Cross-examined by Mr. Curwood.--I had some general knowledge of
some conspiracy, or something of the kind, going on before this. I
do not know a person named Edwards. We had some general information
a considerable time before this, that some plan was in agitation,
but we did not know the time at which it was to take place, or the
particulars. I will not say to two months. It was some considerable
time before this.
JOHN BAKER examined by the Attorney-General.--I am butler to Lord
Harrowby. The cards of invitation were issued for the cabinet dinner on
the 18th, or 19th. It was about eight in the evening of the 23d when
I first knew that the Cabinet were not to dine at my Lord Harrowby’s.
The preparations for it went on till then. The Archbishop of York lives
next door to my Lord Harrowby’s. I can’t say whether his grace had
company on the 23d of February. I noticed several carriages draw up at
his door.
JOHN MONUMENT examined by the Solicitor-General.--I am by trade a
shoemaker. I generally live near Brooks’-market, but I am now a
prisoner in the Tower. I know the prisoner Thistlewood. I met him at
the house of one Ford some weeks before the transactions of the 23d
of February. He afterwards called upon me at my lodgings. He was not
alone. Brunt was with him. He told me that he wanted to speak with me
in private. In consequence I went out of the room with him, my mother
and brother being at that time in the room with me. Brunt staid behind
when I went out. Thistlewood then said to me, “Great events are now
close at hand--the people are every where anxious for a change. He had
been promised support by a great many men, who had deceived him, but
he had now got men who would stand by him.”
He then asked me if I had any arms. I said, “No, I had not.” He said,
that every man of them, that is, of those who were attached to him,
had arms, pikes, pistols, or sabres; and added, that I might buy a
pistol for four or five shillings. I said that I was too poor to buy
one. He replied, that if such were the case, he would see what could
be done for me. Brunt called upon me again in four or five days. He
said, that he could not stay long with me; there were several more men
of his trade waiting to see him on this business, and he must call on
them. I did not see him afterwards for some time. He called, however,
again upon me on the Tuesday previous to the 23d. I then told him
that I thought I had lost him, as he had staid away so very long. He
replied, that owing to the King’s death, an alteration had taken place
in their plans. I asked what those plans were. He said that I should
know them better at a meeting to be held the night afterwards, than
he could tell me. I asked him where the meeting was to be. He said at
Tyburn-turnpike. He did not tell me what was to be done there.
I asked him if I was to see any persons there how I was to know them
as friends, and requested him to give me the word. Brunt then told
me, that if I saw any persons about, I was to say B-U-T; and if they
were friends, they would say T-O-N. He would, however, call on me the
following morning, and tell me more particulars.
On the Wednesday afternoon, between four and five, he did call again:
he came by himself. He called me down stairs, and asked me if I was
ready to go. I said, “No, I have got some work to do, and it must be
done before I go.” He asked me how long it would be before it was
finished. I said, that it would be done about six o’clock. He then
said, that he could not wait for me so long--that I must therefore come
to the place appointed along with the man to whom he had introduced
me; that man’s name was Tidd. He charged me not to be later than six
o’clock, as Tidd had others as well as myself, to take with him to the
place of meeting.
I went to Tidd’s at half-past six, who complained that many men had
disappointed him. We waited till seven, but no person came. Tidd then
went into a corner of the room, took out a large pistol, and stuck it
in a belt, which he wore round his waist. He also took out four or five
pike-heads, which he wrapped up in brown paper. He took also several
shafts, four or five feet long. We then went out, along Holborn, and
up Oxford-street. I asked him, in his room, where we were going. He
said to a room in a mews in John-street, Edgware-road. When we got into
Holborn, he gave me the pike-shafts, and told me to take care of them.
I asked him again, as we were going along, where we were going; and
wanted to know whether it was to the House of Commons. He said, “No,
there were too many soldiers near there.” I again pressed him on the
subject, and he said that they were going to Grosvenor-square, as there
was a cabinet dinner there that evening. I did not ask him any more
questions; for on his saying that, I was satisfied for what purpose
they were going.
