An Authentic History of the Cato-Street Conspiracy / With the trials at large of the conspirators, for high treason and murder, a description of their weapons and combustible machines, and every particular connected with the rise, progress, discovery, and termination of the horrid plot

by George Theodore Wilkinson

“Gentlemen, it frequently and providentially happens, as it generally will in conspiracies of this nature, that some of the parties, previous to the perpetration of their wicked designs, feel some compunction, which leads to a disclosure of their plans, and a prevention of their intentions; and you will find in evidence, in this case, that upon the Tuesday, the day on which the intelligence was received that the dinner was to be at Lord Harrowby’s the next day, which really was the case, one person of the name of Hiden, who had these plans communicated to him, because it was hoped that he would become a participator in their designs, felt such compunction as to compel him to communicate to Lord Harrowby the plan that was designed; and you will find, that upon that day, this person took an opportunity of watching Lord Harrowby from his house, on horseback, into the park, and there he generally communicated to him that some mischief was intended against him, and therefore forewarned him of it.

“It will also appear to you, that at their meeting on Tuesday some little alarm had been excited in the minds of some of the party, by a person named Adams, who had been told by the publican at the White Hart, that their meetings had been suspected, and that they were in some hazard of being discovered. He therefore stated to Thistlewood, and others, on Tuesday, that a communication had been made to him by the landlord that their meetings at the White Hart public-house had been observed by some of the police officers, and therefore he expressed his apprehensions, that their plans had been discovered, or were likely to be discovered. This excited in the minds of those present the greatest agitation. They were astonished that Adams should have ventured at such a meeting, consisting of fourteen or fifteen persons, to hint that there was a possibility of their plans being discovered. The intelligence produced the greatest alarm, and they immediately took into consideration what was best to do.

“The prisoner Brunt, in order to ascertain whether there was any ground for the suspicions entertained by Adams, proposed that some of the party should be posted near Lord Harrowby’s house, on Tuesday evening, and early on the following Wednesday, with a view of seeing whether any preparations were made to receive any intended attack, and thereby to ascertain to their satisfaction whether or not their plans had been discovered; and you will find that the suggestion of Brunt was carried into effect, by sending two or three parties, amongst whom was a man named Davidson, who will be a very conspicuous person throughout this transaction, and one of the most active partizans, to watch the house. They sent him and another person about six o’clock that evening, to watch Lord Harrowby’s house, and they were to be relieved between eight and nine o’clock by two others of the party, who were to keep three hours’ watch; at the end of which time they were to be relieved by others, who, in their turn, would be relieved by four in the morning. It will be proved to you that they actually went there on that night, and were seen by different persons in Grosvenor-square, watching Lord Harrowby’s house for the purpose mentioned, and finding, as was the case, that there appeared to be no alarm—that there were no police officers, or troops of any description introduced into Lord Harrowby’s house, or stationed in the neighbourhood, they felt quite satisfied that it was a groundless alarm on the part of Adams—that there was no foundation for suspecting that any of their plans were discovered; and therefore they proceeded without hesitation or dread to complete, as far as they could, the purpose they had in view.

“On the Wednesday morning, great preparations were made. Arms were brought by Brunt in great abundance to the stable in Cato-street; they consisted of sabres, swords, guns, pistols, and other destructive instruments of offence. But one of the most terrific instruments, and calculated for the most deadly purposes, and which they prepared themselves, was what was called a hand-grenade. It was composed in this way—there was a quantity of gunpowder enclosed in a tin case, three or four inches in circumference, round which was tied a quantity of tow, and on the outside was a quantity of iron, in pieces of various descriptions, sharp-pointed, and otherwise shaped, which were fastened together, and tied round with the same sort of material I have mentioned, so as to enable the instrument to explode with the greatest force; and the object of this machine was stated without disguise to be this: that upon their entrance into Lord Harrowby’s house, it was to be lighted by a fusee, communicating with the powder, and then thrown into the room; and by the explosion, the persons exposed to the mischief might be killed or wounded, as would naturally be the case. It seems they had prepared a great number of these destructive instruments; I know not how many.

“They had also prepared what they, in their mode of expression, called illumination balls, made for the purpose of setting fire to any buildings which it was their object and purpose to destroy. They had prepared also a large quantity of ball cartridges, the amount of which will probably surprise you, considering the apparently feeble means these persons had of procuring articles of this description. Will it be believed, that they had prepared between 11 and 1,200 rounds of ball cartridges? They had also prepared several sorts of cartridges of a different description, made with flannel bags, and had provided themselves with a very large quantity of powder. They had also prepared a great number of pikes, and pike handles, for the purpose of arming their friends and associates, who had no other arms. All these preparations must, obviously, have been the work of a considerable length of time. They must have been the fruits of very great labour, and they were all prepared and ready on the 23d of February for their intended operations.

“On the morning of the 23d of February, several of the conspirators assembled at Brunt’s house, where they were engaged in completing their hand-grenades, putting flints into their pistols, loading their arms, and, in short, making every preparation for the approaching attack. These facts will be proved to you by Brunt’s apprentice. I have already told you, that for the purpose of their meeting, and for the convenience of having some place near to Lord Harrowby’s house, a stable had been hired by one of the conspirators in Cato-street, near the Edgeware-road.

