934. PORTER RIDOUT proceedingsdefend was indicted for that he, not having the fear of God before his eyes, but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the Devil, on the 7th of October , in the 24th year of his Majesty's reign, with force and arms, at London, in the parish of St. James's, Duke's-place, upon Moses Lazarus proceedingsvictim This name instance is in a workspace. , in the peace of God and our Lord the King then and there being, did make an assault, and with a certain gun, value 1 s. then and there loaded with gun-powder and leaden shot, which he held in both his hands, to, at and against the said Moses, feloniously, wilfully, and of his malice aforethought, did shoot and discharge, and him the said Moses in and upon the right breast, and in and upon the right side of the body, near the upper part of the belly, did then and there feloniously, wilfully, and of his malice aforethought, strike and wound giving to him the said Moses in and upon the said right side of the breast, one mortal wound of the depth of four inches and of the width of one half quarter of an inch, and in and upon the right side of the body near the upper part of the belly, another mortal wound of the depth of three inches and of the width of one half quarter of an inch, of which he instantly died: and the Jurors say that the said Porter Ridout < no role > , him the said Moses Lazarus < no role > This name instance is in a workspace. did kill and murder . He was likewise charged on the coroner's inquisition with the like murder.

(The witnesses on both sides desired to withdraw, except those who are only for character.)

The indictment was opened by Mr. Sheppard. And Mr. Rous of council for the prosecution opened the case as follows.

May it please your Lordship, and you Gentlemen of the Jury; you have heard the indictment opened by my learned friend, and are acquainted with the crime on which the prisoner stands charged. This transaction arises out of a festivity observed by the people called Jews, at a particular period of the year; and the rulers of the synagogue have thought it their duty to bring the case before you for your judgment; it will not be expected from me to aggravate the unfortunate situation of the prisoner, I shall think it my duty only to state the case so fair and so simply as to direct your attention to the evidence on which alone I am sure your judgment will be founded: The Jews have an annual festivity religiously observed on their part, some time in the month of October; the prisoner lives in the neighbourhood, where that festivity creates necessarily some little disorder, he has lived there I believe twenty years, and has been constantly a witness of the return of it. In this festivity some persons unquestionably had exceeded the strict bounds of propriety, squibs and crackers had been thrown, and it seems Mr. Ridout in this last month on the last return of that festivity endeavoured to apprehend some persons who had fired those squibs, in doing so a little scuffle ensued, several fell, and among others Mr. Ridout, they arose however from the ground seemingly without injury, and Mr. Ridout returned to his house and shut the door; some few minutes afterwards he appeared at the window of the room on the first floor, and from thence discharged a gun loaded with shot among the crowd, several were wounded and some fell; and one unfortunate youth of the age of thirteen instantly expired: you will hear the law much more accurately delivered from the learned Judge after you are possessed of the evidence, and therefore can with more correctness apply it; it is however my duty just to observe, that it is not necessary to constitute the crime of murder that there should be a malignity directed against an individual; if a man commits an act from which death may ensue, which from the nature of it marks a wanton disregard of the safety of others, that is equally immoral, and the public safety requires it should be classed in an equal degree of guilt with the premeditated destruction of an individual; I fear it will be difficult for the prisoner to extenuate this case: some expressions will be given in evidence that seemed to shew a deliberate purpose of longer duration than the day; but as these expressions ought not to make any impression upon your mind till you have them in proof, I shall not mention them, but wish you to hear them only from the witnesses.

JONAS LEVY < no role > sworn.

Examined by Mr. Morgan.

Do you know the prisoner at the bar? - Yes.

Was you in Duke's-place on the 7th of October? - Yes.

Did you see the prisoner there? - Yes.

I shall not ask you unless I think it necessary any other question, but state yourself what you saw pass on that day? - I was going to synagogue the 7th of October between five and six in the evening and I saw a parcel of boys as usual, setting off squibs and crackers.

I believe I must desire you will explain that expression as usual? - As they do among our people once a year, that is at the feast of Tabernacles, and I stood there a little time to see them.

