The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-08-10 00:00:00

CHESTER ASSIZES.-FRIDAY

(Before Mr. Justice Erskine.)
THE RIOT AT NANTWICH.

Michael Byrne was indicted for a riot, and also for an
assault on William Stubbs, at Nantwich, on the 13th of July.
The Attorney-General and Mr. Townsend prosecuted, and
Dr. Brown defended.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, in stating the case, observed
that in the riot which took place, about which they were
going to inquire, a person had actually been murdered ; and
although the prisoner was, fortunately for him, not seen to
throw the stone which caused the death of that individual,
yet it would be proved that he had thrown stones at the coach
on which the deceased was, one of which struck the coach-
man, and covered his face with blood. Having briefly stated
the facts of the case, the following witnesses were called:—
William Stubbs said he is a coachman, living in Chester.
On the 13th of July he was engaged to carry a number of
voters to Nantwich for Sir Philip Egerton and Mr. Tolle-
mache. Between two and three o'clock witness started from
the Union Inn to return to Chester. The coach was filled
with voters. Witness had to pass through a street called
Welch-row, which was crowded. He had not proceeded far
before he was plastered with mud. About twenty or forty
yards further down the street witness was struck on all sides
with stones or bricks. Before he reached a bridge leading
out of the town he was struck on the forehead with a stone,
which stunned him, and for a short time he was unconscious.
A gentleman on the box seat was severely cut on his head,
and several of the passengers also were hit with stones or
brickbats. When he had got over the bridge witness saw
a man standing at a lane, and with two stones in his hands.
One was thrown at witness, and struck him on the breast ;
the other was thrown among the passengers, but witness did
not see whether it hit any of them. Blood was then runninZ
from the wounds on witness's head down each cheek. He
was struck on about 20 different parts of his body, and still
felt the effects of the wounds. Witness shortly afterwards
missed one of the passengers from the coach. He was sitting
on the outside to the left behind him.
Cross-examined by Dr. BROWN.—There were two coaches
and a break started about the same time. The break and
one coach started first, and the other coach next. Those on
the first coach called out " Tollemache for ever." It was
within a few yards after he passed the bridge to the right
that he saw the person with stones in his hands. As soon
as the coach had passed that man, a volley of stones was
thrown—some hundreds. . . .

Mary Dodd sitidsiCeiived in Welsh-row, in Nantwich ;
that leads out of the town towards Chester. Witness stood
in the middle of the road, when she saw the coach driven by
the last witness. It was followed by a crowd. The prisoner
ran down before the coach, and went up a gateway. Wit-
ness watched him, and saw him gather up a number of
brickbats. He placed them in a row on his left arm, and
when the coach came up he returned to the road. He threw
one of the pieces of brick, and it hit the coachman over the
face. She remonstrated with him on the subject. She had
known him before. and when she saw him throw the stone
she said " God d—n you, what are you doing—are you
going to kill all the folks on the coach ?" The prisoner
placed his finger to his nose, began cursing, and ran away to
opposite the Wilbraham Arms. As the coach went along
more stones were thrown. Great alarm was created, and
also disturbance. Wood-street is on the Chester side of the
bridge, and near it. The prisoner was standing between
Wood-street and Welsh-row.
Charles Larkstone, a police officer, was next called to prove
that a regular riot commenced in the morning and continued
until evening. The Riot Act was read, and the mob paraded
the streets with bludgeons until after the military were called
out at night. The rioting was going on at 2 and also at 3
o'clock.
In cross-examination witness said he was armed with a
sword, and used it. He cut an effigy of Mr. Tollemache to
pieces with it, because it was waved in the face of the horse
on which the magistrate rode.
`'—

This was the case for the prosecution.
Dr. BROWN then addressed the jury on behalf of the de-
fendant and called three witnesses to contradict Mary Dodd.
The JUDGE having summed up the evidence,
The Jury found the prisoner guilty of the assault only,
and not guilty of the riot.
The learned JUDGE commented in severe terms on the
conduct of the prisoner, observing that it was only owing to
the providence of God, and not to any mercy on his part,
that he had not to answer the charge of murder. The wea-
pons he had used were of such a nature that they might have
killed those at whom they were thrown. It was therefore
necessary a severe example should be made of him. His
Lordship then sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment.

ENGLISH SHIPS OF WAR NOW BUILDING.—RoyaI
Frederick, 110; Victoria, 110; Hannibal, 90; Albion, 90;
Exmouth, 90; Aboukir, N ; Prince Albert, 90; Goliath.
80; Irresistible, 80; Lion, 80; Mars, SO ; Collingwood, 80;
Superb, 80 ; Centurion, 80 ; Colossus, 80 ; Hindostan, 78 ;
Boscawen ; 70; Cumberland, 70.
DESTRUCTION OF THE SHIP ST. GEORGE.—SEVENTEEN
LIVES Losr.—lntelligene of the loss of this splendid ship,
the property of Messrs. Fletcher and clins, Lower Shad-
well, Ratcliff-highway, London, was received by the under-
writers at Lloyd's on Tuesday. The calamity happened on
the night of Thursday, the 17th of June last, on the Florida
shores, and all on board, excepting two seamen and the cabin
boy, perished. From the statement of the survivors, which
has been received, it appears that the St. George was on her
voyage to New Orleans, having left London on the 29th of
April last, with a valuable cargo on board. On the 4th of
June she encountered a violent gale from the north-west,
and braved it gallantly ; but it continued for fourteen days,
and on the 17th she was driven amongst the rocks, at Cat
Keep, off the Florida shore, where she subseqt!ently became
a wreck. When driven on the rocks, Captain Allen, the
chief mate, and fifteen of the crew were immediately swept
overboard by a heavy sea. The survivors took to the rig-
ging, and remained hanging to the shrouds for upwards of
forty-eight hours, and were ultimately saved by the schooner
Comet, of New Providence, which conveyed them to Hali-
fax. The ship and cargo is valued at £12,000.