Star.
London, England, 1820-04-10 00:00:00

so dtstinct a view of all their countenances, that he,
'
has no doubt Jacob M'lnnis was the man who shot
at him. Very soon after Birch was able to leave his
bed. he went to Chester Jail, and on first seeing
Wlnnis, had not the slightest hesitation in identifying
hits. If the evidence rested there, there would. be an
end of the case as to M'lnnis, his guilt Mould be un-
qt:.estionably established. Then, as to Bruce, he is.
'charged with aiding and abetting the other prisoner,
and you, Gentlemen, will consider why he delayed
Birch in conversation, coupled with what afterwards
occurred, and it will be for you to ascertain whether
he be a particeps criminis or not ? After the aitot was
fired, Bruce and the M'lnnises went away ; and if
Bruce were innocent, the manner of his going gave
t very different indication. If really innocent, he
would not have run away in company with those
who fired. So far, Gentlemen, I have stated to you
the evidence, as it will depend on William Birch.—
The, next witness I shall produce will be a young
girl, almost a child, who lived in the house with
Birch, and though she only heard the name of Bruce,
will be able to confirm the greater portion of her
uncle's testimony. She saw Birch stopped—the three
or four people who were near him go off; she saw
her uncle shot and run away, but she cannot identify
the person who did so. In addition to this, I shall
call William Pearson, if there can be any doubt as to
the recollect;on of Birch. Pearson lodged in the same
house and slept in the same bed with Jacob M'lnnis,
before this affair; he went out with -him on the 23d
July ; he saw the thiee men, whom he knew perfectly
well ; he saw them in conversation together before
Bruce stopped Birch, but being himself at the mo-
ment engaged in conversation with a man of the
name of Davis, he could not see the hand of M'lnnis
lifted up when he fired the pistol. He saw the same
three men run away, and in the hand of M'lnnis he
subsequently perceived a pistol, the smoke from which
had not entirely vanished as it met his eye. He then
saw him put it into his pocket, but he did not see
him, from the reason I have mentioned, fire the shot.
Now, Gentlemen, in addition to this, he will tell you
that before he was twenty minutes at home, after the
transact ion, of certain conversation which he held
with both the prisoners at the bar. •
Bruce—lf the Attorney-General he instructed to say this. he
k o-tongly infrxmed. I was not at the lodgings of SClonis ; I
did not knew him tilyn.

- 'Me Cover—You mhst not interrupt.
!Mr. JIISTiCf• lifaxantate.—You had better be quiet.
Brace—illy land, I only intended to prevent a mistaternent
that mihht prejudice 111 case.
Mr. Boovots—'l'ne mistake was mine; I did not
intend it ; Bruce was not at the place of which I have
spoken ; it was James Milnnis, the brother of the
prisoner at the bar; William Pearson will disclose the I I
conversation that passed after the shooting at Birch,
and it. 0;11 be for you, Gentlemen, connecting an the
transactions together, to see how far the charges in I
.the bubonic-et can be fixed upon those prisoners
whose case you are now called en to decide. If any '
doubt cau arise as to Birch's recollection, you la ill
have the evidence of Pearson confirmatory of it,
which will be particularly material, inasmuch as he
saw every part of the transaction, but the actual
• ring. I have many witnesses to chew you the foul
attempt was made by somebody, and that Birch was
v.-cunded, but this Ido not think necesslry. One or
two may, however, be brought up to these facts, if
we shauld see any necessity for so doing. Gentle-
men; I shall.now merely state to you, that an extra-
ordinary cry was raised, after this occurrence, o
Birch's having shot himself—a fact which evidently
yroves that there was some previous confederacy '
cmisting against him. I:l,lnnis admitted he was one
of the people assembled at *.ockr,ort when the event
took plice; he admitted the same in Ireland ; and all
Cat Bruce said was, that, although one of those who
sere there, he took no part whatever in the horrible ;
transaction. Outing the confinement of Monis, he
attempted to break out of jail; but POD forbid that
I should bring such a circumstance to bear against
him, now that he is on his trial for so serious an of-
fence. I have now, Gentlemen, closed my observa-
tions; I have merely stated the nature of the evidence '
I mean to b ing before you,-and I have no doubt you
will give such a verdict as will be satisfactory to
your consciences. and to the interests of justice and
your country.
William Birch, examined by fhrjeant Caess—l had a person
of the name of Harrison at my own house on the 23d of July ;
I went to Mr. Llaydh house about 20 minutes before ten, it was
ia the dusk of the evening; there was light enough to discern
th.: features of any person; the distance I was going was more
tbfn 100 yards; on my way I met a number of persons is the
street ; it was well known Harrison was my prisoner ; I stopped
as I went along, had Islet with Bruce, whom I had known for
many months ; two or three others were coming up thestreet as
I waiving down; when he (Bruce) stopped they stopped;
they were not exactly abreast, though near each other; there
were four of them; they formed a party to themselves on my
stopping; before they supped they appeared as one party;
when Bruce made the stop with me, they went on about
a yard, or a little more, but not two yards; I am not
curtain on my meeting Bruce, whether he or I spoke first.—
On Bruce and me stopping, they all stopped, nor can I remem-
ber which stopped first; the moment we met we stopped to.
g hhcr. I kii.w Bruce at that time byname; I believe Bruce
aged me if I h d brought Harrison to my house ? that was the
Laing he sail, to v.-:1;a:ii I nulled, Harrison was at my house,
and at tha; moment :1 t-..:77.,12 Yr:Yards my left, Bruce was
then right in front of me, 4::d then a man came ou the left, and
wallhl on till he came to my rear. I kept my eyes on Bruce all
the tithe he was coming ; I had particutar reason to look round,
as a great crowd assembleti in the street around my house;
but still I kept on my conversation with Bruce, whom I
sued, it a man I saw near me, as he was a friend to Har-
rison, would he one of his bail ? Bruce said, he had
nut seen him this last hevr. These were his words.—By
this time the man who was in my rear moved back again un-
til he came in front of me. When I made the inquiry about
Sihns, I h-rtison's friend, Pirate looking towards the men who
h..; stopped with him, asked (and by that time the man who
remains freak th:: rear would be on my left, he looked
t ;cards him) have you seen him? I can't say to whcm he ad-
dressed himself, lxt one of them said, No, I have not seen him
twit hnur, or this last hour. Bruce gave me the answer that he
hal nut seen Sims, before he got the same reply thorn the man
he addressed; as soon as the man got in front of me, and behind
Brucf* I 3aNY a movement with his right hand, he had something
Ls it ; before I eovhd observe anyth ng else I was shot; I be-
lieve what I saw in his hand was shwa:kerchief; not more than
:hinhte and a half elapsed from the time I stopped until I was
slat; when I received the shot. I put my hand to my breast
ths shot entered the middle of my breast; I knew Bruce many
rhohtha before T was shot, and have no doubt in looking at
Istlnnis bht he is the man who went by my left to my ree:, arty
then, on coming round to the front behind Bruce, shot at me.—
waiotoat where the ban entered washere producedhl,-LThe
than who come in rear of me, and afterwards behind -Brute,
was the man who shot me; I had my eyes fixed mg him; lan
c:rthin he is the may ; it is only six or seven weeks since I saw
h.m in the Castle at Waster; I came for the purpose of seeing
if he was the man; the impression was *patron in my mind of
th.: features of the man, thee for many airassdel almost thought
I saw ; but I wished to eegne to the lest my reeollec-
tihn might lOC be right i teket>l war she coley I was iat