“I know not whether curiosity has led any of you, as it has done a great many of the public, to visit the place; but if it has not, I will endeavour to describe the situation, and I think you will agree with me, that a more appropriate situation for the purpose contemplated could hardly be selected. It is an obscure street, having a very narrow access at either end. I think at one end there is not any access for carriages, and at the other there is an archway, and under it posts, to prevent none but foot-passengers going in or out. The east end passes into John-street, and the west end, which is a very narrow cartway, runs into Queen-street, both John-street and Queen-street running parallel with each other into the Edgeware-road. The stable is the first building as you enter Cato-street from John-street on the right-hand side of the way, and it is nearly opposite the small public-house, called by the sign of the Horse and Groom. The stable had been occupied by General Watson, who is abroad, and rented of him by a person of the name of Firth, by whom it was let to Harrison for this purpose. It consists below stairs of a stable, with three stalls, and a small place adjoining, for the reception of a carriage or cart; and at the further end of it, nearly opposite the door, as you enter, is a step-ladder leading up into the loft over the stable, on the side of which are two small rooms, which are immediately over the cart or coach-house.

“It will be proved to you, that previously to the meeting on that evening, which was to take place about seven or eight o’clock, preparations had been made by Harrison, and several others of the party in the stable, for the reception of those who were to be assembled. In order to avoid the observation of the neighbourhood, some pieces of canvass had been nailed up against the window of the loft, to prevent persons from observing on the opposite side of the street what might be passing; and it was remarked by several of the neighbours, that this place was visited by a great number of persons during the afternoon, who were carrying something on their backs which the neighbours did not discover, but which, I have no doubt, were the arms and other implements of mischief collected there, and found when the prisoners were taken. Harrison, who was known to be one of those persons, was observed going into the stable in the afternoon; and on being asked what his purpose was in going there, he said, he had taken it from Firth, and was cleaning it out. About six o’clock, Davidson, the man of colour, was also observed by some of these persons residing close to the stable, going in with something on his back, and under his arm, which they could not discover, and a number of candles in his hand. You will find that he applied at one of the houses adjoining the stable, at six o’clock, to light one of these candles, with which he went into the stable. A party was to meet at Brunt’s lodgings, in order to proceed from thence to this stable. Tidd, whose name I have already mentioned, and who lived in the Hole-in-the-Wall-alley, was to accompany another party. They had not communicated to all the party, at first, the precise place of meeting, but some were to meet at the Horse and Groom, and others were to go to the Edgeware-road, near John-street, where some of the conspirators were to shew them to the place of rendezvous.

“Between seven and eight o’clock Brunt, and some others from his house, took their departure with arms, with which they had there provided themselves, and concealed under their coats, to this stable in Cato-street. They met there Thistlewood, Ings, Wilson, and some others, and here they proceeded to arm themselves with the weapons provided, and which were afterwards found; such as guns, pistols, swords, a great number of hand-grenades, and a considerable number of pikes, rudely formed, but sufficient for the purpose of doing incredible mischief. The handles of the pikes were composed of rough ash sticks of a large size, the ends of which were planed off, to admit a ferrule, and at the end was stuck a pike-head or bayonet; for articles of both descriptions were found, screwed on for the purpose of being afterwards used.

“At first their party at Cato-street consisted only of fourteen or fifteen persons, and some little alarm was excited, and some little suspicion evidently raised, in the mind of Thistlewood and some others, at Tidd’s not making his appearance at the appointed time, for there being some remarks made that their number was not so large as was expected, it was stated by Thistlewood, and by some others, that there were other persons, who would by-and-by assemble, and that other parties were gone for different purposes about the metropolis, who were not to accompany them to Lord Harrowby’s house in Grosvenor-square. In a short time afterwards, however, Tidd made his appearance with a person named Monument, who will be produced as a witness; a person who had only been recently induced to participate in their schemes—who a short time before had been introduced to Thistlewood, and who had an intimation generally with respect to their particular views; but he had not been admitted to a knowledge of the whole scope of the plan, until he arrived at Cato-street, although he might be aware that their object was to overturn the Government in some way or other. He arrived, however, with Tidd about seven o’clock, and the party at that time consisted of about twenty-five persons; two of them were appointed to remain as sentries below stairs to prevent any interruption. These persons were Davidson and Ings, and they remained on guard whilst the other conspirators were above stairs talking over their plans, and making the final arrangements for proceeding to Lord Harrowby’s house, in Grosvenor-square, which they proposed to do between seven and eight o’clock. Some alarm, as I have already told you, had prevailed in the party. Some of them expressed a fear that their own strength was hardly adequate to the object in view. Upon which Thistlewood and Ings said the opportunity must not be lost; that there was enough to complete the purpose of destroying his Majesty’s ministers; that when that was accomplished, the other consequences would follow; that they should have parties ready to set fire to different parts of the metropolis; that they would be joined by immense numbers the moment the first blow was struck, and therefore, there could be no hesitation in their minds to execute the intended purpose.