The Welshman for published the depositions given on concerning the prisoners captured during the Rebeccaite action at the Pontardulais gate:
Charles Frederick Napier examined: In consequence of information I received, I
proceeded, accompanied by Superintendent Peake, two serjeants, and four police
constables to Pontardulais. We arrived there a little before
.
Just before we entered the village I heard a noise as if of a body of men on
the other side of the river which separates the two counties. I also heard
horns blowing and a great many guns fired off. I also heard a voice like that
of a woman call out — “come, come, come,” and a voice like the mewing of cats.
Those sounds appeared to me to proceed from the direction of the Red Lion Inn,
which is at a short distance from the Pontardulais turnpike gate. Immediately
after this I heard a voice call out aloud — “gate,” and in a very short space
of time afterwards I heard a noise as if the gate was being destroyed. I then
proceeded with my officers and men towards the gate, and on coming in full
view of the gate, I observed a number of men mounted on horseback and
disguised. Some had white dresses over them; others had bonnets on. Most of
them appeared to be dressed like women, with their faces blackened. A portion
of the men were dismounted, and in the act of destroying the gate and the
toll-house. About three of the number, who appeared to take the lead, were
mounted having their horses’ heads facing the gate with their backs towards
me. At this time there was a continued firing of guns kept up by the parties
assembled. I immediately called to my men to fall in, and proceeded towards
the parties who were on horseback, and who appeared to be taking the lead, and
called upon them as loud as I possibly could to stop. I used the word “stop”
three or four times. Upon coming up to them, one of the mounted men, who was
disguised as a woman, turned round and fired a pistol at me. I was close to
him at the time. I moved on a few paces and a volley was then fired by the
parties assembled in the direction of myself and of my men. I should say the
volley was fired at us; this was my impression at the time. I then endeavoured
to take the parties — the three mounted in particular — into custody; and
myself and the men met with considerable resistance from them and other
parties. The three men on horseback rode at us as if they intended to ride us
down and get us out of the way. The three prisoners, John Hughes, David Jones,
and John Hugh, were amongst the parties assembled on this occasion and were
taken into custody, after very considerable resistance on the part of John
Hughes, and David Jones. When taken into custody John Hugh was dressed in what
appeared to me to be a gown and a bonnet, having something stuck in it, which
then had the appearance of a feather, and his face was blackened. The other
two prisoners were dressed in white. I had seen the prisoner, David Jones,
with a stout stick in his hands, with which I saw him aim a blow at Lewis
Llewelyn Dillwyn, Esq., a
magistrate who had accompanied us; but whether the blow took effect or not, I
cannot state. After the pistol had been fired at me, and the volley in the
direction of myself and my men, I discharged a pistol at, and shot the horse,
upon which the man was mounted who had fired his pistol at me; and my men
returned the fire of the parties, and a general skirmish then took place, in
which a number of shots were fired on both sides, but in a short space of time
the rioters dispersed. Three of the horses ridden that night, by some of the
parties assembled, were detained, and are now in my custody. After the parties
had dispersed, I found that the turnpike gate, with the exception of the
posts, had been broken down and destroyed. The gate-house was gutted; the
windows, win[dow] frames, and door driven in, and a portion of the wall of the
house pulled down. I found the marks of small shot on the sash of one of the
windows of the toll-house. I also found on the ground, near the toll-house,
amongst the ruins of the gate, two sledge hammers, two crow bars, a pick axe,
and a number of sticks, which I directed my men to take possession of.
Cross-examined by John Hughes: To the best of my belief the prisoner, John
Hughes, is the person who fired at me. I believe him to be the man who took
the most active part from the commencement of the affray, from his dress, and
the appearance of his figure altogether. There was but one man completely
covered with white that I saw, and that one was the prisoner John Hughes, to
the best of my belief. To the best of my belief the prisoner, John Hughes, is
one of the three persons who rode at us.
Cross-examined by David Jones: The prisoner, David Jones, had on what appeared
to me to be a white smock frock. I did not observe his head-dress. I saw him
very violently resisting Mr. Lewis Dillwyn, the magistrate, and the police
officers. He was struck several times on the head before he was taken.
Cross-examined by John Hugh; I did not see the prisoner, John Hugh, do any
thing.
The examination of William Jenkins, of the parish of Oystermouth, in the
county of Glamorgan, taken upon oath , before, us six
of her Majesty’s justices of the peace acting in and for the said county, in
the presence and hearing of John Hugh, David Jones, and John Hughes, who
saith:— On , I accompanied
Captain Napier and others of the police force to Pontardulais. We halted
within a field of the turnpike gate, and in about a quarter of an hour I heard
horns blowing, and trumpets playing and all sorts of noises, and the sound of
a great many horses coming over the road. They halted opposite to the Red Lion
Inn, where they fired a volley, and then advanced towards the gate. I then
heard a noise as if the gate was being broken down, and the sound of
fire-arms. We then advanced towards the gate, and when we arrived there the
magistrates and Captain Napier called out “Hold, hold,” Some persons in the
crowd then called out “Fire away,” when John Hughes, who was on the Swansea
side of the turnpike gate, and who was on horseback, fired off a gun towards
us, and others of the party then fired a volley. The flashes were in the
direction towards us. We were then ordered to fire, and we fired two rounds at
them. The prisoners David Jones and John Hugh were apprehended between the
turnpike gate and Pontardulais bridge. The prisoner John Hugh was delivered
over to me, and he wished me to let him go, stating that we had done plenty to
them already.
