Some historical and global examples of tax resistance → Wales → Rebecca riots, 1839–44 → Henry Rogers

The on-line version of the Cambrian’s account of the attack on the Pontardulais gate (in the 9 September 1843 issue) is, unfortunately, poorly-scanned. I’ll see how much of it I can recover:

Conflict between the Rebeccaites and the Constables.

Seven of the Former Taken Prisoners, and Two Dangerously Wounded.

Information was received by the authorities on Wednesday, that an attack upon the Pontardulais gate had been contemplated, and was to be carried into effect during the night. A force of Rural Police, consisting of Mr. Superintendent Peake, two sergeants, and four policemen, proceeded towards that place. They were soon afterwards [join]ed by Capt. Napier, J.D. Llewelyn, and L.Ll. Dillwyn, Esqrs., and accompanied by Matthew Moggridge, Esq., and [Mr.?] Attwood. When about two or three fields distant from Pontardulais, they heard the firing of guns, rockets, the blowing of horns, and the noise of a great number of horses, [more] resembling a cavalry regiment than a party of Rebeccaites. It is stated, that with the blowing of ox-horns, tin-[horns], and different other wind instruments, in addition to [?] feigned voices — resembling a host of old market-women, they made a most hideous and indescribable noise. The [party] came from the direction of Llanon. After having given three cheers, when opposite the Pontardulais Inn, they arrived at the gate, which is but a short distance from the Inn. They commenced an attack upon it with saws, [?]ges, &c., and soon succeeded in breaking down the gate, as well as the side-rails, and also had commenced demolishing the house, having broken the windows, and a portion of the corner of the house nearest the Inn; they had also knocked in the door, but the posts had not been cut down. When the work of destruction had proceeded thus far, the magistrates and the Police, who were well armed, advanced. The number of Rebeccaites assembled at this time was estimated to consist of 150 to 200 persons, the majority of whom were on horseback. They were all disguised, many of them having their faces blackened, and dressed in women’s clothes; others wore bonnets, white shirts, and some appeared with their coats turned. Becca, on this occasion, was mounted, and wore a large white cloak. When the police appeared, the rioters immediately fired a volley at them, but, fortunately, without effect. The police immediately fired in return. The distance between the constables and the rioters did not now exceed ten to fifteen yards. A desperate conflict ensued, which lasted about fifteen minutes, when the mob commenced retreating and flying all directions. The groans of several of the wounded were distinctly heard.

The mob having dispersed, it was found that three of them had been captured, together with their horses, and among them the renowned Rebecca, who was found dangerously wounded on the bridge. He was dressed in female [attire], with bonnet, veil, &c., in addition to which his face was blackened. His name is David Hughes, the son of a [farmer] residing in the neighbourhood of Llanon. Another person, named John Jones, was also dangerously wounded.

In the course of quarter of an hour the Dragoons, who had been dispatched from Swansea, arrived. Four of the rioters, who attempted to make their escape, were also apprehended, having been met by a party of Dragoons, who were coming from Llanelly. The four were secured, and brought back to Pontardulais, but were subsequently taken to Llanelly, while the three prisoners who were captured by the police during the conflict, were brought to Swansea in a phæton; they arrived about five o’clock on Thursday morning. A number of horns, two guns, two sledge-hammers, and the various other implements of war which were taken from the rioters, were deposited in the Station-house, together with the white cloak worn by Rebecca, and the shirt worn by the other wounded man, which were literally dyed with blood.

It has been stated to us, that the rioters had placed sentinels on horseback, in several parts of the road, at distances [of] two miles from the gate, expecting that the Dragoons [would] be their pursuers, but their tactics were entirely [muffled], as the Magistrates and Police proceeded across the fields, which could not have been well done by horsemen.

The wounded men were immediately attended to by Dr. Bird, who ordered them to be conveyed on stretchers to the Infirmary of the Swansea House of Correction. Both of them are in a very precarious — some say, dying state. It appeared that David Hughes had received a gunshot in the left arm, on the outside of the elbow joint. The ball, which was quite flattened when extracted, had passed upwards from the elbow, shattering the bone of the arm at its lower [end], and was extracted at the back part of the same arm, midway between the shoulder and elbow; he had also a contused wound on the head. There is doubt as to the possibility of eventually saving the wounded arm of this man. John Jones, the other wounded man, is also in a very precarious state. He had received several wounds in the back, which appear to have been inflicted by shot, or slugs, a circumstance which proves that, by their unskilfulness and want of order, the rioters fired at each other, for the police used neither slugs nor shot. Jones has also been stabbed, and had three wounds on the head, which had been apparently inflicted with swords. He is in a very low and depressed state, and Dr. Bird is fearful some of the slugs or shot might have passed into the large cavities of the body, but there was no further evidence of that than the exhausted and depressed powers of life evinced in the man.

