Star.
London, England, 1816-08-17 00:00:00

XIOT AT BIDEFORD.

Thomas Trace, Thomas Cry:coed'', Meyrich,
James Sea/deka, and George Veal, were indicted for a
misdemeanour, in having, with a great number of
other persons, committed a riot and breach of the
public peace at Bideford, on the 17th of May last.
Mr. WILLIAMS stated the case on the part of the
prosecution.
Samuel White, a watchmaker at Bideford, exami-
ned by Mr. T. Moon, tale otter Counsel for the pro-
secution.—Witness was called upon, on the 17th of
May, to act as a special Constable ; he had been
sworn in the night before. At about ten o'clock on
the 17th, be was sent by the Jutstice to the Quay at
Bideford, for the purpose of protecting Watts in ship.
ping potatoes to London. There was a vessel lying
there, and witness went with as many of the special
Constables as he could collect. Watts went with
thern i some women behaved in a very riotous MUlS-
net', and would not allow the potatoes to be shipped ;
they clapped their hands and cheered each other, and
pelted Watts. The Justice was then present, who
ordered witness to take four women into custody.
They were lodged in prison at the end of bridge;
, the Constables were then ordered to clear the bridge
and the quay of the people that remained ; about one
o'clock in the day witness heard people calling out,
that a number of ship-carpent,n were coming up the
river; he went to the end of the bridge, and found
from one to two hundred coming up towards the pri-
son to release the prisoners ; they had sticks in their
hands, and were cheering very loudly. Witness then
went to his house and snut the lower shutters, lest
k the windows should be broken; he then returned,
when the Mayor called to him, and a staff Was given
him. The two parties met on the bridge, the rioters
who had first assembled, and the shipwrights from
the other side. The mob then came in a body, and
demanded the release of the prisoners. The most ac-
tive among them was Trace, a-shipwright. He was
foremost of them, and went out singly and hipped to
them, as a signal to cheer. The release of the priso-
ners was refused. The mob then went over the
bridge, and returned again towards the prison with
two large pieces of timber, from twelve to fourteen
feet long, and one foot in diameter : each of them
was brought on the shoulders of eight or ten men
They came to the prison-door a second time. Wit-
ness heard the Riot Act ordered to be read, when the
mob immediately proceeded to strike against the
door. Just before that, there had heen a fight be-
tween them and the Constables, and the mob retired
about thirty yards, when they returned with a quan-
tity of large stones, some of them weighing several
pounds, which they threw at the COnstables and
Magistrates, who • retreated to the Bridge
The distance between the Bridge Hall and the
prison was from twenty to thirty test, and witness
could see what was passing" in the street; observed
the prison-door beat downly twenty or thirty•llMMl,
with large pieces of timber. 'the women had been
put into an inner priaaa,she door sif whkh was thrown
into the street, and the prisgpers pen canied along
the bridge in triuseph ca the shoulders bf the mob.
Witness saw Cronsombe enem; the mob; he bad
hold of a timber, and 'assisted in beating (limn the
ison-door. Trace erns among them, and vgy ac-
tive in nigh% nip the logs. lipp4 iwas

ditto, Inn he WM hot seti4e tlll atter the fa-Ilion:do&
was beaten down; about two books sifter, the streets
were paraded by the mob, and he was then among
them. Witness saw Stapledon during the fight be-
tween the Constables and the mob; he bad a club
in his hand, and engaged in the fight; but witness
&d not see him when the prison-doors were broken
down. Veal was present, but not active. Wit.
.ness knew Henry Chanter, the Town.crier and Con.
stable, and saw him bleeding very much in the
bead during the fight; some of the Constables as-
sisted him, or his life might have been endangered.—
About seven or eight o'clock, the yeomanry came in,
and continued to parade the streets during the night.
On SatuLday night, the Innitkillen Dragoons arrived,
when thE others were discharged. Witness, as con-
stable, assisted the military in taking the prisoner
Meyrick. On Saturday, *itness went to CleeVes-
house% where the shipwrights lived, in order to secure
the ringleaders, but did not succeed in taking them;
they got on board a brig, and had not, been yet taken.
They appeared on board with axes in their hands,
and brandished defiance.
This evidence was cotroborated by other witnesses.
Mr. A. Moons addressed the Jury on behalf of
the prisoners. He observed, that at that late period
of the Assizes (it was then past nine o'clock in the
evening. and the Court had been sitting IS hours),
he should best discharge his duty, both to his Lord-
ship and to them, by being as brief as possible.—
Alter the evidence they had heard, it would be use-
less for him to attempt . to contradict the facts ; and
he could only regret; on the part of the prisoners,
that they were led to engage in such riotous measures.
It would ill become him to induce them to find a
verdict contrary to the evidence and to their oaths;
but his Lordship would notice which of the prisoners
had been most active in this unfortunate affair, and
state the shades of difference that existed between
them. He would call some witnesses to speak to
their character ; and although he admitted that pre.'
vious character could not avail where subsequent
facts were clearly established, yet, it they thought
an, one of them was not so actively engaged in the
tumult as the others, they would no doubt feel it
their duty, in returning their verdict, to give him the
benefit of his former good conduct.
Several witnesses then deposed- to the character of
the prisoners; and it appeared that until the period
of this transaction, they had been peaceable, honest,
and industrious men.
The Jury deliberated for a few minutes, and then
returned a verdict of Guilty against all the prisoners,
but recommended the whole of them, and particu-
lady Veal, to mercy.
His Lordship passed the following sentence :
Trace to be imprisoned two years ; Croscombe,
eighteen months ; Meyrick and Stapledon, twelve
months; Veal, six months.
John Crate, for a burglary; John Graston, for
escaping from transportation; and Daniel Ford and
Thomas Murray, for house-breaking. were sentenced
to death, but reprieved.