MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 125 



of mind, he set off unusually soon in the morning, 

 to let the men down to their work ; knowing that 

 the object of his suspicions, a wicked, ignorant, 

 young fellow would be the first, and alone. He 

 began by accusing him of the horrid deed, and 

 instantly to beat and overpower him ; threatening 

 him that he would drag him to the pit, and throw 

 him down the shaft, if he did not confess. The 

 threat succeeded ; he was afraid of his life, and 

 confessed. My father instantly dismissed him 

 from his employment. When the rest of the men 

 came to their work, they saw, by the blood, and 

 the retaliating blows on my father's face, that 

 something unusual had occurred. He then told 

 them the particulars, at which they greatly rejoiced. 

 In this state of things, the accusing culprit, while 

 he bore the marks of violence upon him, set 

 crippling off to lodge his complaint to the justices, 

 and my father was summoned to appear before 

 them. When met together, the justices (Captains 

 Smith and Bainbridge,* of the Riding), heard the 

 charge of assault, which, from the first appearance 

 of the complainant before them, they had no 

 reason to doubt. They both expressed their sur- 

 prise to find such a charge against my father, with 

 whom they had been in habits of neighbourly 

 intimacy, and who was the last man on earth they 

 could suspect as capable of committing such an 

 outrage. After laying down the law in such cases, 



* Now Major Bainbridge, who has been many years in the com- 

 mission of the peace, in which he is much respected as a magistrate 

 and a man. Without knowing what side he took in politics, I have 

 always considered him as a local patriot, keen of promoting every- 

 thing for the benefit of Tyneside. While I am writing this (23rd 

 June, 1823) he is living, and in his 8jth year. Captain Smith I did 

 not know. (Major Bainbridge died 6th December, 1826, in his 

 9 ist year.) 



