Edward Baines Eyewitness Account

Occupation: Reporter

Reporter for Leeds Mercury. Observed events from close to the hustings. He saw the cavalry attack people in the crush close to the hustings. States the crowd was well behaved and did not resist the cavalry.

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Edward Baines sworn: examined by Mr. Blackburne.

Q. Did you go to the meeting on the 16th. August, at Manchester, to report the proceedings for the Leeds Mercury?

A. I did.

Q. What time did you get on to the field?

A. At a quarter to twelve.

Q. Where did you go, to what part?

A. I walked about the field till half past twelve.

Q. Did you, in the course of that time, see many parties come on the field?

A. Several came in that time.

Q. Where did they go?

A. I apprehend as near the hustings as they could get.

Q. Till half past twelve you walked about the field, where did you then go?

A. I then went to the cart, which I understood was to form part of the hustings, in front of Windmill-street.

Q. Did you pay any attention to the people who came to the field, whether they had sticks?

A. I looked at them the whole time; a considerable number of them had sticks in their hands.

Q. Well?

A. These sticks were of a kind as countrymen walk with; exactly such as you see them with at races and all such occasions.

Q. Walking sticks?

A. Walking sticks; and sometimes lighter.

Q. You say you went on at half past twelve to this cart; did you afterwards change your position?

A. I did not; I went on with the cart; about half past twelve there was a second cart with boards, and of these two carts the hustings were formed.

Q. What was the meeting composed of?

A. All those who appeared to take any interest in the proceedings were poor people, nearly the whole; the general aspect of the people was poverty.

Q. Were they all men?

A. No; many of the parties were headed by women; I was surrounded by twenty girls dressed in white.

Q. Then there were a great number of women?

A. A considerable number of women and children.

Q. Were you there at the time Mr. Hunt came on the hustings?

A. I was.

Q. Had you before that, observed whether there were any constables oh the ground?

A. I observed a great number; a large posse standing between the hustings and the row of houses.

Q. How were they formed?

A. Not in any regular manner; they were all standing together, conversing with each other. I was not acquainted with their persons, being only informed they were constables; they were not in any regular manner.

Q. How long had Mr. Hunt been on the hustings, before you saw any thing happen to the meeting?

A. I should think about ten minutes; he was, a few minutes before he began his speech, and his speech occupied about five or ten minutes.

Q. What did you observe then?

Mr. Justice Holroyd.—Do you say it was ten minutes before he began?

A.; No; a few minutes, before he began his speech, and his speech occupied ten minutes; that time was spent in bringing the women on to the hustings, who were crushed a good deal.,

Q. You say he spoke about five or ten minutes, what then happened?

A. The first thing that happened, was a slight disorder in the outskirts of the meeting; Mr. Hunt, observing it, stopped, and directed three cheers to be given; turning round, he said to those about him, “there is a panic in the outskirts, that is to rally them".

Q. Tell us what you then saw?

A. He had not resumed his speech, when I saw a body of Cavalry; they came from the direction of St. Peter's Church, and very irregularly, and in much disorder; they halted when they got near the hustings, the first line appearing to be before Mr. Buxton's house.

Q. Up to this time will you tell us what the conduct and demeanour of the people were?

A. I never saw any meeting more peaceable and quiet than that was, except cheers—a great many cheers.

Q. You saw the Cavalry advance towards the hustings?

A. After there had been a pause of two or three minutes, they advanced very rapidly into the crowd, in the direction of the hustings.

Q. Did you see them get up to the hustings?

A. I saw them only advance about ten yards into the crowd, and thinking at the time they were coming to take prisoners, from the hustings, I leaped off from them.

Q. How far were they from the hustings at that time?

A. I had not been on the ground, before, nor have I since; but they had advanced about ten yards in the crowds and I should think from thirty to forty yards from the hustings.

Q. Had, you paid any attention to the persons immediately round the hustings?

A. Yes; I had been looking about all the time, and, of course, had observed them more than any other persons.

Q. Did you then observe whether they had their arms locked in each other?

A. When I got there, there was a row of persons, a single circle, and they had their arms locked; that was at half past twelve?

Q. A single row.

A. A single row.

Q. How long did that continue?

A. A short time; they endeavoured to preserve a circle as long as they could, to preserve room for those coming to the hustings; it was broken continually and endeavoured to be re-formed without success.

Q. How were they at the time the Cavalry was advancing to the hustings?

A. Crowded close to the hustings, without any kind of order.

Q. Were their arms locked?

A. I could hardly distinguish; but they were quite close to the hustings, under the wheels of the carts.

Q. It was the first row of them?

A. They were crowded so close, there was no row behind the hustings; there was no locking of arms. I should say I saw the Cavalry advancing to the hustings from Mr. Buxton's house; I got off, and I did not see them; I had made but a short progress when they advanced to the hustings and wheeled round.

Q. What did you then observe?

A. I now saw that the crowd, by one impulse, was driven back; and I was taken to the distance of from thirty to forty yards from the hustings. I fell back instantly. I then got on a cart at the hustings, and I saw the Cavalry striking furiously at the people on and round the hustings.

Q. Well?

A. l saw part of the hustings overthrown; and a great number of men and women thrown under the horses' feet.

Q. Did you see any resistance offered at all by the crowd to the Yeomanry, in their advance to the hustings?

Q. Did you see stones or brickbats thrown?

A. None.

Q. Did you at any time?

A. I did not see a single stone thrown on the field.

Cross-examined by Mr. Littledale

Q. You attended there as a reporter?

A. I did.

Q. Have been in the habit of attending political meetings?

A: I have been; at that time I was.