We then went to Cato-street. Under the archway I saw two men, whom Tidd
appeared to know. He spoke to them; and, after a few moments we all
went into the stable together. There were in the loft and stable about
twenty-four or twenty-five persons. I had not been there long when some
one proposed to count the numbers assembled. Thistlewood replied, that
there was no occasion to do so, as he knew that there were about four
or five and twenty persons in the room. There was a person in a brown
great coat sitting on a carpenter’s bench, who spoke of the impropriety
of going with so small a number to Lord Harrowby’s. Thistlewood
replied, there were quite enough of them. He only wanted thirteen to go
into the room, and supposing Lord Harrowby to have sixteen servants,
that number would be quite enough to master them.
The man in the brown coat said, “After we have done, there will be a
crowd about the door, how are we to make our escape?” Thistlewood said,
“You know the larger body is already gone to arrange matters; we, the
smaller, are left to do the business.” Davidson then blamed the tall
man in the brown great coat for throwing cold water on the plan, and
added, that if he was afraid, he might as well go away. Brunt said,
“Rather than give up the business, I will go to the house and blow
it up, though I perish myself in the ruins, for you know we have got
that which can easily do it.” The man in the great coat then said, as
they were all for it, he would not oppose it. He then proposed that
all in the room should put themselves under the orders of Thistlewood.
Upon which Thistlewood said, that all engaged in the business were
equal, and should have the same honour as himself, and proposed that
fourteen should volunteer to go into the room at Lord Harrowby’s. Those
that volunteered were to range themselves on the side in which the
fire-place stood. They did so in the course of a few minutes. Whether
they were exactly fourteen I don’t know.
I heard nothing said of what the rest were to do. On somebody asking
that question, Thistlewood replied, that they all knew their places.
Thistlewood then went out for a few moments. On his return, he said
that he had received intelligence that the Duke of Wellington and
Lord Sidmouth had arrived at Lord Harrowby’s. I was myself taken into
custody in the room.
Cross-examined by Mr. ADOLPHUS.--I never saw Thistlewood till I saw him
at Ford’s. I attended at the meeting in Finsbury-market. I was so far
off that I could not tell whether Thistlewood was there, nor even the
purpose of the meeting. There was no particular acquaintance at that
time between me and Thistlewood. I did not then know Brunt or Edwards.
There was a long interval between my first and second conversation with
Brunt. I thought that they had done with me, finding me so reluctant
to join in their measures. The man in the brown coat was not Adams. I
have seen Adams since, at Hicks’s Hall. The room was much crowded--the
parties in it were eating bread and cheese. I do not know that I ever
saw Adams before I saw him at Hicks’s Hall. I recollect the prisoner
Davidson from his colour. If any person had addressed them besides the
man in the brown coat, I must have heard him. I was taken in the room
when the soldiers came. I had no arms. I made no resistance.
Re-examined by the Solicitor-General.--I was nearly the last person who
entered the room. I was there nearly a quarter of an hour before the
officers came. I was unacquainted with every person in the room except
Thistlewood, Brunt, and Tidd. It was candlelight. On the bench were
swords, pistols, and blunderbusses. When I was brought up to Whitehall,
I was handcuffed to Thistlewood; who advised me, when I came before
the Privy-Council, to say that I had been brought to Cato-street by
Edwards. I asked him how I could tell such a falsehood, when I had
never seen such a man as Edwards in my life. He said that was of no
consequence. If asked what sort of a man he was, I was to say, he was a
little taller than myself, and dressed in a brown coat.
By a Juryman.--I have had no communication with Adams since my
apprehension.
By the Solicitor-General.--I never saw him except when I was brought up
as a witness to Hicks’s Hall.
