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THE SHEFFIELD OUTRAGES.— SHOCKING DISCLOSURES.

bboadhead's examination. {Concluded from our last.'] At tbe opening of the Commission on June 21st, the man BroadheaJ was again examined. Hiscnun'enance wa3 serious — perhaps a little anxious, and it had in its expression a certain admixture of do^gedne-ss. Before the ex amiimiion comnnncd, Mr Overend said : Mr Broahead, in the cause of justice and in the interest of those whom you mny implicate, I give you this warning. I daresay you have a false honor that you won't implicate o f hers. I look on my notes, and I find that you hare never told us the name of a single person you caused to ratten ; you have never disclosed a Bingle fact that has not been proved by two witnesses. You have never admitted anything that we did not know. Now, if you are to obtain a certificate, you have to tell us all that you know, and we must be satisfied that it is all that you know*; it is not only telling about those things which have been mentioned, but if it should turn out in the result that there are other things with which you are proved to have been associated, and you have not told us about them, unquestionably your certificate will be withheld. And, again, it is not in the interest of any man who may have been associated with you to attempt to screen him, because if others, believing that you can screen them, do not come forward to state what they know, you may be the cause of their being actually punished. But if they know you have told all, most likely they will come forward to state what they have done, and if they do that they will be entitled to a certificate, if only they tell the truth. By concealing them, therefore, you are not only putting yourself in peril, but them too. Therefore, I caution you again with reference to other transactions which you have mt spoken about. Be explicit, clear, and straightforward. — Mr Broadhead (rising) — Pardon mo, sir ; will you permit me to ask you a few questions ? — Mr Overend — Yes. Mr Broadhead — Can I rely that the same mercy will be extended to " those men as myself, if they tell the truth ?—? — Mr Overend : Certainly, undoubtedly. Mr Broadhead : Then, sir, I will give you a true statement. Mr Broadhead sat down after saying this, with an expression of relief on his face. The obstinate, dogged look had vanished, and a softer shade had taken its place. At times, in. making confessions of bygone crimes — so far back that the details had in some cases slipped his memory — he became abstracted, and, looking forward into vacancy, spoke as if he were naming incidents that were slowly passing before his mind. Mr Overend : Is there any statements you would like to make before I put the questions to you ? — Mr Breadhead ; Yes, sir. To begin with, the statement I made yesterday relative to the Hellewell affair was untrue. I hired Denis Clark to blow up Hellewell. I gave him either L 3 or L 5. I was told that Shaw blew him uy. I think I paid the money to Clark. You had a case up yesterday of Elisha Paiker? — He had a horse destroyed. That was rione, I believe, by Elijah Smith, John Taylor, and Phineas Day. Did you tnow those three did it — did you hire them to d" it? — Well, sir, they came to me after it was done. I am correct in that. Did you hire them to do it ? you know you were there at 12 o'clock at night with Machiu some time before. Did you hire them to do it ? — I have no recollection of thatj I paid them money. You paid them money. How much ? — I am not aware now ; it was not a large amount. Will you swear you did nqt pay them before they went to do it ? — I have no recollection that I did. Will you swear you did not ?