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
The notorious PRESTON, the cobbling politician, of Spa-fields’ memory,
was also this day arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the
plot, under a warrant issued by R. Birnie, Esq. It appears that the
lodgings of this man were searched a few days before, but nothing
of a suspicious nature was found. On those occasions he facetiously
said--“his armory could not boast of a swan-shot, nor his port-folio
of a scrap of paper of the slightest political interest.” Circumstances
afterwards transpired which led to his arrest upon a charge of high
treason. He was found industriously engaged in mending a shoe, with his
family about him. He was surprised at this new visit, but submitted
to his fate with cheerfulness, not unaccompanied by an apparent sense
of his own importance. His daughters were highly indignant at this
intrusion on their domestic privacy. The officers conducted their
prisoner to Bow-street office, from whence he was sent to the Marquis
of Anglesea public-house opposite. He was placed under the care of
Lack, one of the patrol. He called for “a pipe and pot,” and, seating
himself before the fire, seemed perfectly happy. He laughingly said to
a gentleman who went to see him, that he thought “the farce would not
be complete till he was taken.” He had previously denied all knowledge
of the late conspiracy. After being shortly examined before Mr.
Birnie, he was sent to Covent-garden watch-house, where he remained in
confinement during that night. On the following morning he was removed
from that place of confinement to the secretary of state’s office for
the home department, where, at twelve o’clock, the Lords of the Council
assembled, consisting of the Cabinet Ministers, the Marquis of Camden,
Mr. Peel, Sir William Scott, Sir John Nicholls, Mr. Sturges Bourne,
together with the Attorney and Solicitor-Generals, and other law
officers.
Mr. Buller, one of the principal clerks of the council, attended to
take the minutes of the proceedings. When Preston was taken in before
the Lords of the Council he behaved with his usual boldness and low
insolence to most of their lordships personally. He called upon them
with the most ludicrously impudent arrogance, and asked what they
meant by sending for him to disturb his peace of mind, and to disturb
the economy of his family, alluding to his three daughters binding
shoes, and himself making them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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