Is this a customary annual sport? - Yes, I was standing in Broad-place, I saw Mr. Ridout come out of his house with two men with him, one had a staff and the other had not, I could not tell whether they were constables or not, I saw Mr. Ridout go and lay hold of a man that had just let off a squib, after he had laid hold of this man he called for these two men to assist him, and a scuffle ensued, and three of them laid on the ground, one of which was Mr. Ridout, I saw the two men get up first, and afterwards Mr. Ridout, I saw him go strait into his house and shut the door hard after him; in three or four minutes after I saw him up one pair of stairs throw up the sash and fire out a fire-arm which appeared to me to be a blunderbuss.

How was the gun directed? - Towards the middle of Duke's-place Broad-place.

Were there many people there? - Yes.

What number to the best of your judgment? - I cannot tell how many, there was a parcel of boys and men together.

Were there a few people or many? - A few.

Did any thing happen in consequence of that firing of the gun? - A boy fell down dead, the deceased.

Do you know his name? - Moses Lazarus < no role > , I believe his name was, after he had fired out he shut down his window, and stood so, (with his hands folded ) for the space of two minutes as near as I can guess, as he was standing there, just as he was going away, I saw the deceased fall down at the side of me, he was shot in the left side and in his mouth, I had him in my arms and there were no symptoms of life in him.

Mr. Silvester, one of the Prisoner's Council. I understand Mr. Ridout is a distiller? - He keeps wine vaults in Broad-court, Duke's Place.

There were men and boys together? - Yes, Sir, there were boys.

And men? - A few men among them.

By your account they had got to the ground Mr. Ridout and the two constables that were with him? - I could not tell whether they were constables, they were all three down on the ground.

There was a good deal of noise, I take it, by the two men that were down on the ground; you mean the two men that came out of the house? - I cannot say they were, I did not take notice what two men they were, but among the three one of them was Mr. Ridout.

Do you know for certain whether these two men came out of Ridout's? - I cannot say.

You saw one man with a staff? - Yes.

Was that a constable's staff? - It seems so.

Was that one of the men that was knocked down? - I cannot say that, but I saw Mr. Ridout on the ground; when he got up, he went strait into his house, nobody went with him.

When he went in he shut the door as hard as he could? - The door went very hard after him.

And soon after the gun was fired? - Yes, the fire-arm whatever it was.

MOSES ISRAEL < no role > sworn.

Examined by Mr. Sheppard.

You know the prisoner? - Yes.

Was you in Duke's Place on the 7th day of October? - Yes.

Do you remember seeing the prisoner there? - Yes.

Relate what passed when you saw Mr. Ridout there? - I saw Mr. Ridout run in doors, I did not see any thing of the scuffle, he rushed in and shut the door very hard after him; in about five minutes, to the best of my knowledge, I saw Mr. Ridout open the window gradually, and fire a piece, the little boy, Moses Lazarus < no role > , stood by me, and said, O Lord! he has killed me! those were the three words that he said. Several people came round him, but I could not tell what passed after this.

THOMAS GOWER < no role > sworn.

Examined by Mr. Rous.

Was you in Broad Place on the 7th of October last? - What they call Duke's Place I was.

Do you know the prisoner? - I do.

Did you see him there? - I did.

When did you first observe him? - After the report of the piece, that made me look up to see what was the matter.

What did you see? - I saw something in his hand, whether it was a gun, blunderbuss, or anything of that sort, I could not distinguish, but something was in his hand leaning out of the window; the boy fell at my feet and drew my attention, he was a barber's boy, his name was Lazarus, I suppose that was the boy, I did not examine, I am no surgeon, though I can bleed.

Mr. Silvester. There were a great many people there? - I suppose there were a hundred or two, I dare say there were.

Have not you said there were some hundreds there? - A hundred or two, there might be two or three hundred, for anything I know.

Men and boys? - Men and boys, undoubtedly.

Mr. Rous. Of the number do you speak after the report of the piece, or before? - At the time I was passing promiscuously by, I could not stand to count the people.

ELIAS AARON < no role > sworn.

Examined by Mr. Morgan.

Do you know the prisoner? - Yes, very well, I was coming along Duke's Place, the 7th of October, and I saw Mr. Ridout go into his house, he was waving his hands, and he went in doors and shut the door, and went up stairs, and in about a minute or two after, he opened the window, and a blunderbuss or firelock, I cannot tell which, he fired, and the boy fell down by me, and cried out, O Lord! O Lord! I am dead!

