CHRONICLE. 



57 



for Sykes's ;" but before they 

 could accomplish their wicked pur- 

 pose on our friend, some military 

 arrived, accompanied by Mr. Tur- 

 ner, whose exertions have been 

 indefatigable. He had been much 

 distressed on seeing our house in 

 flames, and had seen nobody to in- 

 form him of our escape. The fe- 

 males of Mr. Sykes's family are 

 gone to Manchester for security, 

 whilst we have taken refuge here. 

 The post-chaise in which we came 

 was escorted by four Scotch Greys. 

 The rioters were headed by two 

 men, dressed in women's clothes. 

 who were called general Lud's 

 wives. We are again left without 

 apparel, but such as the kindness of 

 our friends supplies. Mr Sykes 

 has been trying to get more soldiers 

 at Edgelcy, for the rioters appear 

 worse than ever. Marsland and 

 other families have taken shelter at 

 Manchester. Mr. Garside, who 

 endeavoured to protect our proper- 

 ty, and even ventured to reproach 

 the mob for their conduct, has 

 been severely beaten and bruised. 



" It is now nine o'clock at night, 

 and I learn the mob are more out- 

 rageous than ever at Edgelcy. 

 Fresh soldiers have been just sent 

 there. Another troop of horse is 

 expected to-night." 



15. On Wednesday evening an 

 extraordinary investigation took 

 place at Bow-street. Croker, the 

 officer, was passing along the 

 Hampstead-road ; he observed at a 

 short distance before him two men 

 on a wall, and directly after saw the 

 tallest of them, a stout man, about 

 six feet high, hanging by his neck 

 from a lamp-post attached to the 

 wall, being that instant tied up and 

 turned off by the short man. This 

 unexpected and extraordinary sight 



astonished the officer; he made up 

 to the spot with all speed, and just 

 after he arrived there, the tall man, 

 who had been hanged, fell to the 

 ground, the handkerchief with 

 which he had been suspended hav- 

 ing given way. Croker produced his 

 staff, said he was an officer, and 

 demanded to know of the other 

 man the cause of such conduct; in 

 the mean time, the man who had 

 been hanged recovered, got up, 

 and on Croker's interfering, gave 

 him a violent blow on his nose, 

 which nearly knocked him back- 

 ward. The short man was endea- 

 vouring to make off; however, the 

 officer procured assistance, and 

 both were brought to the office, 

 when the account they gave was, 

 that they worked on canals. They 

 had been together on Wednesday 

 afternoon, tossed up for money, and 

 afterwards for their clothes; the tall 

 man who was hanged won the 

 other's jacket, trowsers, and shoes; 

 they then tossed up which should 

 hang the other, and the short one 

 won the toss. They got upon the 

 wall, the one to submit, and the 

 other to hang him on the lamp- 

 iron. They both agreed in this 

 statement. The tall one, who had 

 been hanged, said, if he had won 

 the toss, he would have hanged 

 the other. He said, he then felt 

 the effects upon his neck of his 

 hanging, and his eyes were 

 so much swelled that he saw dou- 

 ble. The magistrates expressed 

 their horror and disgust ; and or- 

 dered the man who had been hang- 

 ed to find bail for the violent and 

 unjustifiable assault upon the offi- 

 cer, and the short one for hanging 

 the other. Not having bail, they 

 were committed to Bridewell for 



trial. 



IG. Slac/cpvrt. 



