Part 1
# 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 ### By Wilkinson, George Theodore
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+-------------------------------------------------+ |Transcriber’s note: | | | |Obvious typographic errors have been corrected. | | | +-------------------------------------------------+
[Illustration: ARTHUR THISTLEWOOD]
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.
_With Portraits of all the Conspirators, taken during their Trials, by Permission, and other Engravings._
[Illustration]
BY GEORGE THEODORE WILKINSON, ESQ. EDITOR OF THE NEW NEWGATE CALENDAR IMPROVED.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR THOMAS KELLY, 17, PATERNOSTER-ROW, _And sold by all Booksellers in the United Kingdom_.
PREFACE.
To those, who are accustomed to look with an observant eye upon the causes which lead to the fall and destruction of nations, the present epoch offers materials for their most weighty consideration. They have seen their country involved in one of the most destructive and arduous contests ever recorded in its annals; they have seen the combined force of the civilized world directed against its very existence; they have witnessed its unexampled and glorious struggle; the loyalty and patriotism of the people, and finally they have beheld it, rising at the close of the contest, not subdued nor conquered, but towering with renovated fame and lustre, and scattering to their loathsome dens the dark demons of anarchy and ruin; they beheld the industrious artisan returning to the shuttle--the laborious peasant to the plough--the war-worn soldier was seated at his native hearth telling the story of his battles, and the weather-beaten sailor, in the fulness of his pride, was glorying in the wounds obtained in the defence of his country. Peace gave to the nation its blessings, and round the consecrated altars of our fathers knelt the children of this favoured land in grateful prayer to that God, who had gone forth with them in the day of battle; and who, in the wreck of surrounding kingdoms, had vouchsafed to spread over this his protecting hand. But, in the midst of these cheering prospects, the pestilential air of Atheism and Infidelity was raging abroad like the blasting heat of the Simoon in the desert, and throwing its sickening hue over the beautiful forms of Religion and Virtue. Men, if such an exalted name can be given them, who have openly thrown off all submission--all reverence--all duty and love to their God; who, in the most blasphemous manner, had reviled and denied their divine Redeemer, considered themselves enfranchised from every moral and religious duty, from allegiance to their earthly Sovereign and obedience to the laws of the country. In the latter they beheld an irksome, and disagreeable restraint upon the exercise of their degenerate passions, they tore themselves away from the great human Society, despised its relations and its duties, and in their midnight assemblies traitorously plotted the massacre of some of the most exalted individuals of the country. In themselves they united the dreadful characters of traitor, incendiary, and murderer. Apostates from their religion, a spirit of horrible infidelity hardened their hearts against all the tender feelings of humanity and virtue, blinded their understandings to the dictates of truth, and rendered them capable of the vilest crimes. But the eye of Providence watched over their victims in the dark recesses where their hellish plots were engendered; the Omnipresent Being marked their actions, and, at the very moment of their expected accomplishment, dragged them forth to the execration and vengeance of their injured country.
We live in times teeming with events of such uncommon magnitude, that they seem to laugh to scorn all that we used to call important in our former history. Let us not deceive ourselves. It is no petty danger that threatens us; we are not anxious about some dubious point of honour, nor are we contending for any secondary interest; but for the very body and substance of our Island: not for the foliage, nor even the branches, but for the trunk of the British Oak; that Oak so different in all respects from the Tree of Liberty, intended to be reared in the Country by certain pretended Patriots; that Oak beneath which a grateful and a happy people had so long sheltered; and under which the distressed of other countries have often found a refuge, when driven to seek protection from the stormy blasts in their own less happy land.
But to what are the temporal evils which now afflict the country to be traced? Undoubtedly to apostacy in religion, and to the alarming growth of infidelity and deism. Conspirators never found an asylum in the habitations of Christians. The roll of turbulent revolters that History has recorded and transmitted to us, as the assertors of the _Rights of Men_, exhibits not one disciple of the meek and lowly Jesus. The true believer in the doctrines of Christ feels himself, in the view of the picture exhibited of the real Christian, grounded still stronger upon the sure foundation of his faith upon the solid rock of this heavenly dispensation. His soul catches new fire from the host of examples which Christian History records: he shudders at the attempts which are made proud and factious men to withdraw subjects from their allegiance, to plunge them into the horrors of anarchy and civil war; he trembles with astonishment and indignation, when men rejoice over the mangled remains of Princes and of statesmen, and over the bloody corpses of Sovereigns butchered by the hands of their own rebellious subjects. It is to the progress of irreligion and the decay of morals, that the increase of crime which now stigmatises the country, is to be attributed. It is to the fatal neglect of their religious duties, and to the renunciation of the blessings which Christianity offers them, that the miserable men, whose dreadful acts are recorded in the following pages, have been doomed to expiate their crimes on the scaffold. Religion does not leave the interests of mankind within the contracted circle of his social duties: its influence is extended in its protection to the utmost possible degree. The Christian is not only obliged by his profession to be a good man, but also to be a good citizen. He must be obedient to the governing powers under which he is born and placed. No subtilty of reasoning, nor any perversion of language or texts of Scripture will countenance him in acts of rebellion against his lawful Sovereign. Whenever, indeed, the standard of rebellion is unfortunately lifted up against our Prince, it is the duty of the Christian to be active in his allegiance, and to defend the Government to which he belongs, with all possible energy.