Did you see Ridout after that? - I did not not see him after he fired, I was so frightened I did not know what to do with myself.

Have you known the prisoner many years? - He has lived in that place to the best of my knowledge twenty years, he was always a very upright man, for what I know.

Was that a particular day? - Yes, it was a particular day, we always make a merry-making the same day in every year.

Mr. Silvester. You have known him many years? - Yes, he has lived twenty years there, always a quiet, peaceable man, as far as I knew.

DAVID BARRYMORE < no role > sworn.

Examined by Mr. Sheppard.

Do you remember being in Duke's Place on the 7th of October? - Yes.

Did you see the prisoner there? - Yes.

Tell us what passed at that time, what the people were doing, and what he did? - As I was going towards synagogue, I saw a parcel of boys fire squibs, and I stood looking, and I saw this Mr. Ridout come out of his house, and a little while afterwards I saw him go in doors, and he shut the door very hard, and I saw him in the window about five or six minutes after; and I saw him lift up the window and fire a piece; I cannot tell what it was, whether it was a blunderbuss or no; and after he had fired, he shut the window directly.

Did you see him after that? - No, I saw him shut the window very hard.

SAUL MORDECAI < no role > sworn.

(Examined by Mr. Rous.)

Do you know the prisoner at the bar? - Yes.

Do you remember seeing him before the festival, on the 7th of October? - A great many times before, I have known him these twenty years, and upwards; about a fortnight or three weeks before this affair happened, I happened to go into Mr. Ridout's house for some liquors, the discorse fell out about some holliday, he asked me in Hebrew, what I meant to make Skoke yonck of, that is, we always preserve fruit, a fruit which we never eat till that time comes, it being the new year, to make a bl essing off; I told him, your time is coming on, that you think so troublesome, that is, Simka sacra we call it in Hebrew, it is the Rejoicing of the Lord, in English; I asked him, if he remembered the time that he run after a boy into the Synagogue, with either a sword or cutlass, he said, he was better provided for them now, for he had a piece that would carry a ball or two now nicely; and he would take care some of them should have it among them.

(Cross-Examined by Mr. Fielding.)

Mordecai, you have known this Mr. Ridout, for twenty years? - Longer, I am thirty; as long as I can remember I have known him, I am a glass-seller, I was bred and born in the same house, my father kept the house fifty years before.

You know how troublesome these returns were to Mr. Ridout? - I know that he thought it so, because he run into the Synagogue after a boy, I left Broad-court, that very afternoon at three, on account of those words; I always take care to be out of the way of any quarrel, I never affronted a neighbour in my life, I knew Mr. Ridout always thought of that night, and had always said, he would put this night aside.

Did not you expect that there would be a riot? - I do not know what you mean by a riot.

A tumultuous quantity of people? - There is always a quantity of people assembled in that place, there are three synagogues that have no yard or settled place of meeting, we go about five, about an hour before the people say to their wives, we are going to synagogue, they go to Duke's-place, and stay there till the clock strikes, then they all go to synagogue.

You appeared before the Coroner? - Yes.

How came you there? - I came to Mr. Ridout's, a day or two before, and I told Levy what I had heard, and he told me to appear before the Coroner, I was not present, at the time of this unhappy affair; about three o'clock I came to the top of Duke's-place, and I met Levy there, who is a constable.

I want to know, how it was that you came to go before the Coroner? - That very night, I knew of it, about half an hour after it happened.

Who told you? - He is a man that deals in fish.

You will not tell his name? - I cannot tell you.

Where was it? - In the synagogue entry in Leadenhall-street.

Where did you go immediately? - A man came and run out, and said, the report is given, that a boy and two men are killed, upon which we run to Duke's-place.

Where did you go immediately with this man that gave you the intelligence? - I did not see him after he gave the intelligence, I run immediately into Duke's-place.

Had you much conversation with any body before you went to the Coroner? - No, Sir, I did not tell any body to my knowledge, before I came into the room at the Compter, where Mr. Ridout was; I might say before I went up, I heard him say so and so before.

