The Sun.
London, England, 1816-08-16 00:00:00

RIOT AT BIDEFORD.

.EXETEI2) AUG. 10.---Thomas Trace, Thomas
Croscombe, Myrick, James Siapledort,
and George Veal, were indicted for a misdemea-
nour, in havin, with a great number of other
persons, committed a riot and breach of the public
peace at Bideford, on the lith of May last.
Mr. Wieeiktes stated the case on the part of
the prosecution. It appeared, that on the .day
laid in the indictment about 150 persons riotously
and tumultuously assembled at Bideford, armed
with bludgeons and other weapons, and by their
Violent proceedings endangered the lives of many
of the inhabitants. The tsimult was occasioned
by a rumour, that a person 'cif the name of Watts
had purchased a great quantity of potatoes of the
neighbouring farmers, and intended to ship them
to London. This circumstance produced consi-
derable irritation in the minds of the. lower or-
ders, who committed several acts of violence,
when four women were taken into custody and
lodged in prison. The rioters then becante,more
bold and daring; they procured large pieces of
timber, with which they b meted down the prison
door, released the women, and beat off" the police
of the borough ; and it was nut till the military
hail been called in, anti some of the ringleaders
; secured, that the peace of the town was itstored.
A MOr.a ularming disturbance had not existed in
any part of the country, and it was extremely for-
t tunate for the prisoners that greater excesses tad
not been commitred. The most respectable evie
deuce would be called, to prove that each of them
had been very actively engaged in the.riot ;
aid
I if the Jury should find them guilty, the Learued
I titeitieman trusted that the punishment whiCh
twist necessarily follow would be a warning to
the rest of the community...not:to suffer them-
selves to be deluded into such violent and lawless
proceedings.
Samuel White, a watchmaker at Bideford,
proved these riotous proceedings. IViteese heard
the riot act ordered to be, read, when the mob
immediately proceeded to strike against the door
of the prison. But just before that there bad
been a fight between them and the constables,
and the mob retired about 31) yards,' when they
returned with a quantity of large stones, some
of teem eighieg several pounds, which they
threw at the constables and magistrates, who le-
! treated to the bridgeAtall. The distance between
the bridge-hall end the prison was .front 20 to 30
feet, and witness mild see what was Passing in the
st rcet ; he observed the prison door beat clown by 2k)
or 3t) men with large pieces of timber. The women
had been pat biro an inner prison, the door of which
was thrown into the street, and the prisoners were
! carried over the bridge in triumph, on the shoeld-
ers of the mob: Witiless saw Croscpmbe among the
stash : 'he bad hold of a piece of timber, and assist-
, ed in beating down the prison door. Trace was
among them, and very active in assisting with the
logs. Meyrick also was there, but he was not
active till after the prison door was beaten down
about two hours after'the street; were paraded by
the mob, ned'he,was then among them. ‘Vitness
saw Steptedon during the fight between the con-'
stuhles and the mob : he had a club in his band,.
I ate( engaged in the fight ; but witness did' not see
hint when the prison-doors were broken down.
Veal was present, but not active. Witness
tielli'Y'Clianter, the town crier and constable, acid
saw him bleeding very much in the head (hiring
the fight ; some of the constables essisted him,' or
his life might have been endtrogmed. About seven.
or eight o'clock the yeomanry, came in, and con-
tinned to pirade the streets during the night. On
54.iturday oight.the lnuiskiglen dragooee arrived,
ti~'it'll the others were discharged. Witness,
COti,tabiC, assiSteti the military io taking.the pri-
Meyrick. Osi Saturday witness went to
Cleeves-housei, where the sitipwrights hued, in
order to secure the riegleadevs, but did not succeed
in taking them : they got aolnard a brig, nod had
not been yet taken. They appeared on board with
axes in their bands, nail brandished defiance.
Mr. W. C. Edwtsrili, Mr. J.. Clifton, a special

constable, Mr. It. King and Mr. M. Vine:like-
wise special eonstableg, and Mr... Sloly, It Lien-
tenant in the Royal Navy, compictetl the proof
of the case on tile part of the proieention.

