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 plotWilkinson, George Theodore
History
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
Wilkinson, George Theodore
Cato Street Conspiracy, 1820; Great Britain -- History -- George IV, 1820-1830; Thistlewood, Arthur, 1770-1820 -- Trials, litigation, etc.; Trials (Murder) -- England -- London; Trials (Treason) -- England -- London
When the prisoners were secured by the soldiers, I went up into the
loft, and saw Smithers lying on his face; this was twenty minutes or
half an hour after the entrance had been made. There were hand-grenades
and arms lying about the room. I had no time before to pay attention
to Smithers. A man below stairs endeavoured to escape from the door;
he had a pistol in his hand. I called out, “Secure that man!” When
I did so, he lifted his arm, and attempted to fire the pistol at
Captain Fitzclarence; I caught hold of him, and the sergeant coming
up, I desired him to take the pistol. The man fired, and struck the
sergeant’s coat with a bullet.
I believe only four of us got up. The party in the room fired directly
at the staircase, thinking we were coming up in numbers. If they had
not done so, they would have killed me, for I stood at one side of it.
There was somebody below who I expected would take care of the
sentinel; but, in the confusion, he was handed from one to another,
and thus escaped for a few minutes. It was quite dark, and I could not
see the party escaping. There were, I think, twenty shots fired at us.
It appeared to me as if some shots were fired from the window into the
street to create alarm. The whole civil power present on the occasion
was not more than twelve or fourteen men. I do not know the man who
was acting as sentinel; I believe his name is Davidson. He is a man of
colour. I had not time to notice him particularly. I believe he was the
man who was walking at the foot of the stairs, with a cutlass by his
side, and a musket on his shoulder. I believe there was one light in
the lower part of the building where he was. Some one, however, cried
out, “They are up-stairs,” and we heard the clashing of arms. I cannot
identify the man who was below stairs, I cannot swear to him. There was
another officer shot on the left side of the head; he was dangerously
wounded; his name is Surman. Another officer, of the name of Westcott,
had two or three shots through his hat. One of the bullets struck him
on the finger, but did not hurt him materially. I was not wounded at
all. At the time I did not know friend from foe. Immediately when
the party cried out, “Kill the b----s,” I also said, “Kill them,” in
order to deceive them. I had a brace of pistols; one of them flashed
in the pan. The lights being out, I was afterwards afraid to fire,
lest I might kill one of my comrades. There was a latch to the door
which led into the street, and I found no difficulty in getting in. I
secured a considerable quantity of arms; amongst the rest there was a
large grenade, and several hand-grenades. The large one consisted of
a tin canister, with a plate at top, strengthened by several pieces of
iron, and bound round with a quantity of tarred rope. I got eight of
the hand-grenades; they were about the size of my doubled fist. I also
found in the room two swords, and some ball-cartridges, which are in my
possession.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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