Before Mr.
Baron Platt and the Seventh Jury. |
| 2181. WILLIAM LACEY, THOMAS FAY, and WILLIAM CUFFEY,
were indicted, for that they, with others, feloniously did compass,
imagine, devise, and intend, to levy war against the Queen,
in order by force and constraint to compel her to change her
councils, and that they did evidence that compassing, &c.,
by divers overt acts set forth in the indictment: - 2nd COUNT,
for a like compassing, with intent to depose the Queen from
the style, honour, and dignity of the Imperial Crown, &c. |
MR. ATTORNEY-GENERAL, with
MESSRS. WELSBY, CLARKSON, BODKIN, and CLERK conducted
the Prosecution. |
| (Upon the application of the Counsel for the
prisoners, the whole Jury panel was read over. As the first
Juror was about to be sworn, MR. BALLANTINE (for Lacey
and Cuffey) challenged him, alleging as cause that
he did not stand indifferent between the Crown and the prisoners.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL having pleaded issue was joined,
triers were appointed, and each Juror was then sworn and examined
on the voire dire, MR. BALLANTINE asking him whether
he had expressed any opinion as to the guilt or innocence of
the prisoners, or any wish as to the result of the trial. Authorities
referred to; 1 Coke on Lit., pages 158a &
287; Chitty's Criminal Law, page 550; Townley's
case, reported in Foster; & Layer's case. |
| WILLIAM BROOM CROSS (police-sergeant, G 8).
I was present at the apprehension of the prisoner Fay on Friday,
18th Aug. I rode in the same cab that brought him to
Bow-street - on the way he told me he had been secretary to
the confederate club, likewise to the Chartist club held at
Cartwright's Coffee-house, but he had resigned the books on
the Saturday previous. |
| JOSEPH THOMPSON (police-sergeant, F 11.)
From information I received I went to 11, Hollins-street, Wardour-street,
Soho, on the evening of 18th Aug. last, at eight o'clock, to
a back room on the third floor - I there found Cuffey, and took
him into custody - I told him he was charged with felony - he
said, "Have you got a warrant?" - I said, "No,
it is not necessary" - I told him he was charged with others
with wilfully and unlawfully combining against her Majesty -
he said, "Oh that is quite sufficient; I am a Chartist;
I understand it" - West was with me - I commenced searching
the room - I saw him go to a drawer, fumble about, and apparently
take something out - I went and caught hold of his hand - we
had a scuffle, and in the scuffle he tried to pass this pistol
to his wife - it fell on the ground - he said it was loaded
- I picked it up - it was loaded with powder and ball, and primed
-I also found this banner with "Westminster district"
on it (produced). |
| Cross-examined by MR. BALLANTINE. Q.
Did he say that the banner had been used on various occasions.
A. Not then; he said before the Magistrate that it
had been used on 10th April, and also in Hertfordshire, at some
land association of Mr. O'Connor's - I did not take Mrs. Cuffey
into custody - she was rather active, as most wives are - this
was a small room at the top of the house [.....] |
| 822 HOOPER,
Mayor. |
| ...from Brewster, one for myself and one for a
delegate that ought to have attended with me - they were to
meet at twenty minutes past nine, and to bring what arms they
could get - a motion was made as to where the localities should
meet on the Wednesday - one was appointed to meet, at the Peacock,
Westminster-road; another, at the Crispin, in Milton-street,
Cripplegate; another, at Breadon's beer-shop, Shouldham-street;
and the fourth, I think, at the Buck's Head, somewhere about
Bethnal-green-road, or Hackney-road - a motion had been made
the night before that the delegates should select four men that
were willing to risk anything and everything to attend where
Ritchie should appoint them; it was merely a conversation -
they were appointed to meet Ritchie at the Orange Tree, from
five to seven - they were called luminaries by Mullins
- there was to be a pass-word-Ritchie was to say to them, when
they came in, "Do you want me?" and if they answered
"Justice" he would know they were the men sent by
the delegates - nothing was said about what Ritchie was to provide,
but that he would give instructions to these men; but each man
was advised to come armed, if he could - we met at the Orange
Tree, Red Lion-square on the 14th - there were between twenty
and thirty present - Mullins, Payne, Brewster, Cuffey, Ritchie,
Crookshank, Alnutt, Fay, Johnson, Pearce, Simmons, Fleming,
two Granshaws, (brothers,) and a person named Ford; he was not
a delegate, but was bail for Ernest Jones, he brought 6s.