Did you listen to the report as it was made by any body; and had you much conversation on this melancholy affair, before you were induced to go before the Coroner? - I had not with any body.

And yet you went before the Coroner? - Yes.

What Levy is this? - Levy < no role > the constable.

What the same Levy, you appeared for on Monday before the Recorder, to give evidence of an assault, which assault was contradicted by three witnesses I think? - It was the neglect of the Council, for not calling Mr. Levy up, or else he would have proved his assault.

Mr. Rous. Who directed you to attend before the Coroner? - I attended entirely on my own account.

Mr. Silvester. Did not you take the constable away with you at that time, when you expected a riot? - I do not tell you I expected a riot or disturbance.

Did not you swear so before the Coroner? - No, Sir, I said upon Mr. Ridout's words, and seeing him stand at his door, I resolved that I would not be seen in any quarrel whatever.

Thinking that there would be a disturbance at three o'clock, you desired the constable of Duke's Place, Levy, to go along with you? - I desired him to go along with me, I expected no more disturbance than there was every year, I thought nothing of the constables being there to prevent disturbances, he is the constable of Duke's Place, I was not to order Levy to be there.

He is the same man that you appeared for last Monday? - Yes.

MICHAEL LEE < no role > sworn.

Examined by Mr. Sheppard.

Was you in Duke's Place on the 7th of October? - Yes.

What passed? - On the 7th of October, I was coming across Duke's Place, when I had got about half way, I heard the report of a gun or some piece, I cannot tell what piece it was, I immediately saw it came from Mr. Ridout's window, and I stood and saw Mr. Ridout stand and put down the window, he stood so, with his arms folded, I saw some boys fall, and I went to Mr. Ridout's house, the mob had got there before, I thought he might get out of the back door, and I ran round with another man, the man gave me a stick, I knocked and kicked against the door, but I could not get it open, I put my back against the door and it flew open, I searched about, and all the candles were blown out; I looked about and saw Mr. Ridout come to a glass door that was at the foot of the stair-case, he had a piece in his hand, and he put it to the glass, and I thought he might fire at me, and I hit the glass which flew back, he walked backwards up stairs and got the door open, they were putting a boy into the window, he said, if you do not go down, I will kill you, I said, Sir, you have done murder and I will not go down, I hit him across the hand and he dropt the piece, I followed my blow, and he said, I will surrender, get me a coach and I will go to the Compter, I told him I could not get him a coach, but nobody should hurt him; the mob at the front put a boy into the window, a woman beat me about the head with the tongs, I told the good woman, do not strike me, I will not hurt you, I only want Mr. Ridout.

Mr. Garrow. You was examined before the Coroner? - Yes.

You was there examined by the name of Michael Lee < no role > ? - Yes.

Where do you live? - In Short's Gardens, Drury-lane, I lived at that time in Bell-yard, but I have moved since.

What business are you? - I am a shoemaker, I must move according to where my business is.

An itinerant shoe-maker, was it very dark? - No, it was light enough to perceive any man.

Then perhaps there were no candles lighted? - When I came into the room, there were candles lighted.

What room? - In the room where they serve the liquors.

Is that at the back part of the house? - There are two doors, I do not know whether it is called the tap-room or coffee-room, the front door faces the back door.

Where is the room in which you have sworn they had candles? - In Mr. Ridout's house.

Now you think it is decent to give that answer to a Court of Justice? - It was the first room I came into.

You came in at the back door? - Yes.

Do you mean to swear that the back door opens into the coffee-room? - Yes.

You mean to swear that there were candles lighted in that room? - Yes.

And that they were put out after you had got in? - Yes, after I had been in a minute or two, nobody was in but the two women, Mr. Ridout's wife and her sister or niece, I got in before the mob, the mob were breaking in at the front, and putting a boy in at the window.

Will you venture to swear this, that if there were candles lighted, they were not put out by the mob? - I cannot swear who put them out, they were put out.

WOLFE SOLOMON sworn.

Examined by Mr. Morgan.

Do you know the prisoner? - Yes.

Did you assist in taking him? - Yes.

Did you take any thing from him? - No, I helped to carry him to the Compter.

Was you there at the time that Michael Lee < no role > was there? - I met a mob that came in along with him, and searched and found this gun in his house.

