Gwent Chartists Vol.34, p.28

Disgrifiad

Tudalen 1:
Borough of Newport
Monmouthshire
to wit
The Informations & Depositions
of the Witnesses whose names
are hereunder mentioned
taken upon oath before me Thomas Hawkins
Esquire one of Her Majesty's Justices of the
peace acting within and for the said Borough
this 8th day of September 1840 in the presence
and hearing of Wright Beatty brought before
me charged with having on the 4th day of
November in the year 1839 at the Borough
of Newport aforesaid committed conspiracy
and Riot against the peace of our Sovereign
Lady the Queen her Crown and Dignity

John Lewis sworn states - I am a Tin Plate manufacturer
at Ty du in the parish of Bassaleg in this county, about
31/2 miles from Newport. My residence is nearly -
adjoining the Tram Road leading to Blackwood
-and Tredegar Iron works - It also leads from my -
House to a place well known by the name of
the Welsh Oak. I remember the 4th November -
last - Between 6 & 7 o'clock in the morning of that

day on my coming down stairs I saw a large -
number of people on the Tram road by my-
House - I went up to them and conversed
with some of them - whilst doing so I saw -
some men entering my House. I immediately

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Tudalen 2:
went down, and upon going into my Kitchen -
I found 5 or 6 men in the Kitchen, [] about the
same number were standing outside in the Court
behind the House. I asked those in the Kitchen -
what they wanted, they said they wanted arms -
The Prisoner Wright Beatty was amongst those -
in the Kitchen - I told them I had no arms
for them. One of them said "I dare say you
have Arms in the House" I then said if I had -
I had none to spare them. They said if
I had arms they would have them. I told them
they should not - and that before they should
have my arms I would part with my life
or words to that effect. I am quite sure
the Prisoner was amongst those in the Kitchen
and I am quite sure that he was armed -
with a Gun and all the others who were
in the Kitchen and at the back of my
House were armed. In my opinion about
1500 persons were there standing on the Tram

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Tudalen 3:
Road near my House - they were on their way
towards Newport - a great number of those on
the Tram Road were armed, some with Guns.
some with Pikes, some with reaping Hooks, some
with scythes, some with Halberts and almost -
every other description of offensive weapon -
that the morning on which the Town of -
Newport was attacked by a mob of persons -
Calling themselves Chartists. I visited the Town -
of Newport on that day and found that the
Westgate Inn in that Town had been
attacked. I witnessed the effect of the attack
on the Westgate Inn, I saw nine dead bodies
lying in the Stables belonging to and -
adjoining the Westgate Inn - I saw the Mayor
on a bed in the Westgate Inn, he had been
wounded and when I saw him his linen was -
covered with blood. I knew the Prisoner before.
I have not seen him since until today. I don't
know where he has since been -

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Tudalen 4:
After what I have related as having passed in the
Kitchen I requested the[] men to walk out of my
House. I took hold of one of them by the elbow to
put him out as they were going out of the door
the[] Prisoner told me he thought I may as well
be a little civil, I told him I thought it was
he was uncivil in coming into my House in -
that way and I requested he would walk
out. He then gave his Gun to one of his -
Companions, unbuttoned his Coat, took a Pistol
out of his Waistcoat Pocket and asked me -
what I meant by talking of taking away
their blood. I told him I had not said so -
and advised him to put his Pistol back as -
two could play at that work, and that he
had better be cautious how he acted because
I knew him - he then returned his Pistol into
his pocket, took his Gun back from his -
Companion and they all then went away.
I did not know any of the Prisoners companions.
John Lewis
Thos Hawkins

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Tudalen 5:
& I was not a witness at the Special Comission
I reduced into writing the conversation I had with
the Prisoner soon after it took place. I took down
upon Paper the substance of what took place between
me and the Prisoner. I put it so down within a -
week or thereabout after the 4th November. I am now speaking of what
took place between me and the Prisoner from my -
recollection and without reference to what I put down upon
Paper. I have not seen that Paper lately, it is possible I have
seen it many times since I put down upon it -
the substance of what took place between me and
the Prisoner. I don't know that I have read the -
content of that Paper many times - I had no -
occasion to do so - very probably I have read the
Paper since I wrote it. I have no doubt that
I have read it, for I generally read every paper I write.
I can't say that I have read it more than once
I have not the paper now about me, it is now
at my residence. The 4th November was the
first that I gave information that the Prisoner
was amongst the persons at my House. I gave
the information in the first place to Sir Thomas