1d. from a new locality started at Knightsbridge
- I do not know where he lived; I understood that he came from
Knighsbridge-district - at the same time he came, Mr. Reardon,
the editor of the Northern Star, came under the pretence
that he was sent to the meeting; but there had been reports
that he was a Government spy, and they would not go on with
the business till he left the room - he was asked to go down
stairs - it was moved by Mullins, at that meeting, that each
delegate should go back to his locality and pick four men out,
who were willing to do anything that was required of them -
some one asked what they meant by it, and he said he would point
to the gas, and they might take by his pointing what he meant;
and Cuffey said it was no use to mince the matter, they wanted
them for firing, or anything that might be required of them;
for it was no use to mince the matter now, they knew their necks
were in jeopardy; in fact, the halter was round their necks,
and it was no use to say it in half words; that they wanted
men to fire station-houses, or warehouses, or anything that
might be required of them - a motion was made that two delegates
should be sent to the meeting of the engine-drivers of the North
Western Railway to know what their opinions were; not to compromise
themselves too much, by stating their views, and getting them
to join the Chartists, but to hear the opinions of the drivers
first; and if they found they were agreeable to close with the
Chartists, they were to bring them to the meeting, or delegates
from their body, on a future nigh - Crookshank and Ritchie were
appointed to go, and 18d. was allowed them for expenses
- a remark was made that they wondered Lacey had not come that
night - they waited for him till half-past eight, and then adjourned
to the Lord Denman - there was another meeting that night of
Confederates, at Nagle's; I did not attend it - Johnson attended
both these meetings - I did not, at that time, know that his
name was other than Johnson - I did not know he was in communication
with the police; in fact, he was the last man I should have
thought of - I have not had any communication with him since,
except one word as I stood in Court, now - the meeting before
that at the Orange Tree was held, I think, at Breadon's - I
remember two or three meetings at Hopkinson's... |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
852 |
HOOPER, Mayor. |
| [.....] to the one produced was used in 1846 -
this is not exactly the same plan of organization as was used
in 1846 - it has been revised since - I do not see any very
important difference - the plans of organization are similar
to those which existed in my time - I was a member about six
years, from the foundation up to 1846, and took an active part
up to that time - I held offices - I was president of the City
of London branch, and treasurer - I always considered the object
was to obtain the Charter by peaceable and constitutional means,
otherwise I should not have mixed myself up with it - I never
witnessed any secret proceedings in the society - there were
none in my department - there were delegates at that time -
the plans for class-leaders were laid down, but not acted on.
|
| WILLIAM DIXON. I am a collier by trade - at present
I am one of the Directors of the National Land Company, and
live at 114, High Holborn. I am a Chartist by political sentiments
- I have been a member of the National Charter Association eight
or nine years - (looking at one of the cards produced)
this is a card of membership used by the National Charter Association
- I never understood that its object was otherwise than to obtain
the people's Charter by peaceable and constitutional means -
there is something about class-leaders on this plan of organization
(produced) - I do not see anything about delegates
- this is the plan of organization now recognized - there have
been revisions of it - there is nothing connected with the Association,
or the means which it employs illegal, unconstitutional, or
otherwise than peaceable - there is nothing about arms in this
paper - there is nothing about arms connected with the Association
- it is not a secret association, club, or confederacy - any
one may join it, on the condition that he enters his name on
the books, and subscribes to the six points of the Charter -
to my knowledge, it has no secret correspondence with any association
- it was not formed for the purpose of raising insurrection
or rebellion in this country. |
| Cross-examined by MR. ATTORNEY-GENERAL.
Q. Did not you attend as a Delegate to the Confederate
Club on 10th April? A. No - I was a delegate on 10th
April - I never attended the Confederate meetings, or the Davis'
Club, or any of them - I was at Clerkenwell-green, at an outdoor
meeting, when members were elected for the Convention. |
| MR. PARRY. Q. Have you seen the banner
used? A. Yes, on several occasions - the first time
was at the Land Demonstration at O'Connor Ville, Hertfordshire,
on 17th Aug., 1846, at the anniversary of the commencement of
the society - that was a perfectly peaceable meeting. |
| |
LACEY |
GUILTY.
|
Aged 38.
|
Transported for Life. |
| FAY |
GUILTY. |
Aged 20. |
| CUFFEY |
GUILTY. |
Aged 60. |
| 2182. JOSEPH RITCHIE was indicted for the like
offence; to which he pleaded GULTY. Aged 42. - Transported
for Life. |
|
|