THOMAS MONUMENT.--I am brother to the last witness. I remember
Thistlewood calling upon my brother. He brought Brunt with him. They
did not stay in the room more than five or ten minutes. Thistlewood
then asked my brother if he might speak with him. On my brother’s
replying yes, they went out together for ten minutes. They then
returned; and Brunt and Thistlewood went away.
On the Tuesday before the Cato-street business, Brunt called again on
my brother, with a man named Tidd. My brother said, “Brunt, I have not
seen you for so long a time, that I thought I had lost you.” Brunt
said, “The King’s death had made some alteration in our plans.” My
brother asked what those plans were. Brunt said, they had different
objects in view. Brunt asked my brother to meet him at Tyburn-turnpike
that evening, when an outline of their plan should be given to him.
Brunt said that he ought to be there at six o’clock: if he saw any
persons about, he should say, B-u-t, and if they were of their party
they would say, t-o-n. They did not press me to go, but spoke only to
my brother. I did not go. Brunt called at five the next evening for
my brother to go. He said, he could not go then, as we had work to
do. Brunt then bade my brother call on Tidd, at the Hole-in-the-wall
passage, at seven. He did so, as I was informed.
Cross-examined by Mr. Curwood.--Not suspecting that any mischief was
going on, I was not anxious to know to what the conversation of my
brother and Brunt referred. I thought that it might perhaps relate to
some club-dinner.
THOMAS DWYER examined by Mr. Gurney.--I live in Cheese-court,
Oxford-street. Some time in February I became acquainted with Davidson.
He introduced me to Thistlewood. We went together to a public-house
at the end of Molyneux-street, not far from Cato-street. This might
be about the 9th, 10th, or 11th of February. Thistlewood said nothing
particular to me at that time. He observed, that he had been in four or
five revolutions, and that Ireland was in a disturbed state. I am an
Irishman. Thistlewood said, that he had a good many of my countrymen
with him. He pressed me to go with him also.
I saw Davidson on the night before the 23d. He told me that he was
going to stand sentry. The next morning I was called upon by a person,
who took me to Fox-court, Gray’s Inn-lane. He was a tall man, and his
name is Harrison. We went into a two-pair back room; the room door was
locked. He knocked at another door, and a woman gave him the key. He
opened the door, and we entered.
There was a cupboard in the room, out of which was taken a ball,
wrapped up in yarn. Harrison told me the purpose for which it was
intended, and called it a grenade. Shortly afterwards Thistlewood,
Davidson, and a few more, came in. Davidson had a blunderbuss, a pair
of pistols, and a bayonet, in his side pocket. Others also came in, but
I did not know their names. [The witness was here told to look into the
dock, and see if he could identify any of the prisoners as being then
present. He instantly identified Brunt.] On Davidson’s saying that he
had only given twelve shillings for his pistols, Brunt said he would go
out and buy a pair.
I had some conversation with Thistlewood about the hand-grenades.
Thistlewood said, that some of them were to be thrown into the
horse-barracks, and others into Lord Harrowby’s house, to set fire to
it, and blow it up. Thistlewood asked me how many of my countrymen
I could muster, as he should want some of them at half-past eight
that evening. I told him that I could muster about twenty-six or
twenty-seven. He told me that they, meaning himself and friends,
were to assemble at the Horse and Groom; and ordered me to be at
the Pontefract Castle, at the end of Barret’s-court, a house much
frequented by Irishmen. He told me that I was to pick out the best of
my countrymen, and go to the Foundling Hospital, knock at the porter’s
lodge, put a pistol to his breast, and turn on to the right hand, as
there were twenty-five or twenty-six stand of arms in the other lodge:
these I was to seize. At the same time another party would secure
two pieces of cannon which were in the Light Horse Riding-School,
Gray’s Inn-lane. Another party was in the meantime to go to the
Artillery-ground, Finsbury, and seize what was there. He also mentioned
that there was to be a cabinet dinner at Lord Harrowby’s, and that the
party there were to be attacked.