In the pocket of the leader were found a quantity of percussion-caps, powder, &c., and about 3l. in money, and the following Becca notice:— “Daniel Jones, of Brynhir — Meet [us] at Llan, on Wednesday night; if you don’t, this shall be your last notice. –Becca.”

It appears that all the persons who composed the mob had come from Carmarthenshire. — The conduct of the small police force, in opposition to so numerous a mob, has excited considerable astonishment and admiration.

Examination of the Prisoners at Llanelly.

The following magistrates met at the Union House, R.J. Nevill, J.H. Rees, and Wm. Chambers, Esqrs., when the following prisoners were brought before them:— William Hugh, a lad of 15 years of age, the son of a very respectable farmer of Talyclew, dressed in woman’s clothes — Thomas Williams, a servant to a farmer at Llangennech — Henry Rogers, a farm servant at Pennllwyngwyn, and Lewis Davies, farmer, of Scybor Ucha, near Pontarddulais. It having been explained to them, in Welsh, that they were brought up for the purpose of hearing the evidence that would be adduced against them.

Mr. Wm. Chambers, jun., was sworn as the first witness, and deposed as follows:— I am a justice of the peace acting for this county. I received information that there was to be an attack made last night upon the Pontarddulais and Hendy Bridge gates; and in consequence of such information, I applied to Capt. Scott of the 76^th Regiment of Foot, stationed here, to furnish me with a sufficient number of soldiers to protect the Hendy gate. He did so, and we proceeded accordingly; and at about half-past twelve last night, having arrived at the wooden bridge over the Gwilly on the railway, we saw a rocket fired. Previous to our reaching this bridge, we had concealed the soldiers. The rocket was fired in the direction between Mynydd Sylen and Llanedy. We had between twenty and thirty soldiers with us. The rocket appeared as if it came from the bogs at Llanon. We went on until we arrived near the Gwilly bridge, which is between the Hendy gate and Pontarddulais, and when there we heard the blowing of horns, which were sounded to one particular note, which was repeated several times. In the course of four or five seconds after the last blow of the horn, we heard the report of fire arms in the direction of the Pontarddulais gait. All this while, the soldiers were still concealed under the side of the hedge, and I was in advance of where they were about one hundred yards. Hearing the firearms, I immediately returned to the soldiers, and got them to move into the field, in which I was, south to the railway, and requested Capt. Scott to order his men to load, which they did, and fixed their bayonets. We then proceeded with all haste to very near the wooden bridge over the Gwilly. When we had arrived there I divided the men into two parties — Capt. Scott and myself, and put the other under the charge of Mr. Payne, with directions that he should go, as we were going, under cover of the hedges, and cut off the retreat of the people from the Hendy Bridge towards Llanelly. The firing which we heard continued from about seven to ten minutes, pretty rapidly, for during that time I should say that there were from seventy to eighty shots fired. Not being aware that any of the police were near the Pontardulais gate, I thought the firing to be a sort of feu-de-joie, which such persons do according to their usual practice when they have destroyed a gate. After they had destroyed the Pontardulais gate, I fully anticipated an attack would be made on the Hendy Bridge gate, my information leading me to suppose that they were both to be attacked. While we were there, I saw a man coming down the railway — he was not running, but walking very fast; at this time the soldiers were hid, and only one of us could be seen at a time. With the assistance of Capt. Scott, I caught hold of the man by the collar — the prisoner now present, Lewis Davies, is the man. He was dressed in his usual dress, but he had the upper part of his face blacked, and the lower part done with red ochre; he had a straw hat on. As soon as he was taken, he put his head down, and his right hand up, and put something under the tail of his coat. I immediately put my hand under, and drew forth the woman’s cap now produced. I then left him in charge of Sergeant Gibb, with one or two men, and ran, as fast as I could, up towards the turnpike-road, between Pontardulais and Llanelly, which position was east of the Hendy gate. I got the soldiers up into the position, and put them under the hedge separating the field from the road. I then heard some people coming along the road, and moved towards Pontardulais, beyond the soldiers, to peep over the hedge, and see who they were, as they appeared to me to be going in the direction from Hendy gate to Pontardulais; they were three or four. The moon shone brightly, and I fancy they saw the edge of my hat over the hedge, for they immediately whispered and turned back, and the boy prisoner, Wm. Hugh, who was disguised in woman’s clothes, got over the gate into the field where we were; but as soon as he saw the soldiers he turned back again, and ran in the direction of Hendy Bridge gate. The soldiers followed him, and some of them caught him at the bottom of the hill. Two others went up the road, towards Pontardulais, and another over the hedge, towards the farm. I was following them, but hearing the boy shrieking out, I ran back in that direction, to prevent his making any more noise. He was much frightened, and I told him not to be frightened, and he should not be hurt. I also asked him who he was. He was disguised in woman’s apparel, and his face was covered with black. He told me his name was Hugh, and that his father had just got over the hedge, and a servant-boy, whose name he mentioned. When I first caught him, I thought he was a girl, but on observing he had a trousers on, I saw he was a boy. Just before these people came up the road, I heard a noise in the direction of Swansea, which I thought was that of carriages bringing up the troops, but soon found it was the galloping of cavalry. I then said to Capt. Scott, it is no use our waiting here, and I made as quick an advance as possible in the direction of Pontardulais along the turnpike road — the boy being left a prisoner in charge of Sergeant Gibb. When we arrived at Pontardulais, I saw the dragoons gallop up just as we turned the corner. They took us for a body of the Rebeccaites coming back to the gate and were about to charge us, but we called out “Halt!” and some of the men presented bayonets, when we said we were friends. We went on to the Pontardulais gate, and found the gate was entirely destroyed, the toll-board destroyed, shot marks on the top of the windows, and the inside gutted. There were three men lying handcuffed on the floor. I know it to be a dwelling-house. I then recognised a number of Glamorganshire Magistrates, and Capt. Napier, and some of the Rural Police. I was asked to go as a Carmarthenshire Magistrate, and search some of the houses up the hill towards Llanon, where I heard there were a number of men who had escaped, but who were wounded. I did not find any, but there was plenty of time for them to be removed. I then returned home. I forgot to say that in returning, the boy Hugh said to me, I have thrown my horn away into the hedge. I returned and searched the hedge for it, and found a cow’s horn [horn produced], which, at my request, the boy blew for me.