Cross-examined by the prisoner John Hughes: The prisoner John Hughes fired
with a gun. We were in the field where I first heard them coming, about a
hundred yards distant from the gate. I never saw him before, to the best of my
knowledge, before that night. I saw him shoot towards us. I know it was him,
because I never lost sight of him until I left him with Captain Napier. I did
not apprehend either of the prisoners. I was on the bridge when the prisoner
John Hugh was delivered into my charge. I cannot say who apprehended John
Hughes. I cannot say whether there was any other person dressed in white or
not. They were dressed in all colours. I cannot say whether he was on
horseback or on foot when he fled. He was horseback when he fired. I never
lost sight of the prisoner John Hughes, from the time he fired until I left
him in the crowd struggling with Captain Napier. In about five minutes
afterwards I saw him in custody on the Carmarthenshire side of the bridge.
Soon after the prisoner John Hughes fired his gun, his horse sprung round
twice or thrice, and the prisoner got off, but whether he was pulled off or
not, I cannot state. This was about a yard from the gate, on the
Glamorganshire side. He came to the ground on his feet. I did not see the
prisoner John Hughes strike Captain Napier at all. I saw them scuffling
together. I did not see Captain Napier strike the prisoner John Hughes. I do
not know who was next to John Hughes when he came off the horse. It was in the
county of Glamorgan that I saw the prisoner and Captain Napier struggling
together.
Cross-examined by David Jones: I do not recollect having seen him at all until
he was in custody.
Cross-examined by John Hugh; I cannot say that I saw anything in his hand.
The examination of Henry James Peake, of the town of Neath, in the said
county, taken on oath, , before us, six of her Majesty’s justices of the peace,
acting in and for the said county, in the presence and hearing of John Hugh,
David Jones, and John Hughes, who saith:– I am superintendent of police of the
Swansea districts, in the said county. On
, I accompanied
Capt. Napier, the chief
constable of the said county, to Pontardulais, in the said county. We arrived
in the neighbourhood of Pontardulais
. Shortly before we arrived at Pontardulais, I several
times heard the sound of fire arms and horns blowing. When we got to the field
in the immediate neighbourhood of Pontardulais, we heard shouting and the
sound of firearms, which appeared to me to proceed from the direction of
Pontardulais inn. Soon after this I heard a noise as if the turnpike-gate was
being broken down. Shortly afterwards Captain Napier and the magistrates told
me it was time for us to go there, and
Capt. Napier gave us orders to
keep together, and when within a short distance of the gate, I heard some
person call out to them to stop firing, but who it was I don’t know.
Immediately upon this three or four of them rode to us, and a volley was
discharged. The policemen and myself then fired, and a regular scramble then
ensued. I was close by when the prisoner David Jones was taken, and I believe
I wounded him on his head on the bridge. On
a white dress and two
powder flasks, each being about half full of gunpowder, a large flannel sheet,
a red handkerchief, and some letters and papers, two sledge hammers, two small
hammers, a pickaxe, two crowbars, one gun, a plaid cloak, two canvass sheets,
a coat with the sleeves turned inside out, two straw hats, a black hat with a
piece of white cloth tied round it, another hat, an old flannel apron, a shirt
and some other articles were delivered to me by Thomas Jones and other police
officers, who were present at the affray at Pontardulais, the whole of which
articles are now in my possession.
Cross-examined by the prisoner John Hughes. One of the policeman also
delivered to me written paper, containing five shillings, which I delivered to
Captain Napier this morning.
Cross-examined by the prisoner David Jones: I did not see the prisoner David
Jones raise a staff to strike Mr. Dillwyn. I did not see a staff in his hand.
I did not see him doing anything about the gate.
Cross-examined by the prisoner John Hugh: I did not see the prisoner John Hugh
do any thing about the gate. I did not see anything in his hand.
Re-examined: When I first got near to the toll-gate, there were from one
hundred to one hundred and fifty persons assembled there, most of whom were on
horseback. It was a moonlight night. As we were proceeding on our way to
Pontardulais, about two hours before we arrived there, I saw a rocket explode
in the air, and heard guns firing and the sound of horns. When we got near to
Pontardulais, I saw another rocket explode in the air.
The Cambrian notes that the press had been refused admittance to this examination. It adds these details:
We saw the prisoners previous to their entering the room in which they were examined. The two wounded men, John Hughes and David Jones, appeared to be in good health, although the arm of the former had been severely shattered. The other prisoner, John Hugh, appeared dressed in an old flannel gown, with a kind of straw bonnet on his head, as he was when first apprehended.
