Newport Chartists Vol.10, p.109

Description

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[top right corner] 109

[left margin in pencil ] vol. 10


Tuesday Morning Novr.. 26th 1839

Mr Hawkins,
Respecting a prisoner John
Gwillam Mason, living at Victoria Square
in this town, The evidence against him will
be Lewis Loyd (and his wife), Engineer at Mr
Cords's [Cordes] factory, Loyd (probably) will not
voluntarily, come as evidence, but if the
Magistrates will issue a warrant he must
attend, and the questions to the witnesses most
likely to be effective are those following
"Wife" Did you on Sunday night before the riots
hear the prisoner bidding farewell to his wife
and he (the prisoner) saying he would die by the
fate of night, ? Did you know that Thomas
Williams Plasterer, (next door neighbour) gave him
a pike, and he ThosWilliams arm'd himself with
a gun, "Loyd" Did you see Thos Williams making
bullets, Did Gwillam and Williams shew you
their Arms - Did you lodge in Williams's
house, What conversation happened in your
presence respecting robbing the Banks, and taking
away the Arms at the Poor house? &c. Mr Jayne
the Plasterer's son, saw ThosWilliams making
bullets and saw his mould, he is an important witness
against Thos Williams, (but he is not in Custody)

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I have no doubt in my own mind but that
John Gwillam was in that secret meeting
when Frost explained his plans of operation
Gwillam was then a member of the Odd
Fellows Society, and he became alarmed
respecting the safety of the Society's money in
the Bank, and through that alarm the late
Mayor received the intelligence of the anticipated
outbreak, There is not a doubt but Gwillam
had a pike in the scuffle, or a Gun, and
Loyd, the before mentioned witness is likely to
prove that, provided the matter is properly
managed, Loyd is a very peacable, disposed
and therefore does not intend to come
forward, - May I beg your interference
once more on behalf of John Williams
and David Parry Shoemakers of Blackwood
They are prisoners since last Sunday week
and I firmly believe they are innocent of any
participation in the late affair. There are
several respectable persons for their neighbourhood
willing to prove, that they never heard of
either of them taking any steps in Chartism
from its commencement. Several has been
here many days, expecting their trials to come

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on, when they thought to give them their
Characters before the Magistrates; As for
Jno Williams , I know this to be a fact
that he turned away an excellent workman
of his, because he became a member of
the Chartist, and have had conversation
with him several times on the Subject
and he was always against them
I remain
Yours Truly
Jas Davies
Currier

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[letter: cover]
[across central fold]
Thos.. Hawkins Esqr.
Mayor
Newport


[shown top right of digital copy]

1839
Newport - 26 Novr
Jas Davis
Recd - Do
Ansd -
Reg v Gwillim [Gwillam]

[at foot]
371