After the committal of Thistlewood by the Privy-Council, the whole of the prisoners underwent an examination, likewise by the Privy-Council; and on their being re-committed, one of them proposed to become king’s evidence, which offer was accepted.
During the attendance of Mr. Birnie upon the Privy-Council on Thistlewood’s examination, the officers arrived at Bow-street, with all the persons found in the house where Thistlewood had been apprehended, and Mr. J. E. Conant, the magistrate, proceeded with their examination; they consisted of the landlady of the house, Mrs. Hill, a lodger, and Lewis Casper, a man who did not lodge in it.
Elizabeth Harris, the landlady, stated, that her husband worked at the letter-foundry of Messrs. Caslon and Catherwood, in Chiswell-street, Moorfields. On Wednesday, the 23d of February, she had a bill in her window to let her lodgings, when in the morning, between ten and eleven o’clock, Thistlewood came into her house, and inquired about the lodging: she told him it was only half a bed with her nephew. Thistlewood agreed for the half bed, for which he was to pay two shillings and sixpence a week, and was to take possession of it that night. She at first said, that she had a slight knowledge of Thistlewood, but denied it afterwards. It was supposed she was concealing him, as he was locked up in the room. This she explained, by saying the door flew open, and she could not keep it shut without locking it. She said Thistlewood arrived at her house between ten and eleven o’clock on Wednesday night: he observed that he was late; she replied he was late, and she had almost given him up. He then went to bed. Her street-door standing open only by a latch, the officers had entered and searched the upper part before she knew they were there, when they asked her to unlock the door where Thistlewood was in bed, which she instantly did. She did not know Lewis Casper had been in her house till she found him in the coach with her when they were brought away.
Lewis Casper stated himself to be a watch-finisher, residing in Union-street, Bishopsgate, and accounted for his being in the house by saying he was with Mrs. Hill, the lodger, who washed for him, and he appointed his little boy to call for a key there.
This man was detained till it was ascertained if he was the man he represented himself to be. Mrs. Harris and Mrs. Hill were discharged for the present.
In the course of Thursday, the 24th of February, the following persons were arrested as concerned in the conspiracy:—
Brunt, who was to have been second in command to Thistlewood. He was a shoemaker; an excellent workman, and earned between forty and fifty shillings a week. He was taken in bed. He had previously provided himself with a sword and a brace of pistols, in case of need, but he did not make use of them on this occasion. He was apprehended at his lodgings in Fox-court, Gray’s-inn-lane; in his room a vast quantity of hand-grenades, and other combustibles, were found. These were charged with powder, pieces of old iron, and other materials, calculated upon explosion to produce the most horrible consequences. A great number of pike-blades, or stilettoes, such as were discovered in Cato-street, and a number of fire-arms, were likewise found. The whole of these were taken to Bow-street. He was afterwards sent to Whitehall, and then committed to Coldbath-fields.
Firth, the person by whom the stable was let to Harris. He admitted that he has attended some of the Radical meetings, but denied any knowledge of the conspiracy.
Cooper, a shoemaker, living in Garden-court, Baldwin’s-gardens: he was apprehended in the middle of the day.