After this, I saw a bundle, containing gunpowder, taken out and laid
upon the floor; a tin measure was produced, and several smaller woollen
bags were filled with it. This was done by Harrison. I afterwards heard
Thistlewood give directions generally to them all. He said that a dozen
pike-handles were to be taken to Mary-le-bone, some others to Finsbury,
and some elsewhere. I was asked, but refused, to take some of them. I
saw a bag; and the powder which had been measured out, and also the
grenades, were put into it.
I heard directions given to a man by Harrison, to take something to the
Horse and Groom, at the end of Cato-street. In the mean time another
person went out to get the pike-handles. I got back to my own place at
twelve o’clock. I told Major James of what I had seen and heard: in
consequence of what he said, I went to the Secretary of State about
one, or half-past one o’clock that day.
Cross-examined by Mr. Curwood.--I am a bricklayer by trade. I never,
before the month of February, saw Davidson. Davidson introduced me
to Thistlewood on the ninth of that month. They did not know me, and
I did not know them, yet I was let into their secrets on the morning
of the 23d of February. I have lived fifteen years in the parish of
Mary-le-bone, with a good character, and yet all of a sudden a band of
traitors intrusted me with their traitorous designs. I told them that
it was a hard thing to inveigle men into a scheme like theirs, and
doubted whether I should be able to accomplish it. Though I expressed
this doubt, I was sent to the Foundling Hospital to take the arms.
I acceded to their proposal at the time, but had no intention of
executing it. I do not know a man of the name of Hugglestone. I never
was in a court before, except on the trial of a woman for stealing. I
was in Ireland at the time of the rebellion. I cannot tell how old I
was then.
GEORGE KAYLOCK examined by Mr. Littledale. I live at 22, Cato-street.
I saw Harrison and another against the stable-door in Cato-street,
at five o’clock on the 23d February. I asked Harrison how he did. He
replied, pretty well; he had taken two rooms there, and was going to do
them up. Between five and seven o’clock I saw more than twenty people
go in at the stable-door.
RICHARD MONDAY examined by Mr. Littledale.--I live at 23, Cato-street.
About twenty minutes after four, on the 23d, as I was coming from my
work, I saw Davidson standing under the archway. I knew Davidson, from
seeing him with Firth, the cow-keeper. I went home and got my tea. I
came out again at twenty minutes past five, and went to a public-house.
On leaving it, I saw Davidson going into No. 1 for a light. In going
into the stable, into which Harrison admitted him, he stooped for a
bundle, and I then observed that he had two belts on, one across his
shoulder, and the other round his waist; in that round his waist, on
the left side, two pistols were inserted; on the other a sword was
suspended, which jutted out considerably. The place where they met is
a stable, belonging to General Watson; it has lately been used as a
cow-house by Firth. There is a chaise-house, and a stable below, and a
loft, with two rooms above. One of these rooms has a window, the other
is dark. I observed, in the course of the afternoon, that something
like a coarse matting was hung over the windows, and the partition in
the stable-yard.
ELIZABETH WESTALL.--I live at No. 1, Cato-street. About three o’clock
I saw a man go into the stable with a sack on his shoulder. About six
o’clock I went out, and saw a man of colour standing by the stable. I
was much alarmed by that circumstance, thinking that the stable was
unoccupied. I was out ten minutes. Shortly after I returned, the man
of colour came into my house, and asked me for a light. I gave him a
light. He then went back to the stable where I had seen him at first.
GEORGE RUTHVEN, the police-officer, was then examined by Mr. Bolland.
I went, on the 23d of February, to Cato-street. Three others were to
meet me there. When we were all assembled we were about twelve of us.
I went into the stable, and saw a man with a sword by his side, and
a blunderbuss on his shoulder. I saw one man below, and I have some
faint recollection that I saw another. The whole of my party followed
me into the stable. On seeing the man with the blunderbuss on his
shoulder, I told some of the party to secure him. I went up a ladder,
which led to a loft.
