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John Haywood Eyewitness Account
- Place: Manchester
- Role: Spectator
- Occupation: Husbandry
Attacked as a suspected spy by David Kay of Ashton-under-Lyne at White Moss on the 15th of August. Threatened again on his way to the meeting on the 16th. Denies being employed as a spy by Constable Andrew.
Account
Download accountJohn Haywood sworn: examined by Mr. Starkie.
Q. Was you on the White Moss on Sunday morning the 15th., at the time the drilling was going on?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you know who commanded?
A. Yes.
Q. Who?
A. David Kay, of Ashton-under-Line.
Q. Did you know him before that?
A. No.
Q. Whom did he command?
A. He commanded about 300.
Q. Did you know him before?
A. No, Sir.
Q. Did they offer to meddle with you?
A. Yes; they came marching up in a line altogether; and this David Kay marched in a straight line near to me, and he called out “halt."
Q. What did he say to you?
A. I heard him say to the men, "to the right about face," "march;" and they began to march but only a little way; he came running to me and laid hold of me.
Q. What did he say to you?
A. He said I had offered to leg him; I said I had not.
Q. What more?
A. He seized hold of my breast; and said I did—he said "I will fight you." I said "there are two can play at that." With that, he cried out "spy—there is another spy, lads."
Q. Well?
A. With that, they came running as thick as they could come. With that, the sticks began laying on me.
Q. Was you knocked down?
A. Yes.
Q. Much beaten?
A. Yes.
Q. Were you on the road between Manchester and Middleton the next day, the 16th.?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you see the Middleton men marching?
A. Yes.
Q. Did they say where they were going, and what they would do?
A. No.
Q. Did any of them say any thing to you?
A. No: I met about five of them, and they asked if I was not going to the meeting that day.
Q. What more did they say?
A. They said "if thou will go to day, thou shalt have what thou was short of yesterday."
Q. Did you see Mr. Hunt that morning?
A. Yes.
Q. Where was he?
A. In Smedley Cottage.
Q. Where there many people there?
A. Yes.
Q. How many?
A. There were 200 or 300 in my sight.
Q. What was Hunt doing?
A. He threw up the sash and spoke to the people. What he said, I cannot tell.
Cross-examined by Mr. Evans.
Q. Pray, Haywood, what are you?
A. An husbandry man.
Q. Where do you live?
A. In Harpurhey.
Q. What induced you to go?
A. I met with my comrades, and went up to Failsworth.
Q. How does that account for your going to where the men were drilling?
A. While I stopped there, it was near five o'clock, and I said I would go and see if there was any drilling, for I had never seen any.
Q. You have seen the man who was commander, several times since—Kay?
A. Yes; I have seen him at the New Bailey.
Q. You never saw him before in your life?
A. Not before I saw him at the White Moss.
Q. How can you swear where he lived?
A. There was a constable, Mawson; when I was beat, I happened to lose my hat; I got hold of David Kay's hat; it had his name in.
Q. Could you read it?
A. I could not; the constable could, and said it was his.
Q. You say this man was beating a boy; did you do any thing while he was doing that?
A. No.
Q. You said “why do you do that?"
A. He said I offered to leg him, which I did not.
Q. Will you swear that you did not leg him, on your oath?
A. Yes.
Q. Were you in the employ of Andrew the constable?
A. Never.
Q. You say you saw David Kay at the New Bailey?
A. Yes.
Q. Was the hat there?
A. The constable gave me mine.
Q. And you gave David Kay his hat back again?
A. That was at the Moss.