28 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



prison in Cold-bath-fields. On 

 Wednesday night last it assumed a 

 more serious aspect ; for, on locking 

 up the prisoners, manyof them were 

 heard to murmur very loudly, and 

 even to threaten the keepers. The 

 next day, as usual, about sixty of 

 them were liberated from their cells, 

 and suffered to take the air in the 

 most open places in the prison, but 

 not without a strict eye being kept 

 on their conduct ; and they were 

 observed to whisper frequently 

 among themselves, which gave the 

 governor some concern lest they 

 should attempt any thing serious. 

 When the bell rung as the signal for 

 locking up, they mustered together 

 instead of separating, and appeared 

 to have some plan to execute, but 

 were afraid to begin their opera- 

 tions. However, after a trifling 

 resistance, and a great deal of grum- 

 bling, they all suffered themselves 

 to be locked up in their different 

 cells. It was then that they began 

 to call and encourage each other 

 to cry out " Murder !" — " Starv- 

 ing," &c. They also abused the 

 magistrates in the grossest terms. 

 Their noise was so loud, as to col- 

 lect round the prison a large mob, 

 who answered them in loud shouts. 

 When they heard the shouting, they 

 again called to the mob to force the 

 gates and pulldown the walls. This 

 kind of conduct alarmed the gover- 

 nor ; and he immediately sent for 

 the high-constable, who readily at- 

 tended with a number of assistant 

 constables; at the same time the 

 Clerkenwell association came to the 

 prison, but it was nearly twelve 

 o'clock before they suci,eeded in dis- 

 persing the populace, which con- 

 sisted of five or six thousand people. 

 One man only was apprehended for 

 fiotous conduct on the outside, and 



taken into the prison. After the 

 felons had become more silent, some 

 of them were heard to call to each 

 other, that it would be best to re- 

 main quiet for that night, lest they 

 should not be let out the next day, 

 which was the chapel morning, and 

 that would be a good opportunity to 

 knock down the keepers, and force 

 the gates. This circumstance being 

 communicated to Mr. Baker and 

 other magistrates, who had attended 

 to give their advice, it was thought 

 prudent not to let the prisoners out 

 of their cells the next day, as usual, 

 a few excepted, who were not re- 

 fractory. Mr. Baker, and three 

 other magistrates, attended the pri- 

 son a great part of yesterday, and 

 inspected almost every cell, for the 

 purpose of ascertaining the cause of 

 their complaint ; but they either 

 could or would not give any expla- 

 nation, except one person, who said 

 that he was starved ; but, on ex- 

 amining a basket, in which he kept 

 his bread, there was found a pound 

 and a half, which he had saved from 

 his daily allowance, and what his 

 friends had been permitted to send 

 him, besides about two pounds of 

 pudding. The Bloomsbury, St. Se- 

 pulchre's St. Clements, and Clerk- 

 enwell associations, all attended by 

 turns to watch the prison ; »nd the 

 Clerkenwell cavalry were parading 

 round the outer gates last night, to 

 keep the mob off, who had again 

 collected in great numbers, but the 

 prisoners seemed to be quiet. 



A shocking murder was commit- 

 ted this night at Nottingham. Three 

 peace-officers attempted to appre- 

 hend a hair-dresser, who stood charg- 

 ed with a robbery to a considerable 

 amount. As soon as the hair-dresser 

 perceived who they were, he fired 

 a horse-pistol at the officei; nearest 



