This was but a vain boast; for, at the moment the officer seized him, he was evidently paralized. He shewed no disposition to resist. No arms were found in the room, with which he could defend himself, and when he was carried off to Bow-street, six officers were left behind to search every hole and corner in the house. This they did, and found nothing to warrant an opinion that he was capable of making a formidable resistance.
It is, however, rather a suspicious circumstance, that while the officers were engaged in securing their prisoner, the landlady, Mrs. Harris, slipped out, and gave an intimation of what was occurring to her husband, who was a type-founder in the manufactory of Messrs. Caslon. From that time he has been “out of the way.” It was ascertained that he was the manufacturer of all the bullets found upon the conspirators. A warrant was issued for his apprehension.
The officers are satisfied that the arms which Thistlewood had in Cato-street have not been found, and imagine that he deposited them with some friend. It is a matter of surprise, that in getting rid of these evidences of his guilt, he should have kept in his possession the black belt which was seen round his waist in the loft, and which, with some ball cartridges, was found in his pocket in White-street.
Up to the time of his last appearance before the Privy-Council, he made no inquiries respecting his family, but was particular in his questions as to the persons who had been arrested. Among others, he mentioned the name of Palin, for whose apprehension a reward of two hundred pounds had been offered, and again describing in the most minute manner the person of Brunt, with an evident intention to avoid mentioning his name, he asked if he was arrested? Upon these heads he received no satisfactory answer.
Mrs. Thistlewood is a smart, genteel little woman, dresses well, and from the first seemed perfectly alive to the situation of her husband, in whose political sentiments she heartily concurs. On the officers going to search her lodgings, she did not manifest any of that alarm which, in a female, might be considered natural. She received them with calmness, accompanied by a certain air of dignity, and demanded their authority for searching her premises. Being satisfied on this head, she permitted the search to be made without further hindrance. She has a son, who seems a genteel ingenious youth. When she obtained permission to visit her husband, the interview always took place in the presence of an officer, and her person was scrupulously searched, even to the removal of her stays and cap, and these precautions were continued from first to last.
The prisoners all standing fully committed on the clearest and most satisfactory evidence, the preparations for their trial commenced, and on the 8th of March the following Special Commission of Oyer and Terminer was issued by the Crown:—
George the Fourth, by the grace of God, of the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King, defender of the Faith, to our most dear cousin, William Henry Duke of Portland; our well-beloved and faithful Councillors, Sir Charles Abbott, knight, Chief-Justice, assigned to hold Pleas before us; Sir Robert Dallas, knight, Chief-Justice of our Court of Common Pleas; Sir Richard Richards, knight, Chief-Baron of our Court of Exchequer; our beloved and faithful Sir William Garrow, knight, one of the Barons of our said Court of Exchequer; Sir William Draper Best, knight, one of the Justices assigned to hold Pleas before us; Sir John Richardson, knight, one of the Justices of our said Court of Common Pleas; Sir John Silvester, baronet; Newman Knowlys, Francis Const, Charles Bosanquet, Charles Trelawny Brereton, James Clitherow, James Ferguson, Edmond Alexander Howard, Richard Paul Joddrell, Samuel Purkis, Thomas Wood, and Peregrine Dealtry, Esqrs., greeting.
Know ye that we have assigned you, and any two or more of you (of whom one of you, the aforesaid Sir Charles Abbot, Sir Robert Dallas, Sir Richard Richards, Sir William Garrow, Sir William Draper Best, and Sir John Richardson, we will shall be one) our Justices and Commissioners to inquire by the oath of good and lawful men of our county of Middlesex, of all High Treasons and misprisions of High Treason, (other than such as relate to the coin), and of the murder of one Richard Smithers, deceased, and of any other crime or offence touching the death of the said Richard Smithers; and of any offence or offences against, touching, or concerning the persons of Frederick Fitzclarence, William Legge, James Ellis, John Surman, William Westcoatt, William Charles Brooks, John Muddock, and Benjamin Gill, or any of them, contrary to the form of an Act made and passed in the forty-third year of the reign of our late royal father, King George the Third, entitled “An Act for the further prevention of malicious shooting, and attempting to discharge loaded fire-arms, stabbing, cutting, wounding, poisoning, and the malicious using of means to procure the miscarriage of women; and also the malicious setting fire to buildings;” and also for repealing a certain Act made in England, in the twenty-first year of the late King James the First, entitled, “An Act to prevent the destroying and murdering of bastard children;” and also an Act made in Ireland in the sixth year of the late Queen Anne, also entitled, “An Act to prevent the destroying and murdering of bastard children, and for making other provisions in lieu thereof;” and also the accessories of them, or any of them, within our county aforesaid, as well within liberties as without, by whomsoever and in what manner soever done, committed, or perpetrated, when, how, and after what manner; and of all other articles and circumstances concerning the premises, and every or any of them, in any manner whatsoever; and the said treasons and other the premises according to the laws and customs of England for this time to hear and determine; and therefore we command you, that at a certain day and place, which you or any two or more of you (of whom one of you, the said Sir Charles Abbott, Sir Robert Dallas, Sir Richard Richards, Sir William Garrow, Sir William Draper Best, and Sir John Richardson, we will shall be one), shall for this purpose appoint, you make diligent inquiries into the premises, and that you do hear and determine all and singular the premises aforesaid, and do cause to be done therein what to justice appertains, according to the laws and customs of England; saving to us the amerciaments, and other things from thence to us accruing. We do also command all and every our officers, ministers, and subjects, by virtue of these presents, that they attend, advise, obey, and assist you in the execution of the premises, in all things as it behoves them. And we do also command, by these presents, our sheriff of our said county of Middlesex, that at such certain day and place, as you, or any two or more of you, (of whom one of you, the aforesaid Sir Charles Abbott, Sir Robert Dallas, Sir Richard Richards, Sir William Garrow, Sir William Draper Best, and Sir John Richardson, we will shall be one), shall make known to him, he do cause to come before you, or any two or more of you (of whom one of you, the aforesaid Sir Charles Abbott, Sir Robert Dallas Sir Richard Richards, Sir William Garrow, Sir William Draper Best, and Sir John Richardson, we will shall be one), such and so many good and lawful men of our said county, as well within liberties as without, by whom the truth of the matter in the premises may be better known and inquired into. In witness whereof, we have caused these our letters to be patent. Witness ourself at Westminster, the eighth day of March, in the first year of our reign.
BATHURST.
Monday, March 27, 1820, was the day appointed for opening the Special Commission for the trial of the Conspirators engaged in the Cato-street plot, and the officers of the Crown attended accordingly in the court at Hicks’s-Hall, at nine o’clock in the morning. The gentlemen who were summoned on the grand inquest were also in attendance.