Henry Gibb sworn:— I am a sergeant in the 76^th Foot. Last night I was out with the soldiers and the Magistrates. I had one of the prisoners given to my charge. I heard a shrieking in the field, and some men running. On looking down the road, I saw the two prisoners Henry Rogers and Thomas Williams walk up the railroad very fast. I took them into custody, and told them they were to fall in with the rest, and stand at ease. They said they had not done any harm. I asked them what they were doing, and told them I would let them go free if they would tell where the rest were gone. They said they had only been out to look at it.

Rebecca notices were served calling upon the people to assemble on Wednesday night near Llanon. The police having got hold of one of them, the most judicious steps were taken by Capt. Napier to apprehend the rioters. The police were concealed in a field within a hundred yards of the Pontarddulais gate. At about half-past eleven o’clock on the night in question, the Rebeccaites assembled in a long body near Llanon, The Rebecca who is shot was dressed in bonnet and veil, &c., armed with a gun and mounted on a horse. As they marched along, they kept blowing their horns and firing their guns. An eye witness says, there were at least one hundred horses, who were marching in regular procession, most of them having two people on each — the procession being headed by Rebecca, and all her daughters being disguised in white dresses, bonnets, and caps. Upon their arriving near Pontarddulais they were heard by the gatekeeper, who states that the gate had been “threatened” for some time past, and about one o’clock yesterday morning he was alarmed by shouts and the firing of guns. They were about a mile off when he first heard them. He immediately removed the rest of his furniture into the garden at the back of his house, which he thus saved. When he saw the mob at the top of the hill coming down towards him, he felt much alarmed, and ran to hide himself in a field about one hundred yards from the gate. Arriving at the gate, they immediately proceeded to pull it down: one gate was broken to pieces, and also the rails on each side of the gate-posts. The windows and door of the house were smashed in, and the inside completely gutted; a part of the wall of the house was also pulled down, shewing that a few minutes longer would have sufficed to raze it to the ground; there are also a great quantity of bullet marks about the windows and front part of the house. When they got thus far, Captain Napier, whose great object was to capture the ringleader and others while actually engaged in the work, rushed, together with his men, from their hiding place, and commanded them to desist; but, in attempting to capture some of them, was immediately fired upon, and a desperate struggle ensued, during which the horse of Rebecca was shot, and she also wounded in the arm, besides wounding another man, who is taken, and several who made their escape. The Rebeccaites then soon fled, leaving three of their body, two of whom were seriously wounded, in the hands of the police. At this moment, a part of the 76^th Regiment, under the command of Capt. Scott, accompanied by Mr. W. Chambers, jun., arrived from Llanelly, having taken four prisoners while fleeing. In four or five minutes afterwards the Dragoons, commanded by Capt. Fane, came up. The Rebeccaites had in the meanwhile fled in the direction of Llanedy and Llanon carrying their wounded with them.

On being asked what he had to say in self-defence, Lewis Davies made a long statement, the substance of which was that he was compelled to accompany the mob by threats from ten or twelve persons, who called for him, with guns, &c., on the night in question.

The prisoner, Henry Rogers, said he was a farm servant at Penllwyngwyn, and only went to see the mob.

