The Sun.
London, England, 1842-09-24 00:00:00

NEW COURT.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
INDICTMENT AGAINST A CHARTIST.--On the re-as-
sembling of the Court, Samuel Munday and William
Checketts (the latter the same prisoner who had been
convicted of an assault in the former case). were in-
dicted for riotously assembling a crowd of persons,
and for inciting them to commit a breach of the peace.
Mr. CHAMBERS for the prosecution said, that
he did not think the evidence was sufficient
against Checketts, and, therefore, should offer no evi-
dence against him, but would consent at once to a
verdict of acquittal as regards Checketts. With
regard to the other defendant, it would appear, that
on the 22d of August, there was a tumultuous as-
semblage of persons near the terminus of the Great
Western Railway. The police were ordered to clear
the road, the people became excited, and pelted the
police, and Munday was there present exciting
the people to violence. Among other expressions
made use of by Munday, was the following:—
" I am a Chartist—Follow me—l will not turn back
for any one—Liberty or death." Those who excited
persons to commit acts of violence were certainly
more culpable than those who were led away to com-
mit those acts, and the authorities would have been
guilty of great negligence if they had abstained from
prosecuting a man who was making use of language
to excite to a breach of the peace. The police who
heard him took him into custody, and he was now on
his trial for that offence. The Learned Counsel then
called the following evidence :
John Champ, P 137-1 was on duty near the
terminus of the Great Western Railway on the night
in question, about seven o'clock. There were between
5,000 and 6,000 present near where the prisoner was
taken from. There were other groups. They were
going backwards and forwards over the bridge, where
I was on duty. I then went further down, near the
assemblage. I saw sticks and stones flying about. I
saw Munday come out of the Prince of Wales Hotel,
waving his hat, calling out " Follow me, you b—,
we'll have liberty or death. lam a Chartist, and will
not turn for any one." A great crowd was following
him ; he was going in the direction of the middle of
the mob. I did not see any stones flying at the time.
At the Green I took him into custody. .After I took
him into custody he said " I do not care where you
take me," and addressed the same language to the mob
which he heard on coming out of the tavern.
By the RECORDER—There was no attempt at
rescuing him._

Zacliariah Davis, police constable—l was on duty
at the place in question on 22d August, from five
o'clock to nearly eight. I was there when Munday
was taken into custody ; that was about eight. There
was a great crowd collected before he was taken.
There were from 3,000 to 4,000 persons there between
seven and eight. When he was in custody, the mob
were throwing stones and using violent language. I
saw him come out of the hotel. His hat was off, and
he said, " Now, you b , follow me ; I'm going
to adjourn the meeting. Adjourn the meeting; we
will have liberty or death." He then went across to
the Green, and the crowd followed him. The crowd
began to be riotous.
I3y RECORDER—What did they do ? Witness—
They used threatening language, and threw stones
at the police. That was before he was taken into
custody. I saw several stones thrown at the Super-
intendent after the prisoner had used the expression ;
and while he was going to the Green, before he
was taken into custody.
Cross-examined by Mr. PRENDERGAST—When he
was going to the station-house, he said "Follow me."
I did not say " Now I have got the leader of them it
will be all right ;" nor did I hear any other policeman
say so. My hat was hit by a stone. It was not cut.
It was a bad hat before. I was not hurt by the
stone. I was kicked while I was going to the station-
house.

George Galbin, another policeman on duty on the
night in question said—l saw a number of stones thrown
at the police. I saw Munday there ; there were stones
thrown before and after I saw him. I saw him take
his hat off and bow to the mob several times. .He
then said—" Gentlemen, I come to adjourn this meet-
ing to the Working. Man's Hall, Circus-street, New-
road. Come on, follow me; we will have libarty or
death." Some person in the crowd hallooed out " He's a
Chartist." He said, "I know I'm a Chartist." I did
nat hear anything he said after he was in custody, the
mob was so great, and there was such pushing.
By the RECORDER—I saw him come from the hotel.
Inspector Laing--I was present at the meeting in
question at about six o'clock. I saw Munday there
as soon as I came. He was about the bridge. My
attention was drtwn to him by seeing him, as I
thought, in custody, and seeing him return again. I
saw him again some time afterwards standing on the
bank with his hat off, addressing the mob. He
said, " Gentlemen, I must move that the meet-
ing do adjourn to Circus-street." Just before that
stones were flying in all directions. He made use of
some expressions after he was taken into custody, but
I was not near enough to hear. The crowd followed
him, but did not attempt to rescue him. There were
too many police.
Cross-examined by Mr. PRENDERGAST-4 was not
examined in this case before the Magistrates.
Mr. CHAMBERS--That is the case, my Lord.
Mr. PRENDERGAST—Does your Lordship think
there is a case to go to the Jury.
Inspector Laing was about to interfere, when he
was severely reprimanded by Mr. Prendergast.
The RECORDER thought there was sufficient evi-
dencemoreabsurd Mr. to go to the Jury.
Psoara charge
nNn GAS Tw foras neverthe prisonerheard.
said,
Here, that a t aap-
peared, that, accordingt to the evidence, there was a
meeting to disers'
riotous assemblage •
meeting do adjourn, he prisoner did his best
him into custody, quietly by moving that the
journ quietly theremoor
and therefore the police took
rnbwecaluse if all meetings were to ad-
u d be no business for the police.
which the first
Nothing could be
opollicemen had attempted to
two
ewscandalous than the foul lan-
guageput into the hismouthaocfrowcrowd have
Would not any
man so addressing
; besides,
they ave been torn in pieces ?
had it in the evidence
Ico doubt of it
of the other policemen, that e addressed the crowd as
gentlemen. Could they believe those first policemen ?
He could not believe them. Besides
there was no
proof that this was an illegalmeeting. Why, he
would ask, was such abe
meeting to d.
in the crowd
as to the stones and sticks, why even 4
is
? And