—? — No, sir, I will not. Mr Overend : Now I will let you go on to the shooting of Parker himself. Yes. A person named George Pearce, sen., was hired by me to do something to stop him from working. He came to see me several times on the subject, but I think that noihing up to this time had been decided upon, as far as my memory will carry me. I think I went up to his house on Sunday. I saw him on the subject. We left his house together and went down to some fields. I think it was in the summer time. I remember the day I speak of was a very beautiful day. There, as far as my memory carries me, we had a conversation, and agreed that something should be done ; but whether or not we defined what that something was to be I really cannot say. He told me he had a man — a servant man of his own — who would do it. I believe he is alive, but I have forgotten his name. He told me this man would see to the affair being done ; he had employed him. The affair got done, and the amount he Mas to receive, I cannot say what it was, but it was a large amount. Yes; how much, L2O? — It was more, I believe. Fifty pounds ? — I don't think it was that. I cannot say what tbe amount was, but I have no doubt it would be between L2O and L3O, or perhaps it might be even more than L3O. You have had a conversation with Sam Crookes this morning ! — Yeß. What was your object in talking to Crookes this morning ? — The object of my talking to Crookes this morning was to arrange what we should do in the situation in which we were placed. Was not your object in talking to Crookes this morning to agree what you Bhould say and what you should withhold P — Yes. What did you agree to withhold? — The Hereford street outrage. .id you _ause it to be done?— Yes. Who did it?— Sam Crookes. Ido not remember employing him on any other occasion. On July 4, 1849, Joseph Wilson's house was attempted to bo blown up. Did you cause that to be done? — Yes. (Murmurs in court.) Whom did you employ? — Crookes. Howniuch did you give him for doing that? — I cannot tell. What had the man at Loxley committed? — He was one of Firth's men. Was that his own only fault? — Yes; keeping aloof from the trade. He had received a great deal of money out of the society, and I thought he ought to contribute. Was the man's family in the house with him when it was blown up ? — His family were grown up, and I think were not lrring with him, but I do not know. Wa3 his wife in the house ? — Yes. Had you any quarrel with Wilson? — No; our only difference was on trade affairs. What was your object in throwing gunpowder into Poole's house in the Wicker? — To bring Linley too. Was your design to hurt Linley ? — No. To frighten him, and cause him to come into the trade. And to alarm him you endangered every one in the house ? — He hazarded the consequences. Linley lived with his brother-in-law ? — Yes. This poor butr-her then had nothing to do with it ? — No. He was a married man ? — Yes, he married Linley's sister. She was alive. Ido not know whether they had any family in the house. Did you do anything to Mr Harry Holdsworth in December, 1861? — Yes, his place was blown up. And you did it — no, I won't say you did it, but you caused a quantity of gunpowder to bo put in the cellar under his manufactory ?— Yes. Whom did you employ to do that? — Crookes. (Murmurs in the court.) What did you give him for .that? — somewhere about L 6, 1 think. On June 7, 1863, an attempt was made to blow up the engine-house of William Keauey, in the Parkfrr-Yes. Who did that ?— Crookes. '■' (Morersepea'Uon.) Any one else ? — I had nothingj^^i^^li .any one else. How much did U P Eeaney's house ? — I ijpuliff3?^^fcftl>out the same as the other. r tya&^ogaJ9sfci should scarcely think it __fto_ist4SSi&B£/ What, not more than that //rfor'bldwirig a man's house up? — Not house, - wheel* Ob, yeß, wheel; had you a general tariff? — Yes 5 it would be L 5 or L 6 according to the difficulties. Mr Chance reminds me that you have not told us how much you gave Crookes for watching, with a view to shooting Hellewell ? — I think I told you I could not recollect. About how nnich do you believe you paid him ? — I can't fix it ; it would be about the amounts named before. What is 6 at? — Varying from L 5 to LlO. Is there .my other matter ia which you employed Crookeg ?— I do oofc recollect. You have called