It has, however, pleased an Almighty Providence to protect the Rulers of this Country from the diabolical machinations of a set of lawless wretches who sought to erect their own interest on murder, rapine, and treason. Their names are transmitted to posterity, branded with the most horrible crimes that disfigure human nature; their lives are forfeited to the injured Laws of their Country: and, although they may have attempted to console themselves with the vain belief that the punishment for their deeds ends in this world, the dread reality has now flashed upon them that there is also another world in which the hardened and unrepentant sinner will meet his everlasting doom.
To the Atheist and the Infidel let the blood of these men speak with the most solemn admonition. The time is fast approaching when the veil of earthly things will be removed from their sight; when the cobweb texture of their fancied theories will be torn asunder; and truth, with its radiant light, burst upon them. Then let them pause, ere it be too late: a dreadful example has been set before them of the effect of irreligion and immorality. If the Atheist bear the holy name of father, let him ponder well ere he resign his soul to everlasting perdition: let him, as his babes cling around him, picture to himself the horrors of that grave on which no morning breaks; and the excruciating horrors of that death-bed which is not blessed with the hope of a future state. Let him, in his dispassionate moments, visit the grave of the murderer Thistlewood; let him there reflect upon the end of a life of infidelity and irreligion; and then may that Almighty Being, who looks with a benignant eye upon the weaknesses of his creatures, guard him from the error of his ways, and teach him that real and substantial happiness on earth is only to be found in RELIGION, VIRTUE, and MORALITY.
ADDRESS.
Among all the wild, wicked, and visionary schemes of which we have seen the rise and fall, in this age of infidelity and disaffection, none can be compared with that of which we are about to give the frightful history, for extravagance in its origin, ferocity in its details, or fiend-like triumph in its anticipated consummation. It is an event which must for ever blot with disgrace the fair page of British history, and it exhibits an awful and humiliating view of the state of degradation to which the human mind may be brought, when once it has cast off the fear of God, as inculcated in the divine precepts of Christianity.
The present work professes to be an authentic and digested history of the rise, progress, discovery, and termination of the atrocious Cato-street Conspiracy; interspersed with so much of the personal history of the individuals concerned, as may be necessary to illustrate the principle which it is the main object of this work to inculcate, namely, that to the abandonment of the duties of our holy religion alone, is it to be attributed that we have men among us wicked enough to conceive, and others so weak as to assist in, such preposterous and atrocious schemes.
The first part contains the history of the plot; its detection; the murder of Smithers, the peace-officer, in the execution of his duty;
## particulars of the subsequent arrests; all the proceedings before the
Police Magistrates, and the Privy Council; and a full and accurate description of the horrid weapons of destruction, and infernal combustible machines, intended to be used by this detestable gang of assassins.
The second part contains, at great length, the TRIALS of all the executed conspirators, and the disposal of the other persons arrested, with a variety of additional particulars relative to the plot. The accounts of the execution, and decapitation, which are given with great correctness and fidelity, will be found interesting and affecting, and the APPENDIX contains sketches of the lives and conduct of the executed criminals, together with a copious history of the proceedings relative to that base and infamous individual GEORGE EDWARDS, the Spy and instigator to Treason.
The work is confidently submitted to the public, in the earnest hope that it may be found so serious a comment on the intentions and ultimate views of sanguinary and designing men,--who traverse the country, intruding themselves into all classes of society, with specious plans of reform in their mouths, but, in reality, with revolution, massacre, and plunder in their hearts,--that every honest man, and every Christian, may be induced to shun their councils as he would a pestilence, and to adopt for his motto and rule of conduct the truly-British sentiment of our forefathers,
“FEAR GOD AND HONOUR THE KING.”
TO THE BINDER.
Place this quarter sheet, (a) containing ADDRESS, _&c._ immediately between the Title and the Preface, and insert the PLATES in the following order, viz.:
Portrait of Thistlewood to face Title-page.