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Tudalen 6:
Phillips the then Mayor, afterwards to the -
Superintendant of Police. The Superintendant
did not in my presence reduce my statement
into writing. I did not make my written information
before a Magistrate of the occurrence which had
taken place. I have not at any time made any
written information before a Magistrate of the -
occurence - this Charge is not brought -
forwards at my request- Yesterday was the first
time I received information that I would be -
wanting to give Evidence - that was a verbal
communication by Mr Hopkins the Superintendant
of Police, he did not then tell me the charge that
was against the Prisoner, he told me so to day -
He told me the charge was riot and sedition -
I took down in writing what took place between-
me and the Prisoner because I thought it likely
that I should not be called upon to give Evidence
so soon as this. I thought it possible that I
might be called upon to give evidence of
what then took place in three of four years -
afterwards. I will undertake to swear

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Tudalen 7:
that there were five in my kitchen. I will
undertake to swear that the Prisoner at the Bar
was amongst the number. I did not know any-
of the other persons. The prisoner had on what is
generally termed a Pilot Coat & a low crowned
glazed Hat. I don't know what colored neck
kerchief he wore. I can't tell what colored waistcoat he wore.
I am not aware that I saw his shirt. I did not
observe the colour of his Trousers. There were
near 1500 persons about my House at the time.
I was certainly alarmed. I was considerably
alarmed at seeing so many people. It may -
have been 2 or 3 years more or less before that time
since I had seen the Prisoner. I have not seen much
of the Prisoner since he worked for Messrs Prothero
& Powell .Several of the persons
in my kitchen at the same time with the Prisoner
had Coats of the same description on - Pilot Coats.
I don't think there is anything very particular
in the appearance of the Prisoner by which-
I can identify him. After all, I will persevere
in swearing that the Prisoner is the man -

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Tudalen 8:
I don't know that at the Special Commission several
persons were discharged who had been charged for
taking Arms from Houses and for firing at the
Westgate. I do not know the parties by whom -
this Charge is brought forwards. I don't know
whether this is a Government prosecution or not.
Looking at the Prisoner[']s person I have no doubt
whatever that he is the person I saw in my -
Kitchen armed with a Gun at the time I
have mentioned - It may be 14 years since the -
Prisoner worked for Messrs Prothero & Powell, my belief
is that it is not 14 years since - it is more than
Eight years since, because I have not been living
in the Town within that period

Taken before me

Thos Hawkins John Lewis
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Tudalen 9:
sworn states I
Alfred Tibbs sworn states - I am a Clerk in the employment
of the Monmouthshire Iron and Coal Company -
I reside in the Borough of Newport. I have been out
of this room during the Examination of the last Witness
no communication has been made to me of what
the last witness deposed to. I know the Prisoner -
Wright Beatty. I remember the 4th november last.
I was at that time residing in the town of Newport
About 9 o'clock in the morning of that day I was
standing at Mr Clements shop, it is near the-
Westgate, it is the opposite side of the Street from
the Westgate Inn. Stow Hill leads down in that
direction. I saw a great number of men in-
my estimation about 5000 men coming down -
Stow Hill. When they came down to the bottom
of the Hill they turned round to the right in -
front of the Westgate Inn. All that I saw were
armed, some with Pikes, some with Guns and -
other weapons. I saw no one in the crowd -
coming down the Hill that I knew. While
they were in front of the Westgate I saw -

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Tudalen 10:
the Prisoner Wright Beatty amongst them, he was -
armed, he carried a Gun. I saw him use his Gun -
He fired his piece through the window, the
window nearest the entrance into the Westgate
Stable Yard, I was then standing at the distance of
a couple of yards from the Prisoner. When he had
fired I think he loaded his piece again, that is
my impression, but I am not certain that he
did so. I did not at the time know that there were
military Stationed in the room into which the
Prisoner fired. I knew it in a very few Minutes
afterwards because I saw the Military firing out
of it upon the mob in the Street. I think there
had been firing from the room before the []Prisoner
fired into it. My estimation of the number -
collected in front of the Westgate upon that
occasion is 5000. I saw one person fall from -
a shot fired at him thro the window. I saw
altogether I think nine dead bodies in the
Westgate and outside. I had seen the Prisoner
upon more than one ocassion before I was
quite well acquainted with his person.

