Star.
London, England, 1820-02-26 00:00:00

THE CONSNRAM

COILONER'S INQUEST ON RICHARD SMTWARE,
THE POLICE OFFICER.

Yesterday the neighbodrhood of the late atrocious
scene of compiracy and murder was in the AteAt!`!
confusion; hundreds of persons were admitted to
visit the place where the unfortunate object of this,
investigation fell by the assassin's dagger.
Yesterday morning the following Jury whe sum.-
moned, by Pyall, the beadle of Mar y-la-bonne.
Mr. John asurton, Forenoon, Mr. Thomas Hawkins,
Mr. Samuel Smith, Mr. John Barren,
Mr. Richard Ilutehinsoa, Ur. Edwatd Cooper,
Mr. Thomas (late, Mr. John Beckett,
Mr. John 51,.rris, l Mr. Frederick Mew,
NV.

Mr. William Selwinr
Mr. Rickard Lee,
Mr. William Huntley
Mr. William Southwood,

Mr. William Ware,
Mr. Charles Curwbod,
Mr. Charles Wyatt,
Mr. Oabsing ream!.

Mr. Richard Stanley,
The above were all respectable inhabitants of tilt
neighbourhood. The room where the Jury met, at
the Horse and Groom, the corner of Cato-street, was
crowded to excess. On their being empanelled and
'sworn, they proceeded to the adjoining room, to
view the body of the deceased. The first witness was
Mr. John William Fisher, a sorgeen, of Greek--
,street, Soho, who stated that he was called upon yes-
terday morning, for the purpose of examining the
body of Richard Smithers, who was stabbed last
Wednesday evening: he found an external wound
on his right side, which was about two inches in
breadth ; on opening the body to ascertain the depth
and direction of the wound, he found that the in-
strument had penetrated the second rib : it had also
wounded the surface of the upper lobe of the liver,
and passed through into the chest ; it went through
the pericordium into the right ventricle of the heart,
and had perforated the left lobe of the lungs: the
depth of the wound was twelve inches. The wound
was evidently inflicted by a pointed cutting instru-
ment; the ribs on the left side prevented its going
through on the opposite side; the immediate cause
of death was the blood leaving the heart, caused by
the wound the deceased had received front some
sharp instrument.
George Thomas Joseph Ruthren, being sworn, said
that he was an Officer employed on the Police Esta-
blishment, at the Public Office, Bow-street. Wed-
nesday evening last, about half-past eight o'clock, he'
was ordered, with several other officers and consta-.
bles, to go to the house where Sniithers was killedf
in consequence of a number of men being assembled
for treasonable practices ; he was informed that was
the nature of the case, by Mr. Stafford, Chief Clerk
at Bow-street. It was a kind of shed where they
were met, situate in Cato-street.

Coroner—Was there any inning grasted?—A. There was. by
Mr. Baker, the Magistrate, of Mariborongh.street Police Office.
Juryman—Have you got the warrant ?—A. No.
Juryman—Does it specify the number of persons you were
about to apprehend?-1. It We
Juryman—flow many Officers were there altogether ?—A.
About one dozen.
Maness continued—On entering the place by order
of Mr. Birnie, the Magistrate, who was in the street,
witness oherved a man marching about with a cut-
lass, which was in a belt lifting by his side, and a.
musket on one of his shoulders, apparently as if. he
was on guard. Ellis and Sitiiither,s entered first (jn.
company of witness) the place, with several Consta-
bles, who were ordered to assist them ; the door was
not fastened ; Mr. Birnie was at hand, and ordered
them to go in.
Juryman—What was the man doing who was on guard?
Witness—lle did not particularize what he was
doing. Witness ordered the other Off sera immedi-
ately to secure that man, while he secured another,
who he believes is in custody. In one corner of the
place (at the lower part)'there was a ladder, which
being very narrok, no more than one person could
possibly go up at a time. Witness went up the steps
first. On arriving at the top, he saw a table or car-
penter's bench in the loft, on %%hick there laid seversl
fire-arms of different descriptions, and they, leers
sorting them out. There were swords, guns, pistols,
&c. There were, to the Lest of his calculation,
twenty five or twenty-seven persons in the place. 4r-
,thur Thistlewood stood at the right side of the table
or bench, handing the arms about to the various per-
sons in the place ; he wore a shabby brown coat ; be
had known 'fhistlewood a length of time, and wis
confident as to the identity of his person. Witness
first entered the place, and when he thought three
or four of his comrades had entered, he said, aWe
are Officers; seize their arms." As soon as he men-
tioned the sentence, the persons in the loft seized on
what they could of the arms, and retired to the fur-
ther pan of the place. Thistlewood immediately re-
tired into a little room adjoining that in which the
others were, and four or five others were with him,
all armed at the time. Thistlewood, as he re}
tired into the apartment, waved a sword, which
he had in his hand, and appeared determined tostab
airy one who'inight approach him. Smithers, the de-
'ceased, was about a pace from witness ; as he ap-
preached Thistlewood, the latter made a thrust, and
the point of the weapon entered Smithers' right side.
Te sword was about three and a half or four feet in
length ;it was strait. As soon as the deceased was
stabbed, he fell sideways upon witness, in a faint
voice exclaiming Oh !my GOD 1I am —,"
or words to that effect, acrd instantaneously a pistol
was fired of, but by whom he was not positive.—
Some of the party immediately ran their swords
across the lights, and put them out. Witness could
recognize four of the persons besides Thistlewood.
Their names were Blackburn, Shaw Strange, and
James Wilson. Another man,named Tidd, fired off
a pistol, which hit a Serjeant of the Guards, who re-
ceived the contents, in an attempt to save the life of
Captain Fitzclarence' at whom the pistol was pre-
sented. Two others he saw, but not in the loft, stir
of whom was taken into custody by Captain Fitzcla-
rence ; in the course of the day he had found a large
stick, cut at the end as if to fit some instrument. On
'Thistlewood's stabbing the deceased, witness heard
somebody halloo out from the room in which
Thistlewood was—" Kill the —; throw them down
stairs." It being dark, some of the party escaped,
but nine of them were apprehended that night ; wit-
, ness secured Tidd, Blackburn, and Wilson ; ethers
were secured in the loft ; they were all taken toßcrw-
,
street, and from thence they were sent to,
,of Correction. Witness is confident lithe
not been put out, that they should all Mate 40,4,

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