When I got there I saw several men; heard the clattering of arms, and
saw swords and pistols. Three or four of my party went up with me. I am
sure that Ellis and Smithers were with me. From the view which I had
of the place, I think there were 24 or 25 persons present. The size of
that room is 15 feet, five one way, and ten feet ten the other. There
are two rooms adjoining this, separated by doors. When I got into the
room, I said, “we are officers; seize their arms.” I saw in the room
Thistlewood, whom I have known for four or five years.
Thistlewood was standing, at the time we entered, at the right hand
side of the table, near the door of the little room. On my saying, “We
are officers,” he seized a sword, which was drawn, and retreated to
the little room. The sword was a very long one, and rather bright. He
stood in the entry of the door fencing, to prevent any one’s approach.
Smithers approached him. Thistlewood stabbed him, and Smithers fell,
saying, “Oh, my God! I’m done,” or something to that effect. Somebody
from the corner of the room where Thistlewood stood said, “Put out the
lights--kill the b----rs, and throw them down stairs.” The lights were
then put out; I joined in their cry of “kill them,” and rushed down
stairs.
I did not observe any thing till I got into John-street, where I met
the soldiers, whom I brought. Several shots were fired from the corner
of the room where Thistlewood was standing; I think down the stairs.
On arriving a second time at the stable, I met Tidd grappling with one
of the military. I secured him. I was afterwards in the public-house,
(Horse and Groom) and saw Bradburn brought in. On him were found six
ball-cartridges and three balls. Davidson and Wilson were brought in.
Davidson sang a song. I then went back to the loft, and found there,
Shaw Strange, Cooper, Monument, and Bradburn. I saw arms in the hands
of several persons. I found two swords and a bag. The bag contained
ten hand-grenades. I also found balls and fusees. They were brought to
Bow-street, and remained since in possession of an officer. Afterwards
I went to the Horse and Groom. I had seen Cooper there, with a stick,
and Gilchrist came back for it, but did not get it. I observed it cut.
Cross-examined by Mr. Adolphus.--Thistlewood had not been much out of
sight since Watson’s trial. Witness had seen him five or six times. He
had a motive for it. It was not for this purpose, that he was aware
of. There were four or five Edwardses, officers with him, but he was
not aware that Edwards, who had been concerned in this business, was
connected with any of them. He knew nothing further, than that he was
directed to watch Thistlewood.
JAMES ELLIS, by the Attorney-General.--Went with the other officers
to Cato-street on the 23d of February; he went in immediately after
Ruthven. He saw two men, one having on two cross-belts; either in
his right or left holding a carbine, in the other a sword. Witness
observed, that he was a man of colour. The other person was between
the foot of the ladder and the stall next to it, for there were three.
He followed Ruthven up as close as he could. The man of colour said
something ending with “men.” He heard the men above rushing back behind
the carpenter’s table, and a noise like fencing with swords. There
might be twenty or twenty-five men. Ruthven said, “We are officers,
seize their arms, or surrender your arms.”
Witness had not known Thistlewood before, but he was satisfied it was
he who menaced with the sword. Witness had before held forward his
staff of office; he now presented a pistol, and desired him to desist,
or he would fire. Smithers then gained the top of the ladder, and
advanced towards the little room. Thistlewood struck him with the sword
near the breast. Smithers fell back, held up his hands, and exclaimed,
“O, God!” Witness fired on Thistlewood, and Smithers staggered towards
him. The candles were put out, and the witness was forced down. He
stood at the door to the street. Several shots were fired: some balls
passed him. On going out he heard a cry. Saw a man running towards
Queen-street, with belts on. He secured him. It was Davidson, the man
of colour. He had a carbine in the one hand, and a sword in the other.
He afterwards assisted in securing four, to whom he could not speak
positively.
