The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-11-27 00:00:00

COPIES OF THE AFPILLIVITS

-.411110.K. -
OW THE MOTION AT THE INSTANCE OF THE
PROPRIETORS OF COVENT GARDEN THE-
A i'R E. AGAINST HENRY CLIFFORD, ESQ. AND
OTHERS, FOR A CONSPIRACY.

JAMES BRANDON, of the New Theatre Royal, G-
went-Carden, in the County of Middlesex, GENTLEMAN,
althea oath and saith. that 'lathe evening of the Mat day of
Cktnber Mt, and ow several evenings before, and every even-
ing slate, a masher •of perms were assembled is a riotous
manner, in the Pit of Covent-Garden Theatre, daring the
representation of ;Mimetic Pieces, and after the admission
of half peke hod commenced, ballisoltrg, hooting, hissing,
Mike." Of, OF, Of!" and making. so great and inch inces-
sant anise as to permit het a small part of the performance,
after the commencement of the half price, to be heard by the
audience, for the purpose, as Deponent believes, by freer
and nansbers. by tuosolt, clensour, and terror, to compel the'
Proprietors of the Theatre to reduce the prices of admission
to what they had been prior to the burning down of the old
theatre. And this lUponent farther smith, that many of the
persomoso engaged In Interrupting the performance, wore in
their hats the letters 0. P. meaning, as this Deponent be-
lieves, Old Prices. And •this Deponent helicon, that the
slid pees ins wore the said letters as a rallying signal, anJ for
the purpose of exciting and encouraging the persons there
assembled, so as aforesaid, to **art themselves for the pur-
;wise aforesaid. And this Deponent farther with. that on
the said 31st day of October last, he saw HENRY CLIF-
FORD, of Stone-buildings, Lincoln's lon, in the said Coun-
ty, Esquire, in the Pit, with the letters 0. P. meaning, as
this Depooeut believes, Old Prices, in his hat, with SEYE-
RAL.OTHER PERSONS, having in their bate the same
letters, Who APPEARED TO THIS DEPONENT TO
BE 1K COMPANY, Obit the said Henry Clifford continued
in the said Pit of the said Theatre wilt others, and at the
same time there was a great riot and dislarlimace in the Pit
of the said Theatre, daring the performances, so that but
*small part of the performances could be heard; and the
said Henry Clifford remained during the sail ta:nalt io the
Pit to the end of the perforneuwes of that evening. And
this Deponent saith. that he believes that the said Ilen:y
Clifford cams Into the Pit of the said Theatre. and wore the
said letters 0. P. In his hat, for the purpose of enconreging
the persons there assoashial, to persevere in tank delerininalion
to compel the Propriet.-s, by risme and numbers, anßiswor,
to reduce the prices of admission. And this Depose* ether
said', that on the same evening of the SW October lad, he,
this Mnium. also saw JOHN R I DIAT, of Comptoo-
street, Soho, leather-seller, !tending m Omit the third
row in the Pit. w ith the letters 0. P. kits WC making a
great noise and riot, aft% Ilewithll others, *do In the Pits
and other parts of the laid Theatre, to riot and dis-
order ; and the said John Ridley conflated making a
riot, noise, and disturbance, during the performances;
mei there was the whole of that evening a great
noise nod disturbance in the said Theatre, by many
prams wheelers the letters 0. P. in their hats, AU. of whom
jiitnell in the said noise and riot. And this Deponent further
smith, that on the Bth day of November Inst. he observed JOHN
BI RKI TT WlENifour, of Thames Dithei,in the toonty of
Surrey, Gent. and SCOTT, of Yerulson.buiklings,. in the
said county of Middlesex, Gent. come into one of the lower
Boxes of the said Theatre together. and soon after they the mid
Jobe Birkitt Wienbolt, and Scott, were joined by a per-
ms Oche name of W I LLIA M HENRY SA YAG F., of -Wai-
-1 singhara-place, is the said cosmic", of Surrey, Gesulemai, as
Deponent was afterwards Uteruses!, and believes, in the said
box where 'the said John Birkitt Wieahnit dad -- Scott
were t nod that the said John Birkitt Wienholt, Scott,
and William Henry Savage, made a great opee sod disturb-'
once, and evened etdeis,. Who were then rioting, to continue
so to do, and wore in their hats, or on their brensts, the let-
ten 0. P. neenatrig, as Depitneet believes, Old Prices, add
exhibited to theaudiewee plans of paper, Balled PLACARDS,
with inscriptions, and in particular, nee with the following
words, " We concise or die;" add they were joined in the
said noise and riot by *were, persons in the Pit, all of whom
wore the letters 0. P. ia their bats, with cries of " Of, of,
off ! Old Prim! Na New Prices!" that the said John Birkitt
Wienbalt, William Henry Savage, and Scott, left the said
Theatre, sad soon after returned igen. continuing to make a.
sedge and riot in the mid Theatre, until the end of the dramatic
performances, so that but little part thereof could be beard.
And this Deposes* further saith, that he has seen the said
John Birkitt Wienholt in the sail Theatre, on dijrcreisl suc-
ceeding nights, with 0. P. in his hat, or on his Immo, making
a noise, riot. and disturbance, earl and every night he was so
present in the said Theatre. And this I)eponeut further saith,
that on the 14th day of November instant. he saw the said
John Birkitt Wienholt md the said Scott, in company
together, in oar of the hoses of the said Theatre. wearing
the letters 0. P. in their hats. or on their breast, or one of
them, with the letters 0. P. in his bat, er on his breast, and
makin4 a great noise, riot, and disturbance in the said The-
atre, in which they were pined by several persons wearing the
letters 0. P. in their hats, nrnn their breast., in the Boxes,
Pit, an other parts of the sied Theatre. during the drama-
tic performances, so that hat Mile part thereof could. during
the time of the said noise and riot es aforesaid. he heard.