(The gun produced.)

Did you find any thing else? - No, the gun was as it is now.

Was it loaded or unloaded, was the pan up or down? - Down as it is now.

Mr. Garrow. Are not you one of the constables of the district? - Yes.

It is a day in which the Jews are very riotous, what they call jovial? - I saw no rioting.

No, because you took care to be out of the way? - I was right to be so.

STEPHEN LOWDEL < no role > sworn.

Mr. Sheppard. I believe you are a surgeon? - Yes.

Did you happen to see the body of Moses Lazarus < no role > , on the 7th of October? - I did not see him till the 9th, at Tom's coffee-house, in Duke's Place.

What did you observe about the body? - They told me he had been shot, and I observed several small wounds about the body, but they were so small I could not introduce a probe, in the cavity of the breast, on the right side we found a quantity of blood and small shot.

Did you find any other wounds? - There were several other wounds, but I believe his death was occasioned by that, it occasioned a large effusion of blood which I believe was the cause of his death.

What shot was this? - Such shot as they clean bottles with, these are the same size.

(Producing some bottle shot.)

Mr. Silvester. Did you know Mr. Ridout before? - Yes.

What was the state of his health at that time? - He had several bruises about him, I was desired to call at the Compter to look at him, he had two at the top of his head, and what they call a black eye, a settling of blood under his eye, as if there had been a contusion there, and a pretty considerable one upon his leg by his knee, and a large graze on his shin, and several marks upon his legs, and one particular upon his right leg, which was exceeding tender to the touch.

Is not he afflicted with the gravel and stone very much? - He is afflicted with a violent pain in his back, whether it is rheumatism or the stone in his kidneys, I do not know.

Long before this he had complained to you of it? - Yes.

Then a man in that situation, thrown down and beat, could not lessen that pain I should suppose? - No, it could not, more likely to aggravate it, and I suppose it did, because when I saw him he could not sit upright, I never saw him so bad with it before.

DANIEL DIAS < no role > sworn.

I am an apothecary, I saw the body of Lazarus, I saw the wounds in company with Mr. Lowdell the night that the Jury sat upon the body; I found in the cavity of the breast a small shot, with a quantity of extravasated blood; I have the shot in my pocket.

(The shot produced.)

Were there any other shot wounds? - Many about his body, and one that went under the last rib in the external lobe of the liver, and came out at the gall bladder.

Mr. Silvester. You are only an apothecary? - No, but I have attended anatomical lectures.

DAVID LEVY < no role > sworn.

Examined by Mr. Morgan.

I know the prisoner very well.

Had you any conversation with him at any time before the festival of the Jews? - I had about five or six weeks ago.

State the substance of it? - About five or six weeks ago, Mr. Ridout says to me, as you are a constable now, I hope you will take care of the boys, and prevent them from firing squibs, and take some of them into custody; says I, go to the Lord Mayor and get a warrant, and I will summon all the constables and do all I can, says he, no, I shall not, I shall provide myself, and if they fire I will fire too, that is all that I know about it.

Court. Prisoner, the evidence against you is closed, and it is now your time to proceed on your defence.

Prisoner. I believe my evidence are gone for, my Lord.

JOHN CHAPMAN < no role > sworn.

Examined by Mr. Silvester.

You are a breeches maker by trade I believe? - Yes; I am bailiff of the manor and liberty, and beadle of the parish, and overseer of the poor.

Was you sent for on the 7th of October? - I was, by Mr. Ridout at near six o'clock; when I came, he desired me to get the mob dispersed, I found it was impossible with all I could do, I then went to look for some Jew constables, knowing their people could disperse them better than ours, but I found none; I then went to one Saunders, I told him the nature of the crowd, and desired him to come along with me, and bring his long staff, that they might know he was a constable, we thought then the crowd were very much upon us, I took hold of some boy by the arm, but he got away from us, I told Mr. Saunders, that we did not intend to send any of them to the Compter, only to get rid of them, I told him I thought the place was in danger, as they were throwing serpents they might set the place on fire; I took hold on one man that only threw one up in the air, he was a neighbour, so I said, we can find him at any time; then after that there were a great many thrown, I got hold of one or two men, but we could not hold them, they got away, the crowd came up, and one fellow came to me and doubled his fist, I said, you thief, do you want to rob me, I know you, I took out my watch, I thought that was the way for him to go away, I went to Mr. Ridout, and said it was impossible to do any thing, he assisted; they got Ridout down upon the ground, and the headborough was down, and they kicked my shins, and I was glad to get away; some little time after that, he got up and got in doors, my back was towards Mr. Ridout; I saw them throw the serpents against a wood house of one Hyam Joseph.

