Newport Chartists Vol.6, p.19

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John Matthews sworn - I am a Gardener in the service

of Mr Prothero - I know James Aust the prisoner - I have known -

him since I came to Mr Prothero's employ which is about 8 months

ago - I have in the last summer when there was some disturbance
here in Newport had a conversation with the Prisoner respecting the

Chartists - he was on his way to Newport, him and his man - we

were talking about the Chartists - I and he were talking about -
revolution - I said that if we had a revolution in this county the -
Russians would come in and we should be under the Russian -
Government - his answer to that was that he would be rather under the

Russian Government than under the present Government as it were now -

I recollect that he has told me one that he really believed that he should

lose his life in the cause of the Chartists - I can't recollect the time he

said so - Early in the morning of Monday last about 8 o'Clock I was

about the house and went to open the Conservatory - I saw Mr Aust

and Mr Davies the fitter - up standing on the road near Mr Prothero's

Lodge - I had scarcely any conversation with him then - I went then
to open the Conservatory and then I went to my breakfast - I then heard

a terrible row in the stable yard where I live - I knew the Coachman
was there and I got up from my Breakfast to ask what was the matter

the Stable Yard adjoins the Turnpike Road - when I went out the

Yard was nearly full of people - they were about having my Master's -

Coachman to go away but I am not sure whether they had hold of him

or not - he offered them resistance and then got hold of me and
told me that I must go along - I resisted a little but I saw it was no
good - the party were armed - one stood near the Stable Door with a

hatchet, the hatchet one side and the blade of a knife the other - the

blade was in a stick which was the handle of the hatchet and at the
other end of the Stick from the hatchet - I was so much alarmed

that I was induced to go with them - When I got into the road I saw
Mr Aust there - he had his Gun in his hand - I went along with

them and Mr Aust, when I went into the road I saw him there he

said to me "you are here" I said 'yes I am" - He did not tell me

that he had been pressed - he did not appear to be under any -
restraint - he continued in the same party until we got to the parting