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[in pencil - top right corner]:39
[in pencil - top of page] Richard Benfield
[in pencil - top of page] John Rees
Isaac Venn Sworn States - I am a Special Constable - I
was on Duty on Monday Morning last in this House (the
Westgate Inn) I was placed at the entrance door by the Mayor as
Door Keeper before the attack commenced I think it was between
eight and nine o'Clock when the attack commenced - it may
have been later - it was between Eight and ten - a mob of people
marched armed with Guns, pikes, and other weapons - they
marched four abreast and a man with a Gun to each four
as far as I could judge no person from this house molested or
attacked them - about Eight or nine proceeded up to the door
four abreast and one came up and spoke to me with a Gun in
his hand - I rose up my stick to him and said "in here you
shall not come" he said "you have our Prisoners and we will
have them out." I believe that man was shot and is one of
those who are now lying dead in the stable - with that they
fired and all rushed in those before and those behind - into the
place was quite full - they fired right in through the passage
the passage was quite full of them - they that were in continued
breaking the Glass and proceeding towards the Bar and two of
the Chartists were shot by their men from outside - they were
firing outside all the while - I thought within myself I would
make my escape as soon as they would cease firing - they were
breaking of every thing in the house they could come to - they
ceased firing into the passage from outside and I made my
escape then to go into the yard behind the house and there was a
man then shot as I was passing the passage - I think he
must have been shot by one of the Soldiers - I remained in the
yard for the space of fire or six minutes - I then returned into
the House and got up stairs - the firing ceased altogether ^ I then saw them that was wounded and assisted them - Altogether I think
the affray continued from ten to fifteen minutes - I was too
much agitated to know particularly the time - It was a very
dangerous situation I was in - I saw in that time five dead
in the passage and one dead in the door way - I did not hear
them say any thing to each other, they continued doing all
the mischief they could - some breaking the pitchers - some
breaking the Glass - I know the two Prisoners - their names
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