Dar. A. MooRE- spoke in extenuation of the of-
fence.
Several witnesses, then deposed to the charae-
tcrs of the prisoners and it appeared that, until
the period at this transaction, they had been
peaceable, sober, and honest men. •
Mr. Justice. Iloettovn told the JuryMit this
was an indictment against the five prisoners at the
bar for a misdemeanour, in having engaged in a
riot, with a great nnmiter of ether persons, on the
17th of May last, at Bideford, in the. county of
Devtin. They had heard. the riotous ucts com-
mitted by the mob on both sides of the river.--
The rioters were armed with cudgels ; and after
they were so artned, they proceeded to attack the
Constables and Magistrates. They then procured
large-battering rams, and, in direct defiance of
the law, broke, open the doors if the prisons and
released four women who had been apprehended
for rioting. This was certainly a very violent
proceeding and riot, and all who aided atid assist-
ed in it were answerable for the consequences. It
was unnecessary, he hopetl,.at that late hour, to
read over all the evidence respecting the riot, us
the witnesses had given the saute account of it;.
he would, therefore, go to such part as related to
the different prisoners, that they might see which
of them had been most actively engaged. The
puttishment of each would be according to the
different parts that were taken in the transaction.
The Learned Judge then recapitulated the evi-
(fence us to the conduct of the prisoners', and ob-
served, that Trace had taken a very active part ;
Croscombe,Meyrick, and tapletton -bad nu been
active ; but Veal was the least active of any.—•
With respect tachartieter, it would not weigh if
the facts were clearly made nut; and however it
Might be lemented that persons of honest and in-
dustrious habits should be led to Commit such
outrages, yet, if they were Satisfied with the evi-
(knee, they must find the prisoners guilty ; if
they had any donbt, then they would not (4il to

give them every -advantage to which former good
character was entitled.,
The .Tory deliberated, for a few minutes, and
then returned a verdict of Guilty against ail the
prisoners, but recommended the whole of them,
and particularly Neal, to me rcy.
His Lordshippassed the following sentence
Trace to be imprisoned 'two years ; Croscombe,
18 mouths ;'llleyriek and Stapledon, 12 months;
Veal, .six months. •
It was nearly eleven o'clock at night before the
Learned Judie passed sentence on the several
prisoners. '1 he calendar contained the
.names of
52 persons, of whom 13 were acquitted, and
against two no hills wereiohnd.
In addition to the cases we have reported, John
Crate, for a burglary ; John GraSlol2, for escaping
front transportation ; and Daniel Ford and Thomas
Murray, for house-breaking, were sentenced to
Death, but reprieved.

POLICE INTELLIGE,NCE.

DOW-STLIEET.

Some important investigations took place rela-
tive to travellers. A Gentleman attended and
stated, that he had within these few days arrived
•in London by a stage-coach : during the journey
the coachman who drove them into London be-
haved extremely ill, and detained them unneces-
sarily an hour on the road ; and when they got
out at Islington, he and all the other passengers,
in consequence of his miseondect, agreed not to
give hint any thing. lie then tletained their lug-
gage ; but this was considered charging more than
the fare under the Act of :Parliament.
Edward Titchener,, the late keeper of the Ham-
mer,with turnpike gate, was brought to the Office
by warrant, charged with assanhingeept. Nicholas
,Brown and Arnott,•Esq. on Sunday sennight.
It appeared from the statement of Captain)3runu
and Mr. Arnott, th'at they went out to takera ride
in a single-horse chaise, passed through Kensing-
ton gate, where they paid the toll, and received
a ticket, No. 41 ; when they came to the gate at
Hammersmith, kept by the defendant, Titchener,
they called, out N 0.41, and also exhibited the
ticket ;* the defendant in reply said; that would
not do for him, and seized the bridle of the horse,
who became very restive in consequence. They
then said, if the ticket would not pass. that gate
they would return, as they had tnerely.come out for
a ride ; but that did not satisfy the defendant, the
chaise having passed the gate, and he.seized an
umbrella, ii ml forcibly took it from Capt. Brown.
The defendant admitted the charge in sub-
stance ; but the Magistrate regretted, that as no
personal violence had been used, he could not in-;
terfere,•as the taking 'of the timbrella was not an
j and alt oug h the Gentlemen had tendered
hd.,for the toll after they had returned from the
Trustee, and which they left on the ground. On
a careful examination of the Act of Parliament,
there did not appear hut one clause to regdlate a
gate-keeper, and. that was in case be took too
much toll.