Star.
London, England, 1820-11-04 00:00:00

, MILITARY OUTRAGE AT OLDHAM.

MANCHESTER QUARTER SESSIONS, OCTOBER 31.
This day, at noon, the trial of Wild and Buckley,
for assaults upon the soldiery, traversed from the
last Sessions, came on before the Rev. Mr. HAY, the
Chairman, and a full Bench of Magistrates. A
greater degree of interest was excited than ever be-
fore manifested on any similar occasion. The Court,
in every part, was crowded to excess.
For the prosecution five soldiers appeared, who
deposed, that the defendants, together with others,
tried and convicted at the last Sessions, attackedand
beat them on the day following the King's birth-day,
without provocation, after singing a very violent
song, in which the soldiers were styled " bloody
butchers," and giving a toast of a very seditious cha-
racter. The case turned upon this point,' whither
the soldiers or the towns-people struck the first blow,
or gave the first provocation. The soldiers swore
positively that, after giving the seditious toast, the
man who drank it threw some ale out of the same
glass into one of their faces, and that the towns-
, people then attacked them.
On cross-examination, though the soldiers adhered
to the material facts which they were called to prove,
they contradicted themselves grossly as to minor
points. One soldier swore that the man drank one
glass, when he gave a toast, and filled another to
throw at them. Another swore that it was the same
glass, out of which he only sipped, leaving enough
to throw on their faces.

For the defence, five witnesses were called, who
deposed to facts directly the reverse of those proved
for the prosecution. They swore distinctly that the
soldiers called for the offensive song themselves, and
when it was begun they threw the glass of ale into
the' singer's face, attacked and beat him, and drag-
ged him out of the house; that afterwards they at-
tacked all the other towns-people; that one of them
caused the poker to be heated red, and brandished it
about in the room, to the great terror and alarm of
the people: that they were cut by the swords and
side-arms of the soldiers : and that the Deputy Con-
stable of the town was beaten away-by their party.
These fact: were clearly proved.
Mr. COLTMAN, who conducted the prosecution,
replied at some length in vindication of his case, and
the CHAIRMAN summed up, remarking from time to
time on the improbabilities which he saw in the de-
fence now set up.
The Jury, after deliberating twenty minutes, re-
turned a verdict of—Guilty against the defendants,
on one out of the six counts of the indictments, viz.
a common assault. On the other counts, viz. an
unlawful assemblage, riot, aggravated assault, Ice.
they acquitted them.
The Court, in passing sentence, declared that the
Jury had found just such a verdict as they ought,
and said, as they could see no difference between
these defendants and those convicted last Sessions,
they should give the same sentence, allowing for the
three months' imprisonment which the defendants-
had already suffered. The sentence, therefore, was,
that both the defendants be imprisoned for one year
and nine months; after which they are to find bail
for too years for their good behaviour.----The case
lasted nine hours.