Mr. Garrow-Was that box the box where the witneffes had been examined?

A. Where the witneffes had been examined, and where perfons who attended the trial through curiofity had been. They went to the spot where the riot was, and jumped amongst the rioters all the lights, except thofe before the Judges, and the lights which hung in the middle of the Court in a kind of branch or chandelier-I do not recollect exactly what fort of a thing it was; it gave a confiderable light-but all the other lights were extinguished.

Mr. Garrow-The chandelier that hung over the prisoners? A. In the middle of the Court: there were, I think, three patent lamps in it-it gave a great deal of light. Mr. Ferguffon, at the moment that Mr. O'Connor jumped over the bar, turned himself round, and appeared to me to follow Mr. O'Connor; but I cannot pofitively say that he did so, because the persons who rushed from the other fide of the Court came between me and him; but I recollet that when they were paft I did not fee him. I then attended to the prifoner O'Coigly, apprehenfive that he might efcape; and that at tracted my attention in fome degree from what was palling in the riot; he was perfectly tranquil; and I was convinced, from his behaviour, that he did not mean to ftir; and therefore my attention was drawn back again to the riot. Mr. Knapp's clerk, Mr. Stafford, jumped upon the table, and drew Mr. O'Connor's fword-a kind of broad fword, I think-which was lying upon the table; and he flourished it over the heads of the perfons who were engaged in the riot below. I got up to fpeak to him, to defire him to put up the fword, which, after fome time, he did; and foon after Mr. O'Connor was brought back. Mr. Stafford being between me and the rioters, prevented me from feeing what paffed after the riot was over. I do not recollect any thing material, except Lord Thanet; that is, a perfon whom I understood to be Lord Thanet. I did not know Lord Thanet's perfon; that is, I did not recollect him: I had feen him many years ago. I faw a perfon, who I understood to be Lord Thanet, come across the table; and I jaw him in converfation with Mr. Justice Law rence: that converfation was a little warm, but I did not hear the particulars of it. When my Lord Thanet left Mr. Justice Lawrence, and went across the table again, I heard him fay, "I thought it was fair he should have a run for it."

2. Was that addretied to the Judge in parting from him and going across the table?

A. I think it was not addreffed to the Judge, but as he turned from the Judge: he said it rather in a tone of anger; I think it was in confequence of what had fallen from Mr. Jus tice Lawrence, which I did not exactly hear.—I do not recollect any thing else.

Crofs-examined by Mr. Best.

Q. While Mr. Ferguson was speaking to Mr. O'Connor, he was in his place at the bar?

A. He was.

Q: There was a vast number of other perfons at the fame time Speaking to Mr. O'Connor?

A. Yes.

2. I believe it was generally understood in the Court at that time, that Mr. O'Connor would be acquitted?

A. I do not know whether they were congratulating him it was after he was acquitted.

2. You fay he was in his place at the bar: do you recollect ever feeing him quit his place at the bar?

A. I have already said, I think he did: I have already stated, I am not pofitive as to the time, but that I did not fee him when the rush that paffed between me and Mr. O'Connor was made.

Mr. Juftice Heath fworn, examined by Mr. Attorney, General.

2. Your Lordship, I believe, was one of the Commiffioners of Oyer and Terminer at Maidstone ?

A. I was.

2. Did your Lordship obferve any riot that took place.

A. I did; and if you will give me leave, I will ftate all that I obferved. I was applied to, in the course of the day, by a meffenger from the Secretary of State, who informed me that a warrant was iffued for the apprehenfion of Mr. O'Connor in cafe he should be acquitted, and defiring to know if the the Court would permit him to execute that warrant if he should be acquitted; and we gave leave. After the verdict had been given, and, I believe, after fentence of death had paffed, this meffenger very unadvisedly went from that corner of the box where the prifoners were confined, to that corner which was near the door, and faid aloud, “My Lord, may I now execute my warrant ?" Presently after, I faw Mr. O'Connor thrust one leg over the box, and then draw it back again: afterwards, in the space of a minute, I faw him leap over the box. I could not fee any perfon between him and the door at that moment: immediately a great fcuffle and a riot enfued, and a great deal of fighting, fuch as I never faw before in a Court of Juftice; it appeared to me to be between the constables with their staves

on

on one fide, and those who favoured the efcape of O'Connor on the other. I know not from whence the favourers of Mr. O'Connor came; it being dark, I could not fee exactly the number of the combatants; it was dark in that place where they were fighting: but, from the exertion of the conftables in plying their ftaves, it feemed to me that there must have been ten or twenty, I fuppofe, all fighting together. I faw a man with a naked fabre, brandishing it over the heads of the combatants; one of the officers of the Court, I believe, came up to me with a brace of pistols, which, I believe, belonged to Mr. O'Connor, and lay upon the council-table, faying, "I have fecured thefe at last." This combat, I fuppofe, might last five, fix, or feven minutes; I cannot exactly fay how long: but, in the courfe of it, I jaw Mr. Ferguson ftanding upon the table, together with many others; he turned round towards the Com miffioners, and faid, I believe particularly addreffing himself to 5 My Lords, the conftables are the perjons that are the rioters; they are the occafion of it," or words to that effect. Before I could give him an anfwer, he turned round again towards the combatants; it was impible, from the noife, for him to hear any thing I could fay to him: my attention was chiefly turned from him to the more interesting scene of the fight; but I must do him the justice to jay, that, in the very fhort time I faw him, which was not above a minute or jo, I did not obferve him jay or do any thing to encourage the riot. I thought myself in gecat danger, and that we were all fo. I could not guefs at the view of the rioters, how far it extended, or whether they had any and what arms; indeed we were more alarmned, because we had intelligence before-hand, that there was a very difaffected party in the town. That is all I have to fay.

me,

Charles Abbott, Efquire, fworn, examined by Mr. Law.

