“Having thus assembled their forces, and prepared themselves for the desperate object of their enterprise, they began between seven and eight o’clock to consider who should be the party to enter Lord Harrowby’s house to destroy the ministers. The plan had been, that Thistlewood was to knock at the door, under the pretence of having a note to deliver to Lord Harrowby, and by that means having obtained access to the hall, they were to compel the servants to shew them to the room where the ministers were assembled; that they were to secure the servants, who, they naturally believed, would be soon overpowered, and should then immediately make their way into the room; and then they should, without discrimination, without reserve, or without any remorse, destroy every one of his Majesty’s ministers who should be assembled.
“I have stated to you, gentlemen, already the exultation and impiety displayed by Brunt on one occasion, when he contemplated the completion of his sanguinary purpose; and I cannot conceal from you one fact, as it affects the man named Ings, which will be distinctly proved; he had been a butcher, and he had armed himself on this occasion not with a blunderbuss, a gun, or any thing of that sort, but with a large butcher’s knife, and for the purpose of enabling him to use it with more effect he had twisted round the handle a quantity of thread, in order that when saturated with the blood of his victims, it might not slip out of his hand; and he stated, in language of the most gross and horrible import, that with this knife he would himself effect the murder and mutilation of some of the persons who should be assembled. The cruelty of the designs this man expressed, is beyond all description. The scenes, in fact, which had disgraced another country some years back, were to be acted again on British ground, and the heads of some of the ministers were to be triumphantly paraded through the streets, to procure converts to this detestable cause! Gentlemen, that very knife was found upon, and taken from, that man; and I mention that only as a corroborating fact, if corroboration be needed. Gentlemen, thank Heaven, that Providence which kindly watches over the acts and thoughts of men, mercifully interposed between the conception of this abominable plot, and its completion, which was all but perfected.
“In consequence of the communication made to Lord Harrowby, measures were taken in other quarters to prevent the impending danger. It being stated that these persons had met in Cato-street, for the purposes I have already mentioned, means were immediately taken to secure the conspirators, which, however, were not so effectual as could have been wished, but certainly so far as to prevent the execution of their dreadful purposes. In order to remove all suspicion from the minds of the conspirators, it was determined by Lord Harrowby, that the preparations for the dinner, which he had intended undoubtedly for his Majesty’s ministers, on that occasion, should go on; and in order that there should be no suspicion in the house of my Lord Harrowby, his servants were desired to proceed in the necessary arrangements for the dinner, because there is no doubt, that if any alteration had taken place in the arrangements of the day, it would have been communicated to the conspirators; and if they suspected that the dinner was not intended to take place, they would have changed their measures, and the ends of justice would have been defeated.
“In consequence, therefore, of the seeming perseverance in the design of having a cabinet dinner, all suspicion was removed from the minds of the Cato-street conspirators, who no doubt expected that they should be enabled, from the short distance of their rendezvous, to reach Lord Harrowby’s in about ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, and accomplish their purpose unmolested—a circumstance not unlikely, considering that the hour of eight was chosen; considering that the neighbourhood was the most quiet and retired in London; at a time, too, when the inhabitants of the square and its vicinity were employed in domestic retirement; at that hour when suspicion must be lulled asleep, and when no apprehensions could be entertained of personal danger; for that hour, and that moment was chosen by the Cato-street conspirators to issue from the scene of their nefarious deliberations. Precautions, however, had been taken as I have stated to you, in order to prevent the accomplishment of their designs. A number of Bow-street officers and patrol, had been directed to go to the spot, and endeavour to watch their movements, and counteract their operations, before they took their departure, and endeavour to secure the whole assemblage.
“A party of the Guards also were to attend in John-street, to assist the police; and, just at the moment that these persons were about to set out, and when Thistlewood was calling over those who were to separate from the rest to execute this horrible plan, the officers entered the loft. Upon their entrance into the stable below, they found two persons there, armed, who will be proved to be Davidson, for his colour, which is nearly black, was perceived; he had a double belt round his waist, in which were pistols and a cutlass, and he had a gun over his shoulder; they found him inside the door, and another person, who will be distinctly identified to be Ings. He was found at the bottom of the ladder, with this knife, with a cutlass, a sword, and with pistols.
“The officers, with a resolution and courage which does them high honour, considering the desperation and determination of these characters, immediately ascended the ladder without securing the persons below. They merely gave directions to those who followed, to keep them secure, and they thought that would be enough, without actually confining them. The first man who went up was a person of the name of Ruthven, who will be called to you: he was followed by a man named Ellis: after whom came a man, of whom you have undoubtedly heard before, named Smithers, who met his death by the hand of Thistlewood.
“On Smithers ascending the ladder, either Ings or Davidson hallooed out from below, as a signal for them to be on their guard above, and upon Ruthven ascending the ladder, Thistlewood, who was at a little distance from the landing-place, and who was distinctly seen, for there were several lights in the place, receded a few paces, and the police-officers announced who they were, and demanded a surrender. Smithers unfortunately pressed forward in the direction in which Thistlewood had retreated, into one of the small rooms over the coach-house, when Thistlewood drew back his arm, in which there was a sword, and made a thrust at the unfortunate man, Smithers, who received a wound near his heart, and, with only time to exclaim, “Oh! God!” he fell a lifeless corpse into the arms of Ellis. Ellis, seeing this blow given by Thistlewood, immediately discharged a pistol at him, which missed its aim. Great confusion followed; the lights were struck out; the officers were forced down the ladder, which was so precipitous, being almost perpendicular, that they fell, and many of the party followed them.
“Thistlewood, among the rest, came down the ladder; and, not satisfied with the blood of one person, he shot at another of the officers as he came down the ladder, and pressed through the stable, cutting at all who attempted to oppose him, and made his escape out into John-street, the military not having yet arrived; and he was no more seen at that time, except with a sword in his hand in the Edgware-road. By the other persons an equally desperate resistance was made.
“Conscious of the evil purpose for which they had assembled, they waited not to know on what charge they were about to be apprehended; but instantly made a most desperate resistance. Ings, Davidson, and Wilson, were particularly desperate, each, I believe, firing at some of the officers or military, who had only come to the ground on hearing the report of the fire-arms, not having been previously directed to the exact spot.
“Notwithstanding the resistance, however, which they so desperately made, and in which resistance Thistlewood, Tidd, Davidson, Ings, and Wilson took a most active part, by attacking the officers and soldiers, the whole of the conspirators were, at length, fortunately overcome, and eventually eleven of them secured. Not on that night, however, for three out of the eleven for the time escaped, namely Thistlewood, Brunt, and Harrison. The officers, however, not only secured on that night the eight men, but various articles of fire-arms, numerous weapons, and certain combustibles.