would be much better. Such had been the purport of his observations; but all he did was totally of his own suggestion. He had never been guilty of any conspiracy. After these proceedings he went to his father's house in Manchester. This he mentioned in order to show that he had left Blackburn before any riots took place.

Mr. Baron Wood summed up the evidence. The defendant appeared to have some art, and seemed to think that if there was no riot, there was nothing improper. Upon this view he had advised not to touch the hem of the garments of the law. That kind of art would not, however, protect him, if he illegally and corruptly conspired with others. It was very true that a labouring weaver might refuse to work, might be idle, or might go to another master; but he may not advise, excite, or encourage others to do the same. He did not know whether conspiracy was not more dangerous than open violence. The defendant had said some foolish thing respecting ministers. It might mean that they should preserve peace till they got the upper hand and then break out. If the jury believed that the defendant had conspired with others to force an advance of wages, they would find him guilty; if they believed that he had acted only for himself, they would find him not guilty.

The jury almost instantly found a verdict of Guilty.

He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.

TEMBER 7.

Burglary.--James Hagin, Patrick M.Donald, Dennis McCoy, Jeremiah Curran and Bryan M'Manus, were charged with having burglariously entered the dwelling-house of Joseph Oliver at Manchester with intent to steal, and also with intent to murder.

Betty Whitaker lived at Ardwick-green, and was at the house of Joseph Oliver on the night of Tuesday, 29th June. There were in the house Mr. and Mrs. Oliver, Ellen Cairns, James Aspinal and witness. Witness and Ellen Cairns slept together. Mr. and Mrs. Oliver were in an adjoining room on the same floor. Witness awoke and saw a light. She jumped out of bed. She saw two men, one with a candle, go down stairs. She saw their faces. It was M'Donald and Curran. She desired Ellen Cairns to go and tell her master; and then shut the door and shouted "Thieves." Two persons forced open the door and knocked her down. She shouted "Murder." One of them put his knee upon her breast, stabbed her side in several places, thrust her head to the ground and throttled her till the blood came out of her mouth and nostrils. None of them spoke. It was M'Coy who used her so ill; the other was Hagin. She found herself afterwards under the bed. Ellen Cairns had not left the room when they broke in. She heard one of them say, "Ellen, is there any person in the room besides you? I'll blow your brains out with a pistol if

you

you make alarm." She heard it said by some one; "We'll kill Oliver." A nail-box was next morning found in the house.

Ellen Cairns, a young girl of 14, was desired to go to tell Mr. Oliver, but she was afraid and did not go. She saw a light, and observed Hagin and M'Coy going down stairs. They afterwards forced their way into the room and knocked down and strangled Betty Whitaker till the blood came from her mouth and nostrils. She heard blows given in Mr. Oliver's room, and afterwards heard Mr. Oliver call out murder. She saw other two of the prisoners, M'Donald and Curran.

John Oliver, son of Joseph Oliver the prosecutor, slept at his brother's house, next door to his father's, on the night of the 29th. He was disturbed a little after 1 in the morning. On looking out at the window he saw a man pacing backwards and forwards between his father's house and the house he was in, and asked him what he was doing there. He said he would blow witness's brains out if he said another word. Witness said, "Fire away." He did fire, with his arm stretched towards him. The brother of witness then began to knock at the wall that separated his room from his father's. Witness immediately saw 6 men coming at a quick pace in front of his father's house. They went over a field, and one of them fired. Witness went to his father's house and found his father attempting to come down stairs in a very bloody state. He found his mother recovering. His father had told him that he thought

she was dead. When witness had been awoke by his wife, he heard cries of "Murder," "Thieves," and a great confusion as if persons were wrestling on the other side of the wall.

Joseph Oliver, the prosecutor, a fustian manufacturer at Ardwick, was awoke by the cry of "Thieves" from the servants' room. He went forward into the passage between the two rooms. Some men met him and began laying upon him with some instruments, drove him back into his own room and knocked him down. Afterwards he got up, threw up the sash and shouted "Murder!" A person immediately below the window said, "If you make another noise I'll blow your brains out," and immediately fired. He thought from his person that it' was Curran that fired at him. He could not swear to him, but he thought it was he from every appearance. They had two pikes which they left; one of them had a handle of old oak. He found that the cellar-window had been forced open, and the cellar-door and back-door were broken open. They went out at the back-door: he missed a pair of stockings. A surgeon was got; he had got about 12 wounds: his head had been broken almost to pieces : his wife was struck at the back of her neck as black as a man's coat; he thought she was dead.

John Williamson, a weaver, employed Hagin at the time; M'Donald had left him some weeks before. Hagin left his house at the edge of dark, and said, "I'll have my night's spree," (drinking). A nail-box peculiarly formed and made by Hagin,

was

was the box found next morning at Mr. Oliver's. He believed one of the pikes found was his.