2. Was you in Court when the Jury brought in their verdict?

A. I was.

2. Did you obferve any motion made by Mr. O'Connor towards quitting the bar?

A. I do recollect that Mr. O'Connor made a motion with his body as if he would leave the bar. Mr. Ferguson, almost at the fame inftant, Jaid, " He is difcharged." Mr. Solicitor General then called across the table, " No, stop him, he is not difcharged." Juft at the fame inftant, one of the officers, either Rivett or Fugion, but I cannot fay which, got upon the form and preffed forward towards Mr. O'Connor, and at the fame time faid he had a warrant; there was then a little confufion for a fhort fpace of time, but not very long; the prifoners refumed their places, and Mr. Justice Buller proceeded to pass

the

up

whom I loon learned to be Mr. Stalford, drew a fabre, and went to that corner of the table where the confifion was. Mr. Garrow cautioned him not to ftrike; and he did not appear to aim the fabre at any body, but merely to keep it moving over their heads. When this fecond tumult began, I rofe and stood the form upon upon which I had been fitting, fo that I was ftanding before Mr. Justice Buller and Mr. Justice Heath, with my back towards them: when the confufion began to abate, I turned round, and entered into fome converfation with Mr. Juftice Buller; and foon after this, while I was in that fituation, I faw my Lord Thanet ftanding on the table, nearly before Mr. Juftice Lawrence, which was towards my right hand. I heard Mr. Justice Lawrence Speak to Lord Thanet to this effect" I think it would be an act of kindness in Mr. O'Connor's friends to advise him to go quietly to the prifon, left fome mischief should happen:" I do not pretend to state the learned Judge's words; but the fubftance, I believe, I am correct in. Lord Thanet then turned abruptly round towards his right hand, which brought his back towards me; and I did not diftinctly hear the first words that he uttered, but the concluding words were either " to have a run for it," or fair to have a run for it." I will not be quite certain of the word fair;" but of the words" to have a run for it," I am quite certain. I have the more particular recollection of this, be caufe, fhortly afterwards, I obferved Mr. Sheridan at the fame part of the table, and heard Mr. Juftice Lawrence speak to him to the fame effect that he had before fpoken to my Lord Thanet. Mr. Sheridan anfwered with great civility, either that he had done fo, or that he would do it: it was the different manner of Mr. Sheridan to that of my Lord Thanet that made me recollect that.

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2. Do you recollect Mr. Juftice Lawrence making an obfervation upon that?

A. Yes.

Mr. Erfkine-To whom?

A. To Mr. Sheridan.

2. In the prefence of Lord Thanet ?

A. No; he was gone and I recollect that Mr. Juftice Law. rence faid to Mr. Sheridan, that he had made the fame obfervation to another gentleman.

Mr. Law-Have you any doubt of the words fpoken by Lord Thanet," to have a run for it?"

A. I have not.

籍

John

John Rivett fworn, examined by Mr. Garrow.

2. Did you attend at Maidstone as a witness upon the trial of O'Connor and others?

A. I did.

2. Was any application made to you by one of his Majefty's meffengers to affift in apprehending Mr. O'Connor, if he should be acquitted by the Jury?

A. Yes, there was.

2. Did you, in confequence of that, go into Court with a view to give that assistance?

A. Yes, I did.

2. Who went with you?

A. Fugion, my brother-officer.

2. He was another officer of the police?

A. Yes, and the messenger; we all three went into Court together.

2. Is Fugion fince dead?

A. He is.

2. After you had gone into Court, do you remember seeing a gentleman of the name of Thompson ?

A. I was informed that was the gentleman's name.

2. Should you know him now if you was to fee him? A. I think I fhould: I have never seen him fince-I was very near the bar where the prisoners ftood.

2. At which end of the bar was you? was you on the fide the fartheft from Mr. O'Connor, or the nearest ?

A. Nearest to the jailor, which was the right-hand fide of the bar.

2. While you was in this pofition, had you any conversation with a gentleman you understood to be Mr. Thompson ? A. Yes.

2. State it to the Court?

A. The gentleman whom I understood to be Mr. Thompson, a Member of Parliament, afked me, "what I did there?" I made him little or no answer. He then faid, "What business have you here?" or words to that effect; "have you got any thing against Mr. O'Connor ?" meaning, as I fuppofed, a warrant ; I did not know what his meaning was; I replied, "No." I believe he asked Fugion likewife, to the best of my recol. lection.

2. You and Fugion had been both examined as witneffes upon the circumftance of the apprehenfion of Mr. O'Connor ? A. We had.

2. And, to the best of your recollection, Mr. Thompson put the fame inquiry to Fugion?

A. He did.

2. What then paffed ?

A. I then obferved a gentleman, whom I knew to be Mr.

O'Brien,