my attention to the Hereford street affair. Fearnehougli'3 house was blown up on Oct. 8, 1866. Who caused that to be done ?— Mi>, sir. "Whom did you employ I— Crookes. Who did it ?— Crookea. How much did you give Crookes for doing it ? — I think it would beLlo. (Murmurs.) Had you any quarrel with ffearnehough other than on trade matters ? — That was all. In the branches of the s iw trade the officers aud I have frequently arranged among members for ruttening to be done. What officers have you a ranged with ?— William Hides, William Skiduiore, witti the secretary of the s-iw hancile makers, and the secretary of the jobbing grinders. Speaking of that reminds me that Holdsworth's case wa3 a joint atfair between them and me. What do you mean by a joint affair?— We divided the expenses of it. The witness went on to say that after Linley's murder, he had written letters to the newspapers exhibiting great abhorrence of the crime. After Wheatman's place had been blown up, he wrote a letter in which he described tha deed as a hellish one, and endeavored to throw the blame on the Messrs Wheatman themselves. He did similar things after Fearnehough's place .was blown up, and he offered a reward out of his own pocket for the discovery of the perpetrator of that outrage. The witness was examined at considerable length on other topics, and the taking of his evidence occupied the greater part of the day. % On Saturday, June 22, the commission had only a short sitting, which, after the excitement and labor of the last two or three days, was generally looked upon aa a great relief. The first witness wa's Samuel Crookes, the man who was stated by Broadhead to have been the perpetrator of all the outrages to which he confessed yesterday. Crookes had come up for the purpose, as he said, of confessing everything. Notwithstanding the extraordinary nature of his confession, he gave his evidence in a manner that was devoid of all agitation and nervousness. After the usual caution from Mr Overend, Crookes, with infinite self-possession, said — Before making a full disclosure of all that I know, let me be sure that you will look over what I have said on a previous occasion, when I did not say what was right. Mr Overend — Quite so ; if we are only satisfied that you tell us all truly, we shall look over what you have stated falsely. Crooks then seated himself, and in an easy attitude, in a firm and quiet tone o.f voice, went through the following appalling confession : — Witness said — I have already stated that I shot Linley. I endeavored to shoot him in the shoulder, but the ball entered his head near the temple. My instructions from Broadhead were not that I should shoot him in the ear. I cannot recollect that Hallain ever told me that, knowing I was so good a shot, he was surprised that having aimed at the ear the ball should have entered near the temple. What I previously stated about the shooting of Linley is true. I have only to add to my former statement that after he was shot I dropped a pistol in the street so as to make it appear that he had been shot with that. I admit that I was the person who put the case of powder into Poolo's house where Linley lived. I was not aware whether Poole had a wife and children, and^ had no quarrel with him. I put the powder down the cellar grating, and threw it as far as I could under the house. I think Broadhead gave me Lls for that, but I cannot remember, there are so many casea. I also blew up Wheatman and Smith's, and I have nothirg to add to ray former statement about that. I likewise blew up Samuel Baxter at Loxley. Broadhead employed me to do that. I had no quarrel with him. I was told to blow him up by Broadhead, and I did it without asking any questions. I also blew up Joseph Wilson, saw manufacturer, and put a can of powder in Reaney's wheel. Broadhead employed me on each occasion, and I received Lls for eacli job. I did not blow up Mr Firth's boilers. I went there on one occasion for the purpose of putting some powder down their chimney, but could not succeed in doing that. I remember that I got a ladder to put against the chimney, but was so weak that I could not rear it* up. I then endeavored to put it through one of the windows into the wheel, but could not do so, as the can would not go through the bars. I however fastened it to the bars and then lighted the fuze, and the powder exploded, but only the panes of the window were destroyed. I received Lls from Broadhead for that job. He at first refused to pay me that sum, because he said no damage had been done, and he wanted to pay me LlO. I, however, told him that another man was with, me at the time, and that I should have to pay him. That was a lie, because no one had been with me. I was also employed by Broadhead to shoot at Hellewell. My instructions were to shoot at him, but not to kill him. Hallam accompanied me when I used to watch for Hellewell. The reason of my never shooting at Hellewell was because I could not get a chance, and while we were watching him the case of Wheatman and Smith turned up, and Broadhead told me that their case requh'ed looking after more than Helleweil's. Accordingly, wo attended to Wheatman and Smith, and after that no attempt was made to shoot at Hellewell. I never got paid anything for Helleweil's affair because he sustained, no injury, and Broadhead never paid me anything unless the work he engaged me to do was done. I know a man named Needham, and I remember going to London to see him when he came out of prison. My reason for going to see him was because there was Borne tales afloat about a case we had been engaged in That case was one of a blowing up at Dronfield. Needhain had been engaged to do the blowing up by Michael Thompson, secretary to the scythegrinders, and Needham asked me to assist him. Thompson paid my expenses to go to London, and my object in seeing Needham was to keep him quiet, as I did not want to be exposed. I was not aware that MrTyzack endeavored to Bee him before me, and that he got shot at in consequence. I am sorry to say that I was connected irith the blowing up of Fearnehough's house. I received Lls from Broadhead for that; he engaged me to do it, and Joseph Copley assisted me. Broadhead gave me some money to buy powder with. He did not tell ir>e what I was to blow him up for, except liijf. he was doing injui'y to the trade by going against the rules. I was not aware that the explosion was to be a joint affair on the part of the saw-grinders, smiths, and forgers' unions. I was likewise engaged by Broadhead to blow up Mr Holdsworth, because he was employing some " outlaws." He paid me L 15 ,1 think, for that. I generally received Lls for such cases a3 that. I was likewise engaged in Sutcliff's business ; both Hallam and I Btruckhim with two gutta"•perJha life-preservers. Hallam was engaged by Broadhead to do that, and he asked me to assist him, and I received, I think, the half of L 7 10s for my share. Mr Overend — We hare now gone through Broadhead's list ; in what other outrage have you been engaged ? — Well, I and Needharn put some powder underneath the warehouse of Messrs Crookes and Robers, Baw manufacturers. Broadhead engaged mo to do that. Mr Overend— When was that P Oh, it is a long time ago. It came out that this outrage was committed more than ten years ago, and Mr Overend told witness that he need not go into any outrages committed beyond the last ten years, as the examiners had not power to inquire into them. Witness, however, desired to make a clean breast of all he knew ; but Mr Overend again told him that h,e must only speak of outrages committed within the last ten years. Examination continue — I havo never been employed to do outrages by any secretaries except Broadhead and Broomhead. I was not concerned in the Acorn-street outrage, and I don't know who did it. At the time, it war

