Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

11 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

THE IMAGINARY MIRROR OF PARLIAMENT.

PEMBROKESHIRE ASSIZES.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

PEMBROKESHIRE ASSIZES. THE REBECCA AFFAIR. Thomas Howells and David Howells, were indicted for having in company with other persons riotously and tumult- ously assembled together, and for having demolished and pulled down the dwelling house and toll house, of one William Rees. The indictment contained ten counts. Mr. Children stated the case to the jury and called the following witnesses: William Rees: I live at Trevaughan in the parish of Lampeter Velfrey in this county. I am tenant of the gates and tolls. I occupied the toll house, till it was destroyed. I took possession of the tolls under a new taking last Michaelmas. I slept in the toll house till January 16th, when an attack was made on the gates and house. I did not sleep there aferwards. The gates have been destroyed 3 times. I did not sleep there after the 13th January, because the house had been broken. The house had been repaired but no glass windows put in it. On the 13th of February, I was there till 10 o'clock. I was there all day looking after the gates, on the 27th January the bars were replaced and I was there collecting. I did not sleep there because the windows had not been glazed. About 10 o'clock, I went too Rees Isaac's house. I stand there till the clock struck 12 then I went to David Thomas the pen- sioner's where my bed was. I went to bed directly. When I had been in bed 6 or 7 minutes Isaacs came and told me they were breaking the gates, I went down immediately through the fields. I remained in a garden about 80 yards from the toll house. It was moonlight and freezing. I saw people on the roof of the house, making a noise and tearing down the slates. They were about 15 or 20, I could not see their features. I could hear their noise and hallooing plain enough. I heard no shooting. I was afraid to go nearer, for I thought they would injure me. They were throwing stones at those who peeped out. I saw the mob carrying away the toll bar and the timber from the roof of the house to the bridge, and to the meadow towards the river, across the field at the back of Martha Phillips house. The river runs between that meadow and the road. I went up to the toll-house, the roof was gone, the front wall down, the back wall was standing—the beams in the left were fast — at one end. I know the prisoner Thomas Howells well I have known him for 3 or 4 years, I saw him after I went to the toll-house ten minutes or a quarter of an hour after it had been pulled down. He came across the road from the pine end of Martha Phlllips' house I saw him coming over the hedge from the meadow behind Martha Phillips' house. Two or three men were with him, I did not know them. Thomas Howells said Becca has done bad work, and 'ts very cold." He said "you had better have a damper of ale that was said in Welsh. Thomas Howells went towards Trevaughan bridge and one of the men with him. A man could go to Llwndrissy from St. Clears through Whitland without coming to Trevaughan. Lewis Griffiths I am a miller living at Pentypark Mill. On the evening of the 13th of February, I went to bed at the Golden Lion, Whitland, between nine and ten. It was on the ground floor; there were two other men in the bed before me. I had taken pigs to Whitland fair. I went to sleep. The first thing I heard when I awoke was people talking; Thomas Howells was going to drench me with beer, and it ran about me he then offered it to one of the others and he took it. A man came in and said, Becca is come." Thomas Howells sat by the side of the bed talking, and I knew him afterwards by his tongue; the room was dark then; Thomas Howells and John Thomas left the room first. One of the pig-drovers came out of the room with me I followed towards Trevaughan and overtook Thomas Howells, and David Thomas, the son of the Golden Lion. Thomas Howells proposed our going down to the toll-house. I said I feared harm may come of it. We ran down the field, and crossed a trench, went over a hedge at the bottom, and crossed a foot bridge. We then went for Trevaughan Bridge. When on Trevaughan Bridge we could see people throwing down timber at the toll-house. When there, a man ran np with a gun as he came up I saw the Hash of a percussion cap after the percussion cap went off, T. Howells cried Hurrah, Becca." He then came to Thomas Howells and begged money in his hat. Howells gave him some. The man seemed to grumble, and Thomas Howells gave him something more. The man then asked money of me, and I refused. Thomas Howells asked if he should come on, and the man beckoned with the gun for him to come. We then went on to the toll-house, and saw David Howells on the roof taking down a part of the roof. He dropped his hatchet; I picked it up and gave it him. There were about 15 or 20 men taking down the house. Thomas Howells then took the gun and kept the people back. The man helped to pull down the house. He then said he must have the gun, and Thomas Howells, must work." He did not work with the shovel, An alarm was then given that somebody was coming, and the mob ran off. I ran with them into a meadow with a river on the further side of it. Thomas Howells and I came back in 5 or 6 minutes into the road. Thomas Howells spoke to a man in Welsh, I thiuk it was to Rees, the toll-keeper. T. Howells and I then went over the bridge to Watts's public- house. Some girl served him with beer. We