Sworn la Cimrt, sae day
of Noretuher, 111109.
By the Coen.

J. ESAN DOW.

JOHN NEWMAN. of Cowley-street, Wishisistlfer, in the
Comity of Middlesex Surveyor, traketh oath and with, that
N lie emir( of toreeighth duty of Novepber instant, t num-
ber of were aserrobied io a riotous inmsner in She Pit
of Ce~iul~6ardea
Theatre,. during the represewatioa of dm-
.

made pleas, sod after ilia adinission "of half price. lead
ninseenced- halloo*, hooting, hieing, crying. " Off, Of,
of!" apt asks it great aed each iocessaust noise, as to per-
mit bat amain part of the performance, after the cons-
meneemesd of half-price, to be heard by the *Wince, fur
AU impose. as Orpiment believes, by fern and numnes. be
boson, elonsoor, and terror, to compel the Proprietors cif
ilea Theatre to redone the ;priers of admivioe to what they
had been. prior to the ha down of the Mine:tire. And
this Deponent Blether oaf* that many of .the perxons
so eared is internist* the perfiremane. wore in
their vs the kites ). P. wearing, as Orpiment
" 014 Prices." And this Depooetit. believes
Ova die said periwig were the said Setters as a bodge fur the
par. tress of szeiting end etwestrog lac the persons there assent-
bkd. ro as aforesaid, to c thestowlves for the purpose
aforesaid: Alai this deponent further sisith. that on the said
eighth day of November. he =:lw JOHN BIRKITT
WI E HOLT, of Thames Dittos. in the rowdy of Sorry ;
WILLIAM lIENBY SAVAGE, of Walsioghasl-place, to
the county of Surrey, tintlemsla. and SC of Ve-
niatu-baildings, in the county of Middlesex Genthiman, in
owe of the lower boxes of the said New Theatre Royal, Co-
ves; ersrden ; and the said Williams Ilene' Salvage, daring
thc performance at the said Theatre, held op and exhibited a
PLACARD, with the Lilian in; words :—" We torszy
die," " Conquer or En I" and several other s
were held up and exhibited, some of which were tows by
some person or person* in the Pit of the said Theatre,
epee which the said tfrillisun Ilexes Sewage. poinolog to the
Persons then &the Pit, wilts the Enters U. P. In their hots
tried Gins the wan out oho fore the placard In the Pft, sad
some person whet was belies& to or the person who had torn
the said placard, wem tarsal out of the said Pit of the sail
Theatre, and several Persons is tho Pit. nod when in differ-
ent park of the said Theatre, wars had the toter. 0. P. in
their hats, gave three loud kastas: and this ikponent farther
ialth. that on the lsthday of Naveinher, last. he saw °resold
John Birkitt Wienholt. in one of the boxes of the said The-
atre, with the letters 0. P. ea hi' breast, and at which time
there was a great nice and riot. in the said Theatre during
the pergolas:ices thereof, so that but a small part thereof
arotd sae bead.
JOON NEWMAN.
Swore in Court this SOO day of Nov. ISAR.
By At Court.