THE DEFENCE.
Mr. Curwood rose to address the Jury on the part of the prisoners. He said, “that he had now rose for the fourth time, to urge those topics on behalf of the unfortunate men at the bar, which he had previously submitted to other Juries in the course of these trials. The force of those topics remained in his mind undiminished; he was still conscientiously satisfied, that the charge of high treason in these cases was alone supported by the testimony of Adams,—a man, the infamy of whose character ought in his estimation, to deprive him of all claims to credit.”
The learned gentleman then went over the different points of the evidence, and contended with great ingenuity, “that whatever might have been the diabolical intentions of the prisoners—however ready they might have been to inflict vengeance on those whom they might suppose to be the authors of those melancholy transactions, but too frequently designated as ‘the Manchester Massacre,’—yet, that in all these things there was nothing in reason or common sense, that could lead to a fair and rational conclusion that they had it in contemplation either to compass and imagine the death of the king, or to levy war against the king.
“If the Jury, under all the circumstances, entertained with him this opinion, he had no doubt they would not hesitate to acquit the prisoners.”
During the time Mr. Curwood was addressing the Jury, Davidson took from his pocket a Bible, into several parts of which he inserted small pieces of paper, for the purpose of enabling him to turn more readily to certain passages which he intended to quote in his defence.
Mr. Adolphus now called the witnesses for the defence.
Mary Barker, the daughter of Tidd, deposed, that she knew Edwards and Adams. Edwards left at her father’s house, about a fortnight before the affair in Cato-street, a number of grenades and some powder. Adams also left a very large grenade. They were to be called for again. Edwards took them once away, and brought them back afterwards. They were taken away again on the 23d of February by Edwards; and some were brought back on the morning of the 24th, about a quarter of an hour before the officers came. She did not know the person by whom they were brought back. A box remained which had never been opened.
As the witness left the Court she squeezed her father’s hand. They both seemed much affected. Tears came into the eyes of Tidd, which he endeavoured to suppress. The daughter was in an agony of grief.
Thomas Chambers deposed, that he lived in Heathcote-court, Strand; Edwards and Adams repeatedly called upon him. They came together to his house about a week before the Cato-street business, when Edwards said, “Won’t you go along with us?” Witness said, “Go where?” when Edwards answered, “Oh, you must know that there is something on foot.” He replied, he did not; when Adams said, “We are going to kill his Majesty’s Ministers, and we shall have blood and wine for supper.” Edwards said, “By ——, Adams, you’re right.” On the Monday before the Cato-street business they came again. Edwards brought with him a bag, which he wished to leave with witness. He asked what it contained; when Edwards said, “Only some pistols, and things of that sort.” Witness would not receive it, and they went away. He saw no more of them.
In cross-examination, witness said, “I believe I have been sworn on the prayer-book. I never was sworn before above twice; I believe in Christianity. I was brought up in the Christian faith, and continue in it. I am no member of any faction. I never saw Paine’s works. I know the two prisoners. Davidson I know since the time of Mr. Hunt’s procession. Tidd I have known only in the trade. I cannot say how long; I might have known him at the Smithfield Meeting, and elsewhere. I attended all the meetings held in the open air. I scorn all secret meetings. I know Thistlewood, Ings, Harrison, Strange, and Bradburn. I carried banners in some of the processions. I carried no weapons. Thistlewood has been repeatedly at my house. I took all the flags to my house. I saw him also at the Black Dog, in Gray’s Inn-lane. I used to frequent the White Lion, in Wych-street; I went to attend the meetings there. They called themselves Reformers. I was always in the waggons with Hunt. When I refused to go with Adams and Edwards to kill his Majesty’s Ministers, I did not think they would ever get any persons to be so foolish as to join them. I may be a great fool, but not foolish enough to enter into such a scheme. I did not communicate the project to any magistrate. I never heard any thing said against his Majesty’s Ministers, more than what I saw in the newspapers. I do not read Paine’s works; I only read Cobbett, and have a drawer full of them. I also read the Prayer-book and Bible.”