The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-09-09 00:00:00

EXAMINATION OI A CHARTIST LEADER.

Shortly after the magistrates had taken their seats on the
bench at the Town-hall, on Monday, Thos. Gerard, the
chartist who was remanded on Monday, was brought up for
examination on a charge of being concerned in the proceed-
ings of the mob on the 15th of August last, and, as the chief
constable informed the magistrates, of reading certain
papers of a seditious and inflammatory nature.
The magistrates in attendance were—the Mayor, S.
M`Clure, Esq., and James Eckersley, Esq., and the pri-
soner was defended by Mr. Scott, solicitor.
The first witness called was a young man, named Wm.
Pemberton, who said,—l am a weaver, and live in Bridge-
street. I saw Gerard in the Scholes Orchard, on Monday,
the 15th of August last. There was a meeting of a large
mob, and Gerard and another man stood on something
which raised them above the crowd. It was between five
and six o'clock in the morning. When I went first, Gerard
sat down ; and I had been there about five minutes when the
prisoner rose and said, Brothers, it has been proposed
and seconded, that we should go and meet the mob at Leigh ;
you that approve of the same will signify the same by holding
up your right hands." The mob then held up their right
hands, and some of them held up both hands. There were
several hundreds present; I should say 900 or 1000. Heard
nothing more particular said, and the mob went immediately
towards Leigh. I did not see Gerard after being at the
meeting. I saw the mob come into Wigan about 12 o'clock.
They were armed with sticks and other offensive weapons.
They came from the direction of Leigh, and up the Mill-
gate. There were 9000 or more of the mob, and quite a
sufficient number to alarm the inhabitants of the town.
They came through the Market-place, and cried out " 1;5
for a policeman," and brandished their bludgeons as they
walked along. They cried aloud as they went along, in a
threatening manner. Never saw either Gerard or the other
man after the meeting in the morning.
John Collison, sworn, said:—" I am an apprentice with
Mr. Cook, draper, I went to the meeting in the Scholes
Orchard on Monday the 15th of August. It was held about
six o'clock in the morning. There was a crowd of persons
consisting of several hundreds, and then appeared to be as-
sembled in the usual manner of a meeting. I saw Gerard
reading a paper. He was elevated above the crowd, and he
read from the paper he had in his band whilst addressing the
people. The purport of what I heard him say was—that
they were to leave off working, and work no more until they
gained the people's charter. lam quite sure as to the pur-
port of what he said if not of the exact words. I did not
hear all that was said, as I was talking to a person named
Marsden who was with me. I heard some person in the
crowd say they were to go to Leigh and meet the mob there.
I remained there about three-quarters of an hour, and the
mob set off in the direction of Leigh. I did not see Gerard
afterwards that day. I saw the mob come through the Mar-
ket-place about noon. It consisted of 12 or 15,000 persons;
they were armed with sticks and various other weapons.
They huzzayed as they passed through the Market-place,
and were a sufficient number to frighten the inhabitants of
the town. They flourished their clubs in a threatening man-
ner, and the :shops were closed in consequence of them
coming into the town.
This being all the evideie prepared, Mr. Scott submitted
to the bench that no case was made out against the defend-
ant, as they were quiet, and no disturbance took place.
The Mayor contended that he was culpable, for he had
acted as spokesman, and had asked the people to commit an
illegal act, and was quite as guilty as though he came with
the mob.
Mr. Scott observed that it was not an illegal act to request
the people to leave off work, as they would not be compelled
to do so; and he very much doubted the memory of the first
witness, it being very improbable that Gerard should style
a body of his friends as a " mob, as the witness had stated
he did.
After the magistrates had conferred with each other a
short time, the Mayor observed that he thought it would be
better not to commit the prisoner, but to remand him, as it
was very likely that other parties might be found out who
were implicated in the disturbance with Gerard.
lie was accordingly remanded until Monday.

LEGAL CRITICISM.—Mr. the barrister, witnes-
sing the representation of Macbeth: on the wiches replying to
the thane's inquiry, that they. do a deed without a name,"
suddenly started up, and exclaimed„," A deed without a name
Why, it's void; ,f
it's not worth 6d ! —lllusicalße view.