The Information and Depositions of Jenkin Hugh and others, 14 August 1843 [page 1 of 4]

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Transcription: 'County of Carmarthen to Wit: The Information and Depositions of Jenkin Hugh of the parish of Llanelly in the County of Carmarthen and of the several witnesses whose names are hereunder written taken upon Oath this Fourteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty three at the Town Hall Llanelly in the parish of Llanelly aforesaid in the County aforesaid before us John Hughes Rees, David Lewis and Richard Janion Nevill Esquires three of her Majestys Justices of the peace in and for the said County of Carmarthen on the examination and in the presence and hearing of Francis McKiernin of the Town and parish of Llanelly in the said County victualler George Laing of the same place victualler and John Phillips of the same place. Labourer brought before us upon the following charge for that about Eleven of the clock on the night of Wednesday the second day of August one thousand eight hundred and forty three a great number of persons to wit about Twenty Persons some of whom were armed with Guns did riotously and tumultuously assemble together to the disturbance of the public peace at a certain Toll Gate called the Sandy Gate situate near the Town of Llanelly in the parish of Llanelly in the said county and being so assembled together did then and there unlawfully and with force begin to demolish the Toll gate house being also the dwelling house of the said Jenkin Hugh and did also then and there demolish the said Toll gate and that the said Francis McKiernin was one of the said persons so riotously and tumultuously assembled as aforesaid and that the aforesaid George Laing and John Phillips were two of the said persons so riotously and tumultuously assembled as aforesaid and were also then and there aiding and abetting in the commission of the said offence. Jenkin Hugh sworn says: I live at the Sandy Toll Gate house in the parish of Llanelly in the county of Carmarthen. My wife is the Toll Collector at that Gate and we all lived there at the Gate house on the morning of the second of August Instant I met the Llanelly letter carrier who said he had a two penny letter for me - I went to the Ship in Llanelly and paid the two pence and then I went to Mr. Jones's office I shewed the letter to him. I then went to McKiernin's (Prisoner's) house and showed the letter to him, we drank three dobbins of beer, I asked him what he thought of the letter, he said he thought it came from some of the Teetotals I asked him whether it would be best to take my wife and children out of the house he said never mind Jenkin, if the Gate will be broken, I will take care that neither your wife or Children shall be hurt. I then went home, this was between nine and ten at night. I was home by Ten I told my wife I was afraid the gate would be broken that night she went to bed and I sat up. I had received several joking letters about the Gate, I have lost those letters. About eleven at night I heard a noise of men about the Gate and laughing, but it passed away. At about one o'clock in the morning I was awake and heard people shaking at the Iron posts of the Gate. I looked out of the window and saw people sawing the Toll gate, immediately after, two shots were fired through the window, my wife and children were in the house too. Two or three of the people who had their faces blackened broke the door in. I then went out to the Turnpike road and went on my knees begging them not to take the house down upon my children to let me get my wife, children and furniture out. I saw the prisoner McKiernin standing upon the Railroad, I went to him and asked him to make them let me have my wife, children and furniture out, McKiernin told the people to stop to let the man get his wife and children out. Laing jumped to the middle of the road and said Take it down, don't stop, take it down to the devil with them, I then went ...'