Cross-examined by Mr. Curwood.--He was a constable, and had the
warrant. He had a part in conducting the officers; but Mr. Ruthven was
there.
WILLIAM WESTCOTT had part in conducting the patrol at Bow-street, and
was a constable. He was down in the stable the whole time, and heard
firing on the loft. He saw Ings in the stable, who wanted to rush out,
while the other officers were up. Witness and Ings had a contest. There
was terrible confusion in the loft; some came tumbling down, and some
singly. He knew Thistlewood. There was a light. Thistlewood fired at
witness. Three holes were in his hat by balls. Witness rushed towards
Thistlewood, when he was struck down. Thistlewood then made a cut at
him with a sword, and ran out. Witness was wounded in the back of his
hand with one of the balls, as he had held up his hand to protect his
head.
HUGH NIXON, one of the Bow-street officers, saw Ruthven, Ellis, and
the deceased go up the ladder. He went up, and saw Ellis fire. There
was a rush down, and he saw a man fire a pistol; he rather believed it
was Thistlewood. Ings was pursued and brought back. Witness found a
sword in the stable, and a bayonet up stairs.
JOHN WRIGHT, a patrol of Bow-street, was one of the officers who went
to Cato-street. They mustered at the Horse and Groom. He saw Cooper
having a broom-stick, and another coming to drink beer. Cooper left
the stick. Witness took a sword and a knife from a man who was in the
stable, near a stall. That moment he was knocked down, and received a
stab in his side. Wilson and Bradburn were afterwards taken. Witness
found about two dozen ball-cartridges in Wilson’s pocket, and a pair of
scissors; and found two haversacks on his sides.
WILLIAM CHARLES BROOKES, a patrol, being directed by Mr. Birnie
towards persons passing, saw Ings, and a person in front of him with
a cutlass, and spoke to them. Ings fired, and slightly wounded him on
the shoulder. Witness staggered into the road. Ings went off towards
the Edgware-road. Witness pursued. Ings threw away the pistol. Moy took
him. Witness asked him why he had fired at him, a man whom he had never
seen. He said, “I wish I had killed you.”
Ings.--“Pray, my Lord, am I not allowed to ask any question?”
Court.--“You are not on your trial at present.”
Witness stated, that two haversacks, a knife-case, and a tin box, three
parts full of powder, were found on Ings.
GILES MOY confirmed this evidence, so far as he was concerned.
ROBERT CHAPMAN, one of the Bow-street officers, went to Cato-street;
saw Ings in the stable, and heard him say, “Look out, above.” Witness,
in the watch-house, took from Ings a knife-case, two balls, and a
pistol-key. He saw one running through the stable with a sword in his
hand.
CAPTAIN FITZCLARENCE appeared on the right of the bench, and said, he
was a lieutenant in the Coldstream Guards; he went with a piquet to
John-street on the 23d of February, about eight in the evening. On
hearing reports of pistols, they went to Cato-street. He was directed
by a police-officer to the stable. He met two men at the door: the man
on his right cut at him with a sword, the other man presented a pistol.
He got in and seized a man, who called out, “Don’t kill me, and I will
tell you all.” He gave him in charge, and then secured another man in
one of the stalls. On going up stairs, he secured three, four, or five
persons. He fell against the body of poor Smithers, who was lying dead.
He saw several arms.
SAMUEL TAUNTON, a Bow-street officer, went to Brunt’s lodgings,
searched the front and back rooms, and found two baskets. Brunt, who
was in the front room, and had been previously taken into custody,
said, he knew nothing of the baskets. The room did not belong to him
in which they were; it was the back room. In the same room there was a
pike-staff and an iron pot. Witness sent for the landlady, Mrs. Rogers.
She said, her niece had let the back-room to a man she did not know.
Brunt, said, it was a man at the public-house, and he did not know his
name.
