Jeremiah Garnett Eyewitness Account

Occupation: Reporter 'Wheeler's Manchester Chronicle'

On the hustings for Hunt’s speech. Escaped before arrests were made. Testifies to seeing Yeomanry striking the crowdnear the hustings and being impeded by the density of the crowd. Limited recollection of Hunt’s words.

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Jeremiah Garnett sworn: examined by Mr. Evans.

Q. You was a reporter, for Wheelers' Manchester Chronicle on the 16th. August, 1819?

A. I attended the meeting in that capacity,

Q. What part of the field was you upon?

A. I was in various parts of the field: I went early; I should suppose about half-past eleven o'clock.

Q. What appearance had the meeting to you, as to its being peaceable or otherwise?

A. It was peaceable throughout when I saw it, until the advance of the Yeomanry.

Q. Did you, at any time, get on the hustings?

A. I did.

Q. At what period?

A. Immediately after, the arrival of Mr. Hunt.

Q. What took place then?

A. After I had been on the hustings a few minutes, I saw the Yeomanry arrive on the ground, and form in front of Mr. Buxton's house. When Hunt saw them, he said, I believe, “give them a cheer” or something to that effect, and the people cheered very loudly; the Yeomanry cheered, as it appeared to me in return, and waved their sabres.

Q. What took place then?

A. And almost immediately advanced towards the hustings.

Q. What did the Yeomanry do?

A. When they came towards the hustings, I saw several of them strike; but whether with the edge or the flat side of the sword, I could not distinguish.

Q. What did they do when they came to the hustings?

A. I saw one, who rode round the hustings, strike at a person who stood under the edge of the hustings, who endeavoured to shelter himself under the edge of the hustings; he struck a violent blow at him.

Mr. Serjeant Hullock.—I object to the evidence of striking any other person.

Mr. Evans.—This is shewing they were all cutting in pursuance of the same illegal plan. We are not speaking as to any particular Yeoman.

Mr. Serjeant Hullock.—-My learned friend has a right to go into the circumstances of this meeting, to shew it was peaceable or otherwise; and that the mob, when in this tranquil state, were attacked: with respect to a specific inquiry, as to injury done to others than the plantiff, I object.

Mr. Evans.—I am only shewing they struck, that they committed the violence, which shews they acted violently.

Mr. Blackburne.- It is not fixing any particular individual, it is shewing some member of the corps struck somebody.

Mr. Justice Holroyd.—If one of the men did a thing of that kind on the witness, it would be nothing.

Mr. Blackburne.—If it was in the object of dispersing the multitude.

Mr. Justice Holroyd.—The question is, what was done to the plaintiff.

Mr. Serjeant Cross.—I have heard him but once mentioned this morning, about six hours ago. It is rehearsing the Oldham inquest over again.

Q. Was the body that was drawn up before Mr. Buxton's house the same as came to the hustings?

A. Yes, certainly.

Mr. Justice Holroyd.—What they did is not evidence.

Mr. Evans.—We shall shew several cuttings in this way, which is aiding and assisting each other in dispersing the meeting illegally, and committing various trespasses. Although one man strikes A, and another B, still they are aiding and assisting each other.

Mr. Justice Holroyd.—You have given general evidence of it, Mr, Evans.— I do not want to ask whether one Yeoman struck another person.

Mr. Serjeant Hullock.—You need not name the fact.

Mr. Evans.—The fact we want.

Q. Were any stones thrown at the Yeomanry as they advanced?

A. Certainly not, betwixt Mr. Buxton's house and the hustings; I can speak most decidedly.

Q. Was any resistance of any kind offered to the Yeomanry?

A. No resistance, except that made by the density of the meeting. The Yeomanry did not appear to move very quickly, but it seemed to be entirely owing to the extreme density of the meeting.

Mr Justice Holroyd.—They did not move quickly you say?

A. That appeared to me to arise from the extreme density of the meeting. It appeared to me to offer some impediment to their progress.

Q. Did you take notice of how the constables were placed?

A. I did not observe very particularly.

Q. At the time that the Yeomanry came down, were the people around the hustings locked arm in arm or not?

A. Most certainly not; I would add to that, on the side of the hustings where I stood; I could not speak very well to the other.

Mr. Justice Holroyd.- Which side were you?

A. The side next Mr. Buxton's house, just on the edge.

Cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant Hullock.

Q. You were at the head of the line of constables, or where were you placed?

A. I stood on that side.

Q. I ask you, on your oath, if you will venture to swear distinctly to day, that there were no men surrounding the husting locked arm in arm, on the side next Mr. Buxton's house?

A. I will swear they were not generally locked arm in arm.

Q. What made you give the answer that you did to my learned Friend, that you, could certainly say they were not locked arm in arm?

A. Because I had just passed through them, a few minutes before; I will swear there was not a general locking of arms.

Q. What do you mean by a general locking?

A. Such a locking as offered any impediment to me.

Q. I ask you, upon your oath, if you will not swear that there were eight or nine in depth locked, and at that particular spot?

A. I am certain they were not.

Q. That you swear positively?

A. Positively.

Q. Will you swear there was not three or four deep locked, and thereabouts?

A, I will.