View of the Premises in Cato-Street 10
Portrait of Adams} ---- Hyden } 109 ---- Monument 167 ---- Tidd 325 ---- Davidson 339 ---- Ings } ---- Brunt } 378
The Execution 385
HISTORY
OF THE
Cato-Street Conspiracy,
_&c. &c._
On the morning of Thursday the 24th of February 1820, the metropolis was thrown into the greatest consternation and alarm, by the intelligence, that, in the course of the preceding evening, a most atrocious plot to overturn the government of the country, had been discovered, but which, by the prompt measures directed by the privy council, who remained sitting the greatest part of night, had been happily destroyed by the arrest and dispersion of the conspirators. Before day-light the following proclamation was placarded in all the leading places in and about London:--
LONDON GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY,
_Thursday, February 24, 1820_.
Whereas _Arthur Thistlewood_ stands charged with high treason, and also with the wilful murder of Richard Smithers, a reward of _One Thousand Pounds_ is hereby offered to any person or persons who shall discover and apprehend, or cause to be discovered or apprehended, the said Arthur Thistlewood, to be paid by the lords commissioners of his majesty’s treasury; upon his being apprehended and lodged in any of his Majesty’s gaols. And all persons are hereby cautioned upon their allegiance not to receive or harbour the said Arthur Thistlewood, as any person offending herein will be thereby guilty of high treason.
SIDMOUTH.
The above-named Arthur Thistlewood is about forty-eight years of age, five feet ten inches high, has a sallow complexion, long visage, dark hair, (a little grey), dark hazel eyes and arched eye-brows, a wide mouth and a good set of teeth, has a scar under his right jaw, is slender made, and has the appearance of a military man; was born in Lincolnshire, and apprenticed to an apothecary at Newark; usually wears a blue long coat and blue pantaloons, and has been a lieutenant in the militia.
The particular part of the plan of the traitorous conspirators, which had been frustrated by their arrest the previous evening, was the following; and its atrocity fully justified the alarming impression which the first rumours had created.
It had been ascertained by the gang, that the greater part of his majesty’s ministers were to dine together at the Earl of Harrowby’s, and this was considered as a favourable opportunity for effecting their entire extermination: Thistlewood was to have knocked at Lord Harrowby’s door, with a letter, purporting to be a despatch, or with a red box, such as is used in all the public offices, desiring it to be delivered immediately to the cabinet ministers at dinner, without delay. The servant, it was supposed, would immediately proceed with the despatch, while Thistlewood, with another of the conspirators, entered the hall as if to wait. They were immediately to open the street-door, others were to come in with hand-grenades, which were to be thrown into the house; and, in the confusion produced by them, all the rest of the conspirators were to rush into the dining-room, where the ministers were at dinner, and the work of assassination was to have been instantly begun.
The sensations thus excited in the public mind, were by no means allayed, when, in the course of the day, the details of the horrible transaction began to develope themselves; every one felt a breathless anxiety to probe to the bottom the secret workings of so detestable a conspiracy, confidence between man and man became weakened, and that social intercourse which constitutes the peculiar charm of society in this happy country, seemed to be placed at the mercy of the midnight assassin; the only hope left to the upright and the loyal portion of the community was, that the discovery would finally terminate in the beneficial result of purging society of some of the foulest members that apparently ever moved in it.
For some time previous to the day on which the arrests took place, it had been known to his Majesty’s government, that an attempt at the assassination of his Majesty’s ministers was meditating, and that Arthur Thistlewood was at the bottom of it. On Tuesday, the 22d of February, certain advice was received, that the attempt was to be made on Wednesday night, at the Earl of Harrowby’s, in Grosvenor-square. It is supposed that the Earl of Harrowby’s was fixed upon, because, being nearer the outlet from London than the residence of any other of the cabinet ministers (Lord Westmoreland’s excepted, who lives in the same square,) escape out of town, after the attempt had been made, would have been more easy. Be this as it may, the conspirators, as soon as they had ascertained that the cabinet dinner was to be held there, lost no time in arranging their dreadful and diabolical project.
The place chosen to arrange finally their proceedings, to collect their force, and to arm themselves, was near the Edgeware-road. John-street is a short distance on the road, and intersected by another street, called Cato-street.
Cato-street is rather an obscure street, and inhabited by persons in an humble class of life; it runs from John-street into Queen-street, and is parallel with Newnham-street. It is open at one end for the admission of carriages, but is closed by posts at the other. The premises occupied by the conspirators consisted of a three-stall stable, with a loft above, in a very dilapidated condition. They are the property of General Watson, and have been recently in the possession of an old servant of his, who had turned cow-keeper. From this man they had been engaged by some of the diabolical crew whose machinations have been so happily discovered. The people in Cato-street were utterly ignorant that the stable was let until Wednesday, when several persons were seen to go in and out, and carefully to lock the door after them. Some of these individuals carried sacks, and parcels of various descriptions.