did not see Watts. I went to the Lion, leaving Howells at Watts's house. Two of the people were disguised in woman's clothes. Cross-examined by Mr. Evans I think that all the people of the Lion got up. We three, D. Thomas, T. Howells, and myself, ran away together in one direction, and Rebecca and her daughters in another. The mob spoke mostly in English. The man who snapped the gun at me put the gun at the time to his shoulder. The man said. Howells I want some money." That was the first time I knew his name. The man said—" I want more, this is too little." I had been through Whitland once before. The fair was on Tuesday. I then sold my pigs. I staid there four days afterwards. I heard of a reward of £100 on the Friday. I did not talk about the reward on Tuesday morn- ing. I did not then say anything about the reward. I first mentioned this about Howells on Friday before I had heard of the reward. I first heard of the reward at St. Clears at 12. I told this about Howells to Mr. Beynon about 10 that morning. I said that I staid there four days in order that 1 might find more about Becca. Walter John I was in company with Thomas Howells, on the evening of the 13th of February, at the Lamb, at St. Clears. We left the Lamb after night, and went to a public house at Pwlltrap. We afterwards went to the Golden Lion, at Whitland. I did not see John Thomas or his wife there. I was with him in a bed-room on the ground floor. There were pig-drovers in bed. I left Thomas Howells in the room with the drovers. One had awoke if not two before I went. I then went home to Langan, and saw nothing more of Thomas Howells that night. He said at St. Clears that I had gone with him to Llwyndryssi Gate. I was examined at St. Clears, and said then what I say now I was about half an hour at Pwlltrap. Whitland is about half-a-mile from Llwyndryssi Gate. John Thomas: 1 am landlord of the Golden Lion. I remember the 13th of February last. I think I had a sight of Thomas Howells that night, I remember Lewis Roberts coming in and saying Rebecca was come. I don't know what has become of him. I have seen him within a fort- night. I suspect Thomas Howells was in the room before the man went away. I blota he was in the house. We went down together part of the road, two pig-drovers and Lewis Griffiths. We went towards Trevaughan Gate, 200 or 300 yards, not nearer. I don't know where my son is. George Martin I am an Inspector of the London Police. I have been in the country since the 19th of December. I understand Welsh. I have searched for Lewis Roberts but cannot find him, nor David Thomas, nor Benjamin Watts's servant-girls. I had subpoenas for the two servant-girls but could not serve them. Mr. W. Evans I am Clerk to the Trustees of the Whit- land Turnpike Trust. A meeting was advertised for the 13th ( December, íUl adjourned to the lt of iJiUlijary, when I attended at Narberth. Thos. Howells intruded into the room three times, when I sent him out as often. This closed the case for the prosecution. Mr. Evans addressed the jury on behalf of the prisoners. The offence charged was a serious one it was true, that owing to the relaxation which had been made in our criminal code, it did not amount to a capital crime, but the punishment of the prisoners-if found guilty, as he was con- fident they could not be—would be no less than Slavery for life. The learned gentleman then proceeded to sift and test the evidence for the prosecution with the view of show- ing its inconclusiveness. What degree of credit could be given to the man Lewis Was he not an accomplice'? Had he not played the part of a common informer and traitor'? And was it not plain that he had been actuated by the meanest and most sordid considerations 1 He had im- peached the prisoners before the magistrates in the hope of getting the reward offered. His evidence was based on blood money. He would have sold his brethren for a piece of money. What credit then could be given to such a man's assertion '1 Had he not evidently borne false witness against his neighbours'? and would a jury on such testimony —on the unsupported ipse dixit of an accomplice, on the interested evidence of the bribe-stained Griffiths convict the two respectable men at the bar. No; he was convinced that they would not on such evidently hollow and utterly worthless assertion consent to banish Thomas and David Howells from their native land, but would send them home to the bosom of the friends who respected them, and the relations who loved and revered them. Mr. Justice Maule in summing up said—The offence with which the prisoners at the bar are charge is a grave one, and one which required to be suppressed by the strong arm of the law. If persons thought themselves aggrieved or oppressed, it was only making bad worse to take the law into their own hands. The course was topetition Parliament. There could be no doubt that the offence was committed by some persons, and any person who took part in it would be equally guilty. The question for the jury would be if the prisoners, or either of them were the doers of it, whether one or both of them demolished the toll-houses as set forth in the indictment. Lewis Griffiths from his own shewing was an accomplice. If what he says (continued the learned judge) be true, Thomas Howells and David Howells are guilty and his evidence is confirmed in many important particulars. The toll-keeper's evidence establishes the fact that Thomas Howells was near the place when and where the offence was committed. But those parts of Lewis Grifliths's evidence, which bring the offence home to the prisoner, have not been corroborated. If you do not believe Griffiths you will acquit the prisoners. The jury retired for a short time, and returned a verdict of—Not Guilty. N I SIP R IUs. ';1. SLANDER. Cole v. Lloyd.