Did you at that time think there was danger by this multitude of people that were assembled? - I thought there was danger, it was a coffee-house called Tom's coffee-house; they sell wine and brandy.

Mr. Rous. This coffee-house is much resorted to by the Jews? - Yes, by all Jews in that neighbourhood, except Mr. Vaughan, another coffee-house keeper.

Court. I think you say you saw Mr. Ridout thrown down? - Yes, I did, I saw him on the ground, and several people upon him, and Saunders was thrown down, and there was a Jew man upon him, one Isaacs that sells fish; I desired him to desist.

Court. Was you thrown down? - No, I had my shins kicked, but I got out of the way as fast as I could.

What was it you said of that wooden house that you named? - That was Hyam Joseph's near the pump, where they threw the serpents, that was a wood front, my back was towards Mr. Ridouts, that house was on the left hand side of Mr. Ridout's, near the synagogue.

Jury. The Jury would be very glad to know after Mr. Ridout got up in the situation you describe him to be in, whether they assaulted his house after? - I never looked, my back was towards it.

How long was you there after? - A very little while, a great many Jews persuaded me to go away for fear I should get an accident, they begged of me and took me by the arm and led me away, they behaved very well to me.

- SAUNDERS sworn.

I am constable, I remember Mr. Chapman's application to me, to take my long staff and go to this place, I went there, there were some hundred in the place, throwing squibs and crackers about, some of them hitting Mr. Ridout's house, then the Gentleman you examined last, says to me, the first man we see throw one, we will lay hold of him, immediately one was thrown very near us, we laid hold of the man, and several came to rescue him.

Were they men or boys? - All men as it appeared in the front of them; we knew a man that threw a squib, and we let him go, then we went towards Mr. Ridout's house, and the mob followed us, and hissed us as we went along, and hooted; then Mr. Ridout spoke to us, he told us he would assist us, if we would lay hold of another, he came out and immediately another was thrown by another man about thirty years of age, a serpent was thrown, and we laid hold of him directly, a great number got round us to rescue him from us, in the skirmish they got Mr. Ridout down, there were several at the top of him I could not discern to see whether they struck him or not, and he had several marks on the legs as if he was kicked, when I helped him up, I fell down atop of the others, Mr. Ridout was down in the kennel.

How long might he continue in this situation? - I believe about two minutes, and several were upon him.

How long did you make observation of Mr. Ridout? - I helped him up, he told me he was almost killed, and he walked lame, they dragged him along a foot or two when he was down.

Where did he go to? - Towards his own house, and several followed him immediately.

In what manner did they follow him? - They were talking very loud, and looked very vicious at him, but what they said, I do not know.

Were those people that followed him those that had him down in the kennel? - I cannot say, they followed him close up to the door, then he got into his house, and I heard the door shut very sharp, but the mob surrounded me that I could not follow Mr. Ridout.

Were the numbers at this time diminished or increased? - They seemed rather to increase.

Were serpents and crackers thrown at this time? - I did not see any thrown I think after that.

What became of you; how did you escape? - When I found that Mr. Ridout had got to his own house, and I had lost Mr. Chapman, I was for getting away, but I could not, the mob was so thick, and for a couple of minutes I saw Mr. Ridout again, before ever the alarm of the piece was. When I lifted him up, he told me that he believed he was robbed, for his pockets were turned inside out.

ANN HEBDITCH < no role > sworn.

Examined by Mr. Silvester.

I am servant to Mr. Ridout.

You remember the 7th, when there was this mob of people round your master's house? - Yes, I went out to see for my master, and was told he was in the mob; when he came back, I saw him come in, he laid his hand to his side, and the mob followed him in doors, and I heard them say, dawn their eyes, they would have his life: his shirt and all his things were torn very much, I have the shirt and stockings here. (Producing them.) I shut the door with the assistance of Mr. Ridout; when he came in doors, they broke two panes of glass in the glass door.