For two or three hours previous to the entrance of the stable, the police-officers were on the spot, making their observations, but still no suspicion was excited of the real object of their attack; and so well was the plan of surprise laid, that, until the discharge of fire-arms was heard, every thing remained perfectly quiet.
Thus accurately informed of the intentions of the conspirators, warrants were issued to apprehend them while they were assembled. These warrants were put into the hands of the police-officers, under the able direction of Richard Birnie, Esq., the chief magistrate of Bow-street. A detachment of the Coldstream Guards from Portman-street barracks, were also ordered to accompany the police-officers. They proceeded to the place of meeting in Cato-street, the police-officers proceeding first. The conspirators had taken the precaution to place a sentinel below.
The military consisted of the picket-guard of the 2d Coldstream Regiment, which was stationed in Portman-street barracks. It consisted of thirty men, including a sergeant and corporal, and commanded by Captain Frederick Fitzclarence, who happened to be on duty at the time. They were called out about a quarter to eight o’clock; each man provided with twenty rounds of ball cartridge. The detachment immediately proceeded in the direction of the Edgware-road. The men were not acquainted with the business on which they were called out. They supposed a fire had taken place, and that they had been sent for to protect the property. On their arrival within about sixty yards of the house in Cato-street, John-street, the place of the meeting, they were halted for a few minutes, during which they were ordered by Captain Fitzclarence to fix bayonets and shoulder arms. They were also enjoined to observe the strictest silence. The detachment then marched on, but had not proceeded more than a few yards when they heard the noise of fire-arms. They were then ordered to advance in double quick time, and instantly came in junction with the civil officers, who had arrived previously on the ground, and were engaged with the party in the house.
The only approach to this pandemonium was by a narrow ladder. Ruthven, one of the principal Bow-street officers, led the way, and he was followed by Ellis, Smithers, Surman, and others of the patrol. On the door being opened, about twenty-seven or thirty men were seen within, all armed in some way or other; and some of them engaged either in charging fire-arms, or in girding themselves in belts similar to those worn by the military, while others were in close and earnest deliberation. There were tables about the room, on which lay a number of cutlasses, bayonets, pistols, sword-belts, pistol-balls in great quantities, ball-cartridges, _&c._
As the officers entered the room, the conspirators all started up, when Ruthven, who had been furnished with a warrant from the magistrates, exclaimed--“We are peace-officers! Lay down your arms!” In a moment all was confusion. The notorious Arthur Thistlewood, opposed himself to the officers, armed with a cut-and-thrust sword of unusual length. Ruthven attempted to secure the door, and Ellis, who had followed him into the room, advanced towards the man, and, presenting his pistol, exclaimed--“Drop your sword, or I’ll fire instantly!” Thistlewood brandished his sword with increased violence, when Smithers, the other patrol, rushed forward to seize him; and on the instant the ruffian stabbed him to the heart. Poor Smithers fell into the arms of his brother-officer, Ellis, exclaiming--“Oh, God! I am----” and in the next instant was a corpse.
Whilst this deed was doing, the lights were extinguished, and a desperate struggle ensued, in which many of the officers were severely wounded. Surman, one of the patrol, received a musket-ball on the temple, but fortunately it only glanced along the side of his head, tearing up the scalp in its way. The conspirators kept up an incessant fire; whilst it was evident to the officers that many of them were escaping by some back way. Mr. Birnie exposed himself every where, and encouraged the officers to do their duty, whilst the balls were whizzing round his head. At this moment Captain Fitzclarence (a young officer well known for his gallantry and gentlemanly conduct) arrived at the head of the detachment of the Coldstream Guards. They surrounded the building, and Captain Fitzclarence, with Sergeant Legge and three files of grenadiers entered the stable, where the first object that presented itself to their sight, was one of the party running out of the stable, apparently with intention to make his escape. He was seized by one of the soldiers, when the ruffian instantly approached the gallant captain, and presented a pistol at his breast; but, as he was in the act of pulling the trigger, Sergeant Legge rushed forward, and, whilst attempting to put aside the destructive weapon, received the fire upon his arm. Fortunately for this brave man, the ball glanced along his arm, tearing the sleeve of his jacket, from the wrist to the elbow, and only slightly wounding him.
[Illustration: _Exterior View._]
[Illustration: _Interior View._]
A black man was the next that was started from his place of concealment; he was armed with a cutlass. He also aimed a blow at Captain Fitzclarence, but was seized and secured by one of the soldiers, James Basey, without any injury to the latter but a slight cut on the finger. Then addressing himself to his friends in the house, he exclaimed, “Fight on while you have a drop of blood in you--you may as well die now as at another time.”