The National Register. — 1811-11-24 (London, England)

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.  Sutton in Ashfield, and the intermediate villages. The depre • dators have been almost exclusively confined to the destruction • of a certain description of stocking-frames, which, being of anew construction, are supposed by the workmen likely to prove greatly injurious to the body at large. The town and parish of Bulwell hat been a scene of the most violent outrages on Sunday night last, a number of men, armed with various offensive weapons, attacked the house of one H-ollingsworth, who bad' become obnoxious, on account of his having some frames at work on the new principle: The latter being apprized of their intention, procured the assistance of his brother-m-law, and three or four friends, who, with fire-arms, resolved to protect the property—a great many shots Were exchanged, pnd one of tke assailants, named John Westby, was mortally wounded. This unfottunate circumstance occasioned the mob to withdraw• for a short time with their woueded companion but being joined in a lane at sonic distance from the spot, by fresh num.. b. rc, and Westby having expired on the road, they became so exasperated as to return to the attack will redoubled fury. They soon forced an entrance into the house, when the party within found it necessary to make a precipitate retreat, which they accomplished by means of a window at the back part of the house, leaving their tire arms behind them. The rioters, on entering the house, immediately proceeded to demolish the furniture, and in their fury brohe and destroyed every article in the house, together with the frames, the chief object of their vengeance. On the next day the mob again collected, and hay. i»g obtained information of some frames being on the road beg longing to two houses in the town, they interceeted them at Basford, and totally destroyed them, throwing part into the Leen In a similar manner they destroyed some other frames. On Wednesday, several hundreds collected near Arnold, from whence they proceeded to Sutton in Ashfield, where no less than 37 frames were completely demolished. Herr, however, a stop was put to their career by the arrival of a party of the mill-, tary, upon whose appearance the mob instantly dispersed in all die ections. Many persons concerned in these proceedings have been takes into custody, four of whom have been fully committed. The High Sheriff, with the advice of the County Magistrates, has called in the Holme nerrepoint, and Bunny troops of yeomanry cavalry, whese services, with a detachment of the 4th Dragoons from the barracks, have been of the greatest utility. As an additional security, the First Regiment of Local Militia are assembling, and ti e ewalk Troop of Yeomanry Cavalry are in readiness to act. The Magistrates are every where at their posts. Some hundreds of special constables have been sworn in. The following account of the attack on Hollingsworth's house has been furnished by the Coroner:— " Between the hours of one and two, on Monday morning last, about 3CO persons assembled before the house, for the purpose of brce king the frames in Hollingsworth's shop, who, being prepared to defend his property, several shots were fired upon the rioter!, and they being also armed with fire-arms, fired several shots in at Mr. H.'s windows, and forcing open the house-door, the people within retreats,: tip tairs, where they again defended themselves for some time; the people below firing several shots up the stairs, and finding them selves unable to get up stairs, they began to pull down the partition-wall, which supported the chamber-floor, and by that means let the floor down, threatening to murder every man in the chamber. 11Ir. and his friends now seeing that they were no longer able to protect the property, • and finding that the rioters would get the floor down, made their escape through the chamber window into the back part of the house. The doors, windows, furniture, and frames were all destroyed. Soon after day-light, the body of John Westby, a frame-worker, was found dead on the highway, a short distance from the house. On the 13th, a Coroner's inquest was taken, when it was found that a ball had entered the left side, a little below the navel, passed through the body, and came out just mmder the short rit;. on the right side, near the spine. Verdict,— That he died of the wound us above justyiady given by the said Edward Hollingsworth, or others his ussista)ds, in dsjincc (j hfntsel/; his jamily, house, and property,."