rumored that " Slipper Jack" did it. I don't know who " Slipper Jack" was, or who told me that he did it. Mr Overend then asked witness whether he was sure he had spoken all the trutb. He declared most emphatically tlaat he had, and that nothing else could come out about him unless some person swore falsely. Joseph Copley, saw grinder, who had been previously examined, desired to add something to his evidence. He said — I want to say about the Hereford street outrage. I was with Crookes when he did it; he employed me to assist him. Broadhead had engaged him. I never saw Broadhead about it. Tin's is the only outrage that I have had anything to do with, and I received a sovereign for it. Witness then spoke to his having been concerned in a case of rattening which has already been reported. George Pearce, whom Broadhead in bis confession on the previous day implicated in the shooting of Elisha Parker, at Dore, and who had expressed a desire to be|examined, was then sworn. He said — About six months before Parker was shot, Broadhead came to my house and asked me if I could find a man who would do something to Parker to prevent his working, as he was in default. After a good deal of persuasion I consented, and employed a man who was then occasionally in my service, named John Hall. His instructions were, that he was to injure Parker, but not to do him serious bodily harm. Hall first laid a train of gunpowderundertho door of Parker's house; but the explosion did not do much mischief. Parker was afterwards shot, but whether more were implicated in it than IT.tU I am not aware. Shortly after I received L 6 from Broadhead, placed it under a stone in my stackyard, and told Hall where it was. Hall was frequently hanging about me after that for money, so I obtained Ll3 from Broadhead, took Hall to Liverpool, and saw him sail for America. Mr Overend — What are you ? Witness (a very respectable-looking elderly man) — I am a saw-manufacturer and" employ o_e or two men. Mr Overend — Were you in the same condition of life when Parker was shot as you are now ? Witness — I wish I were in the same condition now. I have gone down very much since then. I was then, in addition to being a saw-maker, a farmer and a colliery-master, and employed many men. Mr Overend — And, occupying that respectable position, you hired one of your own men to shoot a neighbour, with whom you had had no quarrel ? Witness — I did. Mi Overend — I have seen many a bad man ; you may go away. The Court then adjourned until June 24, and at that meeting a good deal of further evidence was given with reference to details of rattening and the keeping and falsification of union books.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WCT18670828.2.18

Bibliographic details

West Coast Times, Issue 601, 28 August 1867, Page 4

Word Count
3,460

THE SHEFFIELD OUTRAGES.— SHOCKING DISCLOSURES. West Coast Times, Issue 601, 28 August 1867, Page 4

THE SHEFFIELD OUTRAGES.— SHOCKING DISCLOSURES. West Coast Times, Issue 601, 28 August 1867, Page 4

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