—This case excited considerable merriment. Mr. Hall opened the pleadings, and Mr. Carne addressed the jury for the plaintiff nearly as follows :—Gentlemen of the Jury,—The plaintiff in this suit is a respectable trades- man of this town he is also a member of that society, or body of persons called Teetotalers, and he brings this action against the defendant, who keeps a public house, which rejoices in the sporting name of the Stag and Pheasant," because he, the defendant, in the month of December last, used towards the plaintiff certain oppobrious epithets, in- jurious to his character and good fame. Gentlemen, I need not tell you the value of a good character, nor how often it alone has stood, a man in need. A man's character should should be his all, it should be dearer to him than birth, than wealth, yea, even than life itself. One of our best English poets has said. "He that steals my purse steals trash, 'Twas mine, tis his, and has been slave to thousands, But he that filches from me my good name Robs me of that which not enriches him, And makes me poor indeed." And poor, indeed, would Mr. Thomas Cole be deprived of his good name and fame, which up to this day were un- questionable. Gentlemen, I am aware that the defendant has obtained the able assistance of my learned friend, Mr. Chilton, who will presently address you, and will be doubt- less very witty and facetious. I know that I cannot compete with him in language, I have neither wit nor words, nor action like him, but I advocate a good cause, and shall be able to shew you by indisputable testimony that the defendant made use of the words complained of in the plaintiff's declaration, namely" You are a thieif, a rogue and a murderer" and if I do so, my client will be entitled to a verdict at your hands, The learned gentleman called John Thomas: I am a mason, 1 know the plaintiff I also know the defendant, Thomas Lloyd. I have heard that he keeps the" Stag and Pheasant." I remember seeing the defendant on the 6th December last, when I was in company with the plaintiff, as we were coming along I said, here's one of our brethren," meaning a Rechabite. Lloyd said go your length Cole." Cole said perhaps that's more than you can do. Lloyd then said, Cole, you are a d— little thief, you are a robber, a thief, and a mur- derer." I passed on and Lloyd pursued us saying that d— little Cole wants to kill me. This witness on his cross- examination by Mr. Chilton said, I am a teetotaller. I had been to the meeting. We were only three in company. Cole was not then a Rechabite, he was a teetotaller. There is a difference between the two. Teetotalism is the grand- work of Rechabitism. We drink ginger beer, Consistent" ginger beer. I am sure I was quite sober. I drank nothing that night. We went there to explain the meaning of teetotalism. I was as sober then as I am now. I did not know what Cole meant when he said go your length. I know Lloyd well. I can swear that Lloyd must have been sober before he could have singled Cole out of us three. I know Mr. Heslop, Cole's attorney. I have not seen him riding about lately with a new saddle and bridle. I can't remember whether Lloyd did not call plaintiff an infernal thief. I am quite sure that Lloyd said that little Cole will kill or murder me." I am sure that he said one of the two expressions; rather both than a one. A letter was here put in addressed to the defendant by the plaintiff's attorney, threatening proceedings unless satisfaction were given. Mr. Chilton then addressed the jury in an irresistibly, hu- morous, and sarcastic style. The learned gentleman began by alluding ironically to the importance (!) of the task en- trusted to his advocacy, and of his inability to do justice to a case of such importance. The great damage that little lump of fuel (Cole) sustained was indescribable—the bare idea of it filled the mind and distracted the imagination. Mr. Thomas Cole, what a name, gent! a name hallowed in your recollections! for Old King Cole was a merry old soul, And a merry old soul was he But this Tom Cole flared up with one bowl, A bowl of teetotal And what is this tea made of ? I'll tell you. It is the very best; and after taking strong doses of it, with a certain quantity of that colourless liquid called gin, slyly slipped in, Mr. Cole and his friend, Mr. Temperance Thomas, mistake the Stag and Pheasant" for the Staggering Pheasant," and resolves to take him down. Then comes this letter from Mr. Cole's attorney, demanding an explanation or satisfac- tion. Satisfaction, gentlemen, what a mighty word of many meanings. It ranges from a bullet through the thorux to a verdict of damages and costs. Mr. Cole is a. saddler, but he has now put the saddle upon the wrong horse. I cannot get out that Hr. Helop has been seen riding about lately with a new saddle and bridle but should either of you gentlemen witness this, be assured there is nothing like leather. His lordship briefly summed up, and the jury, after retir- ing for twenty minutes, returned a verdict for the defendant. Attorney for the plaintiff, Mr. J. Scowcroft.

[No title]

1ífjtfllattrOttfj.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

[No title]

BUTE DOCKS, CARDIFF.

A HEART TO BE LET.

dFact, iPtrttott, antr :11atttíæ.…

Advertising

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.