Q. Perhaps; you will swear then there was no locking of arms at all, on that side?

A. When the Cavalry approached, I will swear there was no such locking.

Q. I ask you whether you will swear there was no locking of arms in the interval between you and Mr. Buxton's house?

A. I will swear that I saw none.

Q. There could not have been any without your seeing it?

A. There could not have been many persons with their arms locked without my seeing it. I have already said there might be two or three persons. I understand you to mean a line along the hustings three or four deep; that I will swear there was not.

Q. There might be one line?

A. I am confident there was not one line.

Q. In the interval between you and Mr. Buxton's house, there was no line of persons with their arms locked together; will you swear there was not a line in front of the hustings?

A. I could not see there; I know that half an hour before the arrival of Hunt there was not.

Q. I am asking you about the crisis of the matter?

A. At that time I cannot speak.

Q. There might have been a corner locked in, opposite the hustings?

A. There might.

Mr. Justice Holroyd.—Which do you call the front?

A. In the interval betwixt me and the Quakers' place, the part looking towards the Quakers' meeting-house.

Q. At what precise time did you ascend the hustings?

A. It would be immediately after Hunt began to speak.

Q. How near was the line of Constables to the hustings?

A. I did not make any particular observation.

Q. Did the end of the line come in contact with the hustings?

A. I am inclined to think it did not.

Q. Will you swear it did or did not?

A. I did not observe whether it did or did not; but I think it did not, because I passed through the place which it would have occupied. I am perfectly well satisfied it did not extend close to the hustings.

Q. At this time you wrote for the Manchester Chronicle; Wheelers' Chronicle?

A. Yes.

Q. I presume that paper has not the advantage of your services now?

A. It has not.

Q. There was an account published in that paper afterwards, of the events and circumstances of this day?

A. There was.

Q. Furnished no doubt by you, as you went there for the purpose of collecting the materials?

A. It. was not.

Q. How came that to pass?

A. Some detached parts of it were taken from the report furnished, but the report I furnished was not inserted whole.

Q. How long then did you continue upon the hustings after Mr. Hunt's caption?

A. I did not continue, I think, until he was taken into custody.

Q. What made you go away?

A. To preserve myself.

Q. Did you hear Hunt give directions for cheering the Cavalry?

A. I heard him say something to that effect, “give them a cheer,” “let them have a cheer,” or something to that effect; I cannot tell the precise words.

Q. You can tell us the effect?

A. The effect was, a cheer was given.

Q. Did you ever hear such a one before?

A. Never in my life.

Q. He himself called it a tremendous one?

A. Not a tremendous cheer, a "tremendous meeting."

Q. Did they give more than one cheer, or only one?

A. I cannot precisely recollect; my impression is there were three cheers.

Q. What was the object of the cheering?

A. It appeared to me to be intended to restore the confidence of the meeting; in some parts of the meeting the people appeared to be giving way.

Q. You don't remember the words he used?

A. Not particularly.

Q. Tell us the substance.

A. I don't remember any more.

Q. You say you was there when Mr. Hunt began to speak?

A. I was not upon the hustings, I was standing in the meeting, very near the end looking towards Mr. Buxton's house.

Q. You were within hearing?

A. Certainly.

Q. Can you give us a few sentences?

A. I cannot; if questions were put to me I could say whether he did or did not say particular things.

Q. Did he tell them he was glad to see them?

A. I don't remember.

Q. You had better just tell us what you do remember?

A. I don't, at this moment, remember any thing.

Q. Have not you your notes about you?

A. No; they were taken from me by one of the special constables.

Q. Then you cannot tell us any thing he said?

A. No; I am not prepared.

Q. It requires some preparation to remember a speech, as well as to make one; you come to Lancaster to tell us what you do remember?

A. No, I was subpoenaed in Lancaster.

Q. You cannot tell?

A. I cannot.

Q. There was a good deal of shouting at the end of every sentence?

A. There was a good deal of cheering.

Q. That is a more technical expression; there was a good deal of that?

A. I think there was. I am not quite certain whether any part of the speech was cheered or not.

Q. When did he say they were to meet again?

A. He did not say any thing about meeting again.

Q. Did he say he was much obliged to the Magistrates for having put off the former meeting, he had got twice as many that day?

A. He did say so—something to that effect.

Q. That the magistrates by putting off the former meeting—by their malignant exertions--

A. I don't remember the precise words.

Q. Don't you remember “that those who, by their malignant exertions, have caused the former meeting to be put off, have produced twofold the numbers to day"?

A. I cannot charge my memory with the words. I know that was the meaning. I cannot speak to the malignant, exertions, but only the putting off the meeting, and the causing another meeting to be held.

Q. Did he say this, "our enemies who flattered themselves that they had gained a victory, have, in fact, sustained a great defeat"?

A. I believe he uttered those words.

Q. Those were the magistrates?

A. I don't know.

Q. Don't you remember Hunt saying, when the Cavalry came in sight, or when they were drawing up beside Mr. Buxton's house, "let us give them three cheers, and be firm?

A. I don't recollect those words: being used, in connection. I remember his directing the meeting to stand firm; whether they were in connection with the others, I cannot tell.

Q. "They appear in disorder"?

A. I believe he used those words.

Mr. Justice Holroyd. - Who?

A. The Cavalry, I understood him.

Q. Did he say so?

A. He did, my Lord.

Q. How long is it since you ceased to write for the Chronicle?

A. I left the Chronicle office about a week after the meeting; I have since been there for some time, and left it again.

Q. Have you any connection with any other paper now?

A. Yes.

Q. What is the paper you have to do with now?

A. The Manchester Guardian.