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Tudalen 11:
I think it was a Pilot Coat he had on but I -
won't be quite certain about that. I can't describe
any other part of his dress. I saw a great many
shots fired into the Westgate by other persons than
the Prisoner. I think I saw the first shot fired
It was from the out side. A man walked -
up to the front door and fired his Gun off.
I observed that a general firing took place on
the part of the mob on the out side before
any firing took place on the part of the -
military on the inside. I knew the prisoner -
very well before then I had seen him -
repeatedly, and I was sufficiently acquainted -
with his person to enable me to swear most
positively that he is the person I saw
in front of the Westgate and fire into the
Window. In less than half an hours time -
after I had seen the Prisoner fire into the Window
I informed a person of my having seen him.
I made the communication to a great -
many persons and amongst others to Mr Woollett.

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Tudalen 12:
the Town Clerk of Newport in whose employment I
then was and to Mr Williams who was then a Clerk
in Mr Woolletts Office with me. I have not seen
the Prisoner since the 4th November until about
a week or nine days ago.
X When I left this room just now I went into Mr Loders
Shop. I spoke to no one relative to the Evidence Mr -
Lewis gave. I was []told not by any person out of this
room what Evidence Mr Lewis had given, I don't know
What Evidence Mr Lewis gave. I don't recollect being
informed by any person out of this room of Mr Lewis
having sworn that the Prisoner carried a Gun.
A person of the name of Alexander did not tell me
that Mr Lewis swore that the Prisoner carried a Gun.
A man of the name of Rock [Rorke] was standing by
. I know Whitchurch a Boot and Shoe
maker of this town. I had no conversation with-
him relating to the Evidence which Mr Lewis had given.
I was not attending to anything Mr Whitchurch said -
he might have been speaking to others but not to
me certainly. Whatever Mr Whitchurch did say -
I did not pay sufficient attention to him to know
what he said. I have lived in Newport 6 or 7 years
backwards and forwards. I was at Sea before I
came to Mr []Woollet. I had been living in -

T Hawkins Alfred Tibbs

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Tudalen 13:
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Newport from 2 to 3 months previous to my going to
Mr Woollett. I can't say the month I came to Mr
Woollett. I think it was about September 1839. -
I knew the Prisoner at the Bar after that time. I had -
been in the habit of seeing him about every night
and sitting in the same room with him. I can't say -
exactly how distant it is from Mr Clements door where
I was standing to the spot where the Prisoner was
standing when he fired, I am not a good judge
of Distances. I was standing at Mr Clements -
when the mob came down the Hill, when the -
mob turned towards the Westgate I walked with
them. Curiosity was my reason for walking -
along with them. I was like a great many others.
Certainly I was alarmed when the firing commenced - the Military fired from
the window when I was making my way off -
When I saw the Prisoner firing there was a great smoke.
Altho I was alarmed and saw a great smoke and
firing, I will undertake to swear that the Prisoner
was there and fired at the Window. -
I took particular notice of the Prisoners face
because I knew him very well, I stared in
his face I did not take any particular notice

Tudalen 14:
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of his dress, it was not a time to take many -
observations. I was standing close to him about
as far from him as I am now, so close to him that
I knew him perfectly well, there were persons round
me, I saw the Prisoner and I knew him very well.
a great number of persons were around me -
but I can't say whether there were any between me
and him. I was not examined as a witness at
the Special Commission at Monmouth. I shortly
afterwards gave information to Mr Hopkins the
Superintendant of Police of my having seen the
Prisoner firing at the Westgate. I did not at
any timereduce into writing what I had
seen at the Westgate. It was too deeply impressed on
my mind to forget it, it was almost impossible
to forget it. When I saw the Prisoner in the
Town a week or 10 days ago, I saw the -
Superintendant of Police and told him of my
having seen him & he told me it was his
intention to take him. I was not at all
alarmed at the time. I saw the mob coming

Tudalen 15:
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down Stow Hill. I was not alarmed at the
time I walked with the mob from Mr Clements
to the front of the Westgate Inn. I certainly
was rather alarmed when I saw a set of
fellows making an attack upon the Westgate Inn.
until then I was not alarmed -
Alfred Tibbs
Taken before me
Thos Hawkins

Tudalen 16:
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13[At top centre, though this page is in the page 16 position and there's a previous page numbered 13]

The Queen
agst
Wright Beatty
for Conspiracy
and Riot
Depositions


Borough of Newport

Q S D 34 0028 [Stamped vertically in the margin to the left of the writing.