Newport Chartists Vol.1, p.48

Description

48

Stephens a Blacksmith. Stephens was there & Edward Brickley.
Witness turned the grindstone while Gibby was grinding
a tool, it was longer than a foot - It was made of Iron & Steel
& to fit on a stick, the other Men Stephens & Brickley
were making these articles, the Shop door was closed by the
latch, it was betwixt 8 and 9 at night - Witness heard the
3 men say these things were made for the row to be on
the Monday & it was to be commenced some part of
Sunday night but didn't know what time, they said
they grinded them to have more edge on 'em there were
about a dozen of them made there. The 3 men all asked
Witness to go with them or he should be sure to lose his
life - On the Sunday night Witness went to Gibby 's, he went
because he was in dread of his life between them all from
thence he went to the Prisoner Jenkin Morgans the Milkman
down at Pill. Gibby went with him, it was in the Evening or
night time - saw Prisr there & there was a dozen of them
altogether there Brickley was there. They were getting these
Tools ready, they called them Pikes. They were fastening
them on new handles made of Ash, they fastened them
with two small hatchets, they stretched these tools on the
ground & drove a nail thro' the Iron & handle, the handles
were some of them 7 feet & some of them 8 feet long they said
they bought the handles at some shops in Newport - they
were about a dozen in number - the handles were in a
small bit of a Room to the back of the Kitchen, Witness
saw Prisoner bring them out of that Room - This was at
Prisoners house. Witness saw Prisoners wife there - After Witness
saw them fasten on the Pikes they went away taking one a
piece - Gibby sd he had one at his own house & he went out &
came back with one. Witness saw Prisr with one & a Bayonet,
he had a belt round his waist & the Bayonet was in it. Witness
saw the Bayonet over the fire place before Prisr put it in his belt.
Prisr took the Bayonet down & offered it to witns but he refused
to take it, saw the Prisr go out of the house, he took the Bayonet &
Pike with him, did not see him any more that night they told witness
they were going as far as Caerleon to meet the Mob. Gibby & Morgan sd this they asked
witness to go with them, he refused & Prisr then sd if witness would not go he must
take his oath not to mention to Man Woman or child what he had seen . . Call


[r. margin]
said
David Herring

154

[at foot]
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