Painites, when we were turned out of the public-houses, that we could not meet there. Q. Then you went to Mr. Walker's? A. Yes, he opened that house for us. 2. What door did you go in at ? A. The back door in general; I never went in at the front door in my life, but at the second time. Q. Did others go in at the back door or not? A. Some went in at the front, some at the back door. Q. What were you afraid of? A. I was afraid, as much as any thing, of the constables. Q. Do you know whether they were watching you or not ? A. I knew they were. Q. What constables were watching you ?, A. The different constables of the town; I think the deputy of Salford was watching us as much as any body. Mr. Walker sent out different men to watch them; there are men in the bar, that if they would speak the truth, know they went out to watch them. Q. Why do you call it your Christian name? A. I was brought up by that. Q. Was you ever christened ? A. I hope so. Q. Then you forgot that circumstance formerly-do you hear me? A. Yes. 2. You forgot that circumstance once of your having been christened. A. Have I? how long since? 2. Do you remember ever having been asked the question? A. I remember you asked me what my name was, and I answered you that my name was Thomas Dunn. 2. Was you never asked at any other time, and by any body else? A. Very well, and suppose I choose to tell this or that. 2. But you happened to be upon your oath at the time I am speaking of. A. I am speaking now, that my name is Thomas Dunn, and and upon my oath I am speaking, I know what you are upon Mr. Erskine; I tell you in this place, that I defy you, though the learned Mr. Erskine is come down here to insult me. Mr. Justice Heath. You must behave properly. A. I have served his Majesty for years, and would serve him to day; is Mr. Erskine to disprove my name? Mr. Justice Heath. You must not put yourself in a passion, but behave decently. Mr. Erskine. I wish this worthy gentleman may be left to himself, subject only to your Lordship's interposition when he misbehaves. You will find I am not so easily put out, as you fancy; therefore I will resume my question again: Was you never asked, when you was sworn to speak the truth, whether you had been christened or not, and what answer did you give? A. No, never in my life. 2. Do you mean to swear, that such a question was never put to you in a court of justice, when you came forward to convict one of these innocent men that you are now a witness against ? A. Innocent! 2. That his Lordship and the Jury are to try. Was that question ever put to you, and did you give it any, and what answer? I am in no hurry; his Lordship will have the goodness to wait for you. A. If you will speak the words over again. 2. Was you never asked, when sworn upon the Gospels to speak the truth, whether you were christened or no, and what answer did you give ? A. I tell I never was in you 2. Never was what? my life. A. I never was asked whether I was christened or not*. 2. You can read, I take it for granted? A. No, I can neither read nor write. 2. There is something wrote up there, (opposite the witness box) which otherwise I would have recommended to your perusal +? A. I am quite an illiterate man. 2. Who was it that told you I was come down here for the purpose of insulting you? A What, Mr. Erskine. 2. You seem perfectly familiar with my name. A. Yes, and I know your person too. 2. Who When Benjamin Booth was convicted at the Manchester Sessions, upon Dunn's sole evidence, Dunn was asked if he had ever been baptized; to which he replied in the negative. + “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” 1 2. Who told you that? A. No gentleman here told me. 2. How came you to know? A. I was acquainted the night before last where you lodged at Preston. 2. Who told you so? A. The landlord, that you and Mr. Walker were there together. 2. You never knew any thing of me before that? A. O yes, I saw you before; I know more of you than you fancy. 2. Did you ever see me before or not? A. I saw your picture. 2. That is all ?` A. Yes. 2. Was that all meant when you more of me than I fancied ? A. No, I could tell you more. (Here Mr. Justice Heath interrupted Mr. Erskine by saying we have nothing to do with this) 2. It was in the month of September you first went to this meeting? A. I do not know but it might. 2. Do you mean to swear that it was? 2. Do you know what year it was in ? A. In 1792. 2. Do you remember the riot at Manchester ? A. Yes. 2. When Mr. Walker's house was surrounded and attacked ? A. I remember to have heard of it. 2. Was it before or after that? A. After. 2. You are certain of that? A. Very certain. 2. The first time you was at this society was after the riot? A. Yes. Q. How long do you think it might be after the riot, some weeks, was it not? A. I think it was a few days. 2. Are you quite sure it was after the riot? A. Yes. 2. And you think about a few days? A. Yes. 2. Which society did you belong to? D A. The 4. The Reformation Society. 2. Was you elected into it, or did you go upon the invitation of any body? A. I went upon the invitation of one Smith and M Callum. 2. Nobody else knew you there, of course, that constituted this society? A. I knew two or three of them when I went in. Q. The rest were strangers to you? A. Yes. Q. So much so, that you did not even know their names, nor they you? A. I knew them by sight; their names I did not know. Q. At the next meeting you saw Mr. Walker? A. Yes. Q. At the door of his house, I think you tell us, you met him. Was he acquainted with you, or you with him? A. I never saw the man in my life before, not to know him. Q. He found out that you were an Irishman by your tongue, of course? Q. You told him you were going to the society? Q. Were Smith or Mc Callum with you at that time? Q. Then Mr. Walker knew nothing of you but what you told him? A. Just so. Q. He asked you whether you had heard from Ireland lately about the Volunteers? A. Yes. Q. And immediately upon that he rapped out what you told us a little while ago about the constitution? A. Yes. Q. And then you went to the society, and Mr. Yorke took the chair? 4. It was not that night that Mr. Yorke took the chair. Q. How long after was it that Mr. Yorke took the chair? A. A very little time after. Q. What passed the night of the day you saw Mr. Walker? A. Nothing transpired more than was customary in the place. Q. You said it appeared to you the object of the meeting was a reform of parliament for the benefit of the poor? A. I thought so at the first go off, or I should never have joined it. Q. You was not a man of those bad principles, was you? A. I do not know what you may call bad principles. Q. You was not a man that would wish to overthrow the constitution, was you? A. No, I absolutely was not never to overturn it; I think we never could have a better. Q. So I think too. Then you always was of that mind? Q. That it would be better to reform our constitution by petitions to parliament to reform it, than to overthrow it ? A. Yes, but I never saw a design of that in our society. Q. You never saw a design to overturn the constitution ? A. No, I never saw any design, or the least motion moved to petition parliament for a reform. Q. How many times did you attend? A. I cannot tell the number; but I dare say forty or fifty. 2. During all the time you met, what do you believe was the intention of these people? A. I believed at the first go off, that it was for a reform; that a petition might be sent up to parliament, for a reform in parliament; then I perceived every thing that was to overthrow the constitution. Q. How soon did you find out this? A. I forsook it as soon as ever I found it out, Q. When you found that they did not mean a petition to parliament, you determined to have nothing more to do with it after that? A. No. Q. Then how came you ever to go again, when Mr. Walker, who was at the head of it, told you before, when you went there the second time, that he would overthrow the constitution by and by? A. I did not conceive the word; I was not absolutely up to that word; I did not know the meaning of the word, till late. Q. So, when he asked you how the Volunteers were going on, and you told him, very well, he said, we shall overthrow the constitution by and by; what did you think he meant? A. I did not know what he meant; I thought we might have a reform; that was what I wanted. Q. You thought when Mr. Walker said, we shall overthrow |