
fired his pistol, and then others came forward. I

had seen Allen on the bank about ten minutes be-
fore. When the van came up a number of men
came running out of a beer house, loading their
pistols as they came. Then I saw Allen run to the
back of the van with a hammer, which he gave to
another man, who immediately began hammering
at the van door. Thomas Maguire got on the roof
of the van, and I saw Larkin hand him a large
stone, with which Maguire endeavoured to break
the van open. There was a ventilator on each side
of the front of the van, and I saw Larkin fire
through one of them. Another man threw a
great stone at one of the ventilators in front of the
van. I then saw Allen take the hammer from the
man at the back of the van and begin breaking the
door in himself. One side of the head of the hammer
was an axe. Allen had a revolver in his left hand.
I saw a big man, whom I do not see here, with a
saw in his hand, and I heard him say to Allen

" Shoot that --." Allen then broke the venti-
lator at the back of the van. Sergeant Brett was
inside holding his head against it to prevent it being
opened, and Allen put his revolver to the ventilator
and fired. At that moment a woman inside called
out, " He's killed ; he's killed." I then saw a hand
put a bunch of keys through the ventilator, and
Allen, taking the keys opened, the door. As the
door opened Brett fell out into the read. I saw
Sprosson there, and 1 think it was Larkin who shot
him in the foot ; but I will not be certain, for both
he and Allen were together firing. Larkin had a
pistol in each hand. I saw two men come out of
the van with handcuffs on, and 10 or 12 men get
round them and guarded them across the fields.
The crowd cried shame on them. I identify Wm.
Martin, Scully, and Brennan as having been pre-
sent. Scully fired at a policeman as the women
were coming out of the van, and bit a policeman,
just grazing his back. I saw Brennan carrying big
stones to break the door open, and William Martin
I saw throwing stones at the police.
Cross-examined by Mr. Cottingham—l am 12
years old, and help my father, who is a brickniaker.
I heard the men whose names I have given call to
each other by name, and I knew their names. I

followed the men over the fields. I saw Martin
taken—l don't know who by. I first saw the pla-
card offering a reward on Monday last. I was
playing behind the bank where the men were stand-
ing about an hour before the affray. I was afraid
of the shots, but I could not get away. I was afraid
of running for fear of having stones thrown at me.
I could not run home because in that direction there
were men running about at the corner of the paper
mill, keeping people back with their revolvers. I
was hit by a stone behind the leg.
By Mr. Roberts —I heard Maguire's name at the
prison.

John Beck, a railway clerk, said he was present
directly after the police-van was stopped, and was
going past when a man pointed two revolvers at
him, and he turned back. That man was Allen.
Also saw Coffey, Ryan, Thomas Maguire, and
Larkin there. Witness and some others began to
throw bricks at those men. Wilson was one of the
men at whom they threw bricks. So was John
Martin, Gould, and Hugh Foley. The men threw
stones back when witness and others threw the
bricks. Larkin got on the top of the van, and tried
to break it open with a big stone. Allen fired into
the van. Witness heard a scream from the inside,
saw the door open, and Brett fall out. Allen then
ran round to the let-hand side of the arch, and pre-
sented two revolvers at witness and some others,
and fired several times. Sprosson, who stood near
witness, was shot in the foot by Allen. The men
who came out of the van and the others who had
got them out ran away towards the railway. Wit-
ness and others followed, and helped to catch Allen
and Larkin.

In cross-examination witness said he only saw
one man on the top of the van. _

The prisoner Allen here rose and expressed a wish
to address the Court.

Mr. Fowler said he could not permit the prisoner
to make remarks. Anything he might wish to ask
should be communicated to his solicitor.

Allen—l am as entirely innocent of the whole case
as the child unborn.

Trueman, police-constable, was next ex-
amined. He said—l was in a cab, following the
prison van. When the van stopped I beard three

shots fired, and I got out of the cab and went to

wards the van. I saw several men with pistols, and
ten or fifteen others with stones. Allen fired at us

when we went towards the van. He was close to
the van at the time. Afterwards I saw him shoot
into the van through the ventilator at the back. I
heard a woman's voice call out " He's shot." I saw
Allen get on the step and look through the ventilator,
as if he was conversing with some one inside. We
made another rush towards the van, but were met
by men with pistols and stones, and had to retreat.
As we were retreating I received a stone on the back,
and a bullet cut a piece out of my coat near the left
shoulder. My flesh was grazed by the bullet, but
not penetrated. It was much inflamed and swollen.
Ido not know who fired that shot. There were four

or five of them with pistols, which they were firing.
I afterwards saw Brett lying partly on the step of
the van and partly on the ground. We made another
attempt to get at the van, but were again fired at,
and had to retreat. I then saw Brett lying in the
road, and saw some of the female prisoners get out.
I then saw Kelly, one of the rescued prisoners, going
away with the men who had attacked the van. I
also saw Deasey get out of the van. I saw prisoners
Shore and Nugent among those who attacked us.
I do not know swear to any of the other prisoners.
Nugent and Shore threw stones every time we made
towards the van.

John KnoNfies sworn : I am a grocer. I witnessed
the attack on the van. I think the prisoner John
Carroll was one of the men who got on the roof of
the van. Ile had a large oblong stone, with which
he was pummelling the roof to break it in. I saw
Allen with a revolver take aim through the ventilator,
and fire into the van. lie fired in about five times,
and in the last shot or two he seemed to take more
deliberate aim than before. I and some constables
made a charge, and Allen presented two revolvers
and stopped us. Larkin was there, and I fancy it was
he who fired the shot that wounded Sprosson. The
van door was opened and Brett fell out. I saw
some women get out, and I then went home for a
revolver. When I returned the attacking party were
retreating towards the railway, and I saw Allen
running along the top of a bank holding two pistols
towards the mob, and heard him threaten to
shoot any one who came near. I saw Larkin cap-
tured. During the affray I saw Thomas Maguire
and Nugent hand stones up to the roof of the van.
Nugent had a revolver. I think I saw Kennedy
and M'Williams there, but am not sure. I saw
Gould with a revolver.

Cross-examined by Mr. Cottingharn—l brought
my revolver back, and I fired one shot with it at a
man ou the wall near the railway. The people said
that man was going to fire at us for taking Larkin.
I did not know the men I fired at, but I had been
fired at several times before that. My house is only
about 2CO yards from the scene of the affray.
The examination was proceeding at tbe titneof this
parcel being despatched.

MANCHESTER, Friday Night.
The proceedings had not closed y hen the cowl