Mr. Rous. You was examined before the Coroner? - Yes.

Court. Did they attempt to prevent your shutting the door? - We could hardly both of us shut the door with all our force.

Court. By their pushing it in? - Yes.

SARAH PARROT < no role > sworn.

Examined by Mr. Garrow.

I am servant to Mr. Rayner at Aldgate, the five lamps; I remember being at Duke's Place on the 7th, and saw Mr. Ridout coming out of his house, about five or six minutes after six o'clock, and he desired the mob to be peaceable and quiet, they were throwing squibs and rockets about the house, and in at his windows, and going to make bonfires; they began to be more riotous after he spoke, they took and used him exceedingly ill; they beat and knocked him about, and threw him down in the kennel, and swore they would take his life.

Mr. Silvester. We have a number of other witnesses to prove the throwing the squibs at Mr. Ridout's house, but as that has been proved by two or three witnesses, we will not trouble the Court with any more on that h ead.

SAMUEL THORPE < no role > sworn.

Where do you live? - At Aldgate.

You are a Common Councilman, I believe, of Aldgate? - Yes, Sir; I have known Mr. Ridout from that circumstance of being a Common Councilman for ten or twelve years; I always looked upon him to be a very quiet, peaceable, inoffensive man; it was his good nature that led me first to know him, he came to be security for a man that was collector of the rate.

- WISE sworn.

I am a Common Councilman; I have known him above thirty years; I had very little acquaintance with him, but he always bore a very good character, a peaceable, harmless, inoffensive man, I never heard any thing to the contrary.

WILLIAM BARNFORD < no role > sworn.

I have known him very near thirty years, as good a sort of man as any I know, he is a good natured peaceable man, I never saw him any ways malicious, or observed him to shew any ill will to anybody.

JAMES CARTER < no role > sworn.

I have known him about ten years, we are of the same company, cordwainers.

What has been his general reputation, as to good nature and humanity? - One of the best.

RICHARD WHITCOMBE < no role > sworn.

I have known him thirty years, I never knew any harm by him, I lived in the parish with him fifteen years, he is an harmless, innoffensive man.

THOMAS HOWES < no role > sworn.

I have known Mr. Ridout upwards of twenty years, a very humane, quiet man.

- TIMSON sworn.

I have known him about fifteen or sixteen years, I have ever known him, from the connections I have had with him, a very quiet, peaceable, good kind of man.

THOMAS FARROW < no role > sworn.

I have known him above twenty years, a very good character, a peaceable, quiet man.

WILLIAM CHAMBERLAYNE < no role > sworn.

I have known him twenty or thirty years, an honest, sober, friendly, good-natured man.

WILLIAM NIXON < no role > sworn.

I have known him about two years, a very humane man, I have always considered him as an exceeding friendly, good natured man.

JAMES TAYLOR < no role > sworn.

I have known him above twenty years, a very good character as ever I knew, a good natured man, and I look upon him to be an inoffensive man.

- LOWDELL sworn.

I always knew him to be a very honest, peaceable, quiet man; I have known him these twenty years.

HENRY FRANCIS < no role > sworn.

I have known him near twenty years, I looked upon him as a very respectable member of society.

In that you include that he was a humane man, I have no doubt. - Certainly.

Mr. Silvester. My Lord, we have a great number more of witnesses, but it is not necessary to take up the time of the Court.

Jury. We are satisfied as to character.

(The prisoner shewed his leg.)

Prisoner. While I was down they robbed me of fourteen pounds six shillings, they stamped upon my leg and wanted to break it.

Court. If the prisoner wishes to say anything, I am ready to hear it.

Prisoner. I was in danger of my life, and they tore my pockets open, and took out all my money, fourteen pounds six shillings; it was with a great deal of trouble I got to my door, and they knew I had a great deal of property in the house, and they wanted to get it from me; they threatened my life while I was down in the kennel.

NOT GUILTY .

Not Guilty on the Coroner's Inquisition.

Tried by the London Jury before Lord LOUGHBOROUGH.