John Griffith was standing between 9 and 10 at his house in Chapel-street and saw Curran and M'Manus passing him: they looked as if they had not been in bed all night he followed them in consequence of his suspicions: he traced them for more than 3 hours to their lodgings in Jamesstreet he informed Nadin, to whom he pointed out the house.

Joseph Nadin on the 30th sent Platt to apprehend M Donald and went himself with Griffith, who showed him the wrong house; but they found Curran and M Manus in the next house eating beef; they appeared much alarmed; he asked if they lodged there: they said they did. A woman who stood behind him said they were not in their lodgings last night: he brought them to the office: he asked them if they had been at Chapel-street last night. They both said they had not, and said they did not know Hagin, Runy and Murray. Soon after this Platt brought in M'Donald, and all three were sent to the New Bailey. Mr. Barnes brought Hagin to the office. Witness searched him and found a paper with the names of John Runy, Edward Murray, and other names. Barnes brought the box now produced, and Hagin said he had made it, but he had not seen it for a long time.

Ann Williamson, sister-in-law to John Williamson, knew M'Do nald. He worked with John Williamson. She is a married woman and keeps a house. About six weeks before this robbery he

was at her house, and said she was little aware of the judicious scheme that was laid to take away his life. She said she was very much surprised, and pressed upon him to tell what it was. He said, "They have formed a scheme to rob Mr. Oliver's house, and Jim Hagin is going to fettle some looms, and by that means he is to know how to get in," She begged of him to have nothing to do with it. He said, "No; I will wash my hands clean from that, and have nothing to do with it."

Katharine Baron lives in Chapel-street, 50 or 60 yards from Mr. Oliver's; was alarmed on the morning of the 30th, looked out and saw 4 persons coming dut of Mr. Oliver's back-yard; one of them turned round and said, "I'll blow your brains out." She did not know to whom it was said.

She turned back and said, "That is Irish Jem's voice," She had known him (James Hagin) for 2 years. She heard a pistol fired shortly after she had heard the voice. She had heard a pistol fired before she saw the men.

John Barnes, a constable, went to Oliver's house the morning after the robbery, and received the box and two pikes, one in oak-wood and the other out. (The box appeared to have been used as a lantern). On the Friday after the robbery he was sent for by M'Donald, who was in the lock-up at the New Bailey. He said, "Barnes, I wish to speak with you. About six weeks ago we made a plot in John Williamson's cellar to go to Mr. Oliver's house, after that to Mr. Robinson's and then Mr. Jones's, and then we were to divide the spoil

that

that we got. But I was not of the party at the robbery." John Pinlet, a brickmaker, said McCoy worked with him, and they were working together on the evening of the robbery. They usually gave over work at 7, 8, or 9. M'Coy gave over work that night at 6, and gave his reason that he wanted to meet a person at Ardwick-green. The breakfast hour was 8 o'clock. M'Coy worked with him on the morning of the 30th, from 6 to 8. He began telling him of the robbery. He must have known it at 6. It was about 7 when he spoke of it.

James Hagin gave a minute history in his own defence; he had been on the night of the robbery at William Murray's house, having left Williamson's in order to find Runy, one of the men who had left Williamson. He argued with considerable fluency and ingenuity upon the improbability of the evidence against him. "Well aware that death must be the consequence of such a fatal crime, would I not have made my escape when warned that I was to be sworn against? I appeal to all here, even to the injured Oliver, if it is likely that I should have been guilty. I think the evidence against me sufficient to acquit me. I have no witness."

Patrick McDonald said he had a witness to prove where he slept on the night of the 29th.

Cuthbert Parker lived in his brother's house, in Portlandstreet. M'Donald slept with him on the night of the 29th, and had been got into bed when witness went to bed at half-past 10 o'clock. Witness lay awake in

bed for an hour and then slept. He awoke again at half-past 7 in the morning. M'Donald was not in bed then. He did not hear him getting up. He could not tell when M'Donald got up and went out. At 8 o'clock in the morning he saw M'Donald weaving in his brother's cellar.

Ellen Foulks knew Curran and M'Manus, and saw them knocking at their lodgings on the 29th, directly after the watchman had called past 12. They continued knocking till half-past 1. She lived opposite. They went away at 2 o'clock.

John Sharrock, the watchman in Falkner-street, met the two prisoners at the end of St. James's-street about half-past 1. They were coming up, and borrowed his stick to rap at a window. They knocked very loud. He got his stick and left them there.

Cross-examined.-He was examined before, and he had then stated the time to be half-past 2; but he was now certain that it was half-past 1. He called the hours that night.

Mary Kelly takes in lodgers. M'Coy lodged at her house. He came in about 9 on the 29th. She had 4 other men-lodgers. She had occasion to go to M'Coy's room at 11, in showing it to Minton, a stranger who was to lodge there. M'Coy was then in bed. She went to bed about 12, and did not see the prisoner till breakfast time next morning. He had not gone out before 12; she never heard him go out.

Hannah Serice, a single woman, one of three who lodge at Mrs. Kelly's, sat up on that night till

after