Newport Chartists Vol.6, p.104

Description

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John O'Dwyer sworn I am a special Constable
and live in Newport I was on duty on Sunday night last
The Prisoner was brought in custody before the Mayor - I was in
the Room at the time - I observed his hat so placed as if he
wished to conceal something - I told the Mayor I thought
he had arms concealed on his person - the Mayor desired me
to examine him which I did - I opened his waistcoat and inside
his waistcoat I found concealed a Cutlass - there was also on
his person a very dreadful weapon - a pick - it was all Iron
the pick was concealed - it was something like a hammer
one end was blunt and the other a sharp point - I took a
Pistol which I found in one of his pockets - it had a cap on and
was loaded - he had also on his person a powder flask full of
powder and a Tobacco Box full of caps one Cutlass was quite
sharp and recently ground - there were also two pocket knives and
a cash bag with a considerable number of balls on his person -
I heard the Mayor ask the Prisoner what he wanted with the
articles I have named about him - he said he carried them to
defend him - All the articles taken by me from the person of -
the prisoner, were taken from me by Mr Hopkins the Superintendent
of Police - The Prisoner stated his name to be Thomas Davies -
I think he stated he was a Sawyer and said he was going
to the Cefn __________
^to look for work - All this was on Monday morning about
6 o'Clock - I was present at the affray here - I should say
The Prisoner was apprehended about three hours before the
affray took place, it was on the same morning - the affray was
commenced by a mob of armed persons making an attack upon
this house (the Westgate Inn) those persons were most of them of
the same description as the Prisoner - They commenced the
affray by entering violently in the Hall armed with Guns
and pikes- The Mob commenced firing their Guns and
thrusting with their pikes immediately they entered - the
mob were armed with all kinds of weapons - some had Guns,
some swords - I think all the rest were pikes - I saw no man
unarmed I saw no man with a simple stick - I have no
doubt in the world that the Prisoner intended to be one of