Witness then went to Tidd’s, in the Hole-in-the-Wall passage, near
Gray’s Inn-lane. There he found a box full of ball-cartridges, 965
in number; he found ten grenades, and a great quantity of gunpowder.
He found, in haversacks, 434 balls. He found also sixty-nine
ball-cartridges, and about eleven bags of gunpowder, one pound each.
The grenades were in a wrapper. In one of the baskets at Brunt’s were
nine papers of rope-yarn and tar; in the other, three of the same, two
flannel bags of powder, one pound each, and five empty bags, a paper of
powder, one leathern bag, with three balls in it. They were all here.
Cross-examined by Mr. Adolphus.--This was on the 24th. Brunt had been
in custody before. Tidd was absent.
DANIEL BISHOP, a Bow-street officer, went on the morning of the
24th, with other officers, to apprehend Thistlewood, about ten
in the morning, to Whitecross-street, Moorfields. The house was
kept by Harris. He received a key from Mrs. Harris, which opened a
ground-floor. There he saw Thistlewood, who thrust his head from under
the clothes in bed; the shutters were shut. Witness told his name
and business, and, having a sword in one hand, and a staff in the
other, threw himself on the bed. Thistlewood said, he would make no
resistance. He had his breeches on, in the pockets of which they found
two balls, two cartridges, and some flints. They also found a small
silk sash.
Cross-examined.--A man of the name of Edwards did not go, nor any who
knew where Thistlewood was.
LAVENDER produced and identified the belt found in Thistlewood’s
coat-pocket.
RUTHVEN produced the pike-staff, grenades, _&c_.
All the soldiers and officers who had any of the articles seized were
now arranged behind the witness-box, and handed to Ruthven their
several charges, and Ruthven laid them on the table. A pike was
screwed on a staff, and handed to the Jury. The whole of the frightful
apparatus was now exposed to view. Guns, blunderbusses, carbines,
swords, pistols, pikes, sticks, cartridges, bullets; even the pot in
which the tar was boiled,--all were produced and identified.
The fire-arms remained loaded till produced on this occasion, when the
charges were drawn; they were loaded with ball. One of the grenades had
been given to a person by an order of Colonel Congreve to be examined.
The production of Ings’s knife excited an involuntary shudder; it was a
broad desperate-looking weapon.
The Jury inspected the arms separately, and particularly the pikes,
the construction and formation of which have already been minutely
described. The whole had a most formidable appearance.
JOHN HECTOR MORRISON, servant to Mr. Underwood, cutler, in Drury-lane,
was re-called, and looked at two swords, which, he said, were the same
he had ground for Ings.
Serjeant EDWARD HANSON, of the Royal Artillery, examined by Mr.
Gurney.--I examined one of the grenades produced to me at Bow-street;
it is composed of a tin case, in the form of a barrel, in which a tube
is soldered. The case contains three ounces and a half of gunpowder.
The priming in the tube is a composition of saltpetre, powder, and
brimstone. The tin was pitched, and wrapped round with rope-yarn, which
was cemented with rosin and tar. Round the tin, and in the rope-yarn,
twelve pieces of iron were planted. From the lighting of the fusee to
the explosion might take about half a minute. If one of them were to
be exploded in a room where there were a number of persons, it would
produce great destruction. The pieces of iron would fly about like
bullets.
[The witness here opened another of the grenades for the satisfaction
of the Jury; it was composed in the manner already described. The
pieces of iron principally consisted of old cart-nails, such as the
tires of wheels are nailed on with. The carcase, or tin-case, was
wrapped in an old stocking, and the powder which it contained was
pronounced very good.]
Witness, in continuation.--I examined one of the fire-balls; it
consisted of oakum, tar, rosin, and stone-brimstone, pounded. If one of
these was thrown into a house, and alighted on wood, it would be sure
to set it on fire. The effect would be still more certain on straw or
hay.
The Attorney-General.--“That is the case, my Lord, on the part of the
Crown.”