Thomas Williams, servant to John Thomas, Llangennech Mill, said that he accompanied Rogers to see them, and was apprehended in returning home.

William Hugh said that while he was in bed, a crowd of persons came to his house at Talyclew, and compelled him to go with them. He preceded to put on his own clothes, and they dressed him in women’s clothes, and put in his hand the horn which was found with him. When an opportunity offered, he turned back, and in crossing a gate, met the soldiers, who apprehended him.

The inquiry was then adjourned: and the further examination of the prisoners will be held at Swansea, where, they arrived this morning.

The first witness for the prosecution was the son of one of the magistrates judging the examination? Nice.

On this date in 1843, a number of suspected Rebeccaites were examined at the Swansea Town-Hall. Here are some excerpts from the examination, as reported in the 16 September 1843 Monmouthshire Merlin:

Mr. William Cox, governor of the House of Correction, at Swansea, sworn: The prisoners John Hughes, David Jones, and John Hugh, were delivered into my custody on Thursday morning last. It is customary to search prisoners when brought into the House of Correction, consequently I searched the prisoners present, commencing with John Hughes, who is wounded in the arm. A quantity of coarse gunpowder fell from his clothes to the ground as I took them off. I gathered it together and produce it now. I then searched his pockets, and found a quantity of silver and other money — ten half crowns, twenty-four shillings, nine sixpences, one penny, four halfpence, and a half sovereign. I also found a piece of paper with something written upon it in Welsh, a piece of an old Welsh hymn-book, twenty-one copper percussion caps, and a little bag. I next searched the man wounded in the head, David Jones, and found a knife in his pocket. I did not search John Hugh, but I believe he had 8d and a knife.

The following is a correct translation of the writing on the paper taken from Hughes:–

Daniel Jones, Brynhir, — Come with your armour (or covering) to Lanbystia, to assist us, on Wednesday night next, or else you shall not have another (or further) notice.

Becca.

PC Thomas Jones examined: I live at Ystalyfera, in the parish of Llanguicke. I accompanied Captain Napier and others of the police force of this county, to Pontardulais, on the night of Wednesday last. We arrived at Pontardulais between the hours of twelve and one, and proceeded to the turnpike gate. When we arrived there we saw a man on horseback, on the Swansea side of the turnpike gate. There was a great crowd of people upon the other side of the gate, most of whom were on horseback. They were dressed with white sheets over their bodies, their faces were blackened, and upon their heads they had straw hats. In the hats were stuck pieces of fern. I ran on, and took hold of a gun from a man on horseback, but the man escaped. A great many guns were fired before we reached the gate. On the following morning I delivered that gun to Sergt. Jenkins. It was then in the same state as when I took it from the man.

Mr. Superintendent Peake produced a quantity of arms, implements, ammunition, female apparel, &c., which were taken at the scene of the outrage. One of the articles produced was a woman’s cap, which was given to him by the prisoner Jones.

PC Peter Wright examined, proved that he was on duty at the Pontardulais gate riot, where he saw the prisoner J. Hugh discharge a gun at the police. He afterwards fell off his horse, and ran away, taking his horse with him. Prisoner threw his gun down, when he came off his horse, and the witness picked it up.

PC William Robertson Williams examined, stated that he was on duty at the riot, where the prisoner David Jones struck him a violent blow on his shoulder. Witness, being injured in the leg, went into the toll house, while the police were dispersing the rioters, and there saw a man with David Jones, the latter flourishing a bar, with which he again struck witness on the shoulder. Witness struck him a blow with his cutlass, on which he dropped the iron bar and ran out and was taken by Sergeant Jones.

PC John Price, examined, stated that in the affray at Pontardulais gate he saw a man on horseback this side of the gate, and a large mob. Witness took John Hugh off a horse in front of the mob, with a while cloak over his body, a white cloth over his hat, and a red handkerchief round his neck — he had a gun in his hand, which he fired at the police — he bad also a tin horn. Witness gave him and Hughes into the custody of Sergt. Jenkins.

William Abraham Lewis, toll collector at Pontardulais, examined: I am a shoemaker, and have been collector at Pontardulais gate for upwards of a twelvemonth. On Wednesday night, between ten and eleven, I moved my goods out of the house, because people told me Becca was coming there. After I moved my goods I stopped there, and between twelve and one I saw a party of men coming down over the bridge, most of them being on horseback. I instantly hid myself in the fields behind the house. While the crowd was opposite the Inn, I heard some shots fired. In about three quarters of an hour, I went back to the toll house, and found the doors and windows broken, part of the pine end wall demolished, and the gate in pieces — the posts were standing.

Police Sergeant George Jones stated that in the attack upon Pontardulais gate, where the rioters were firing guns and blowing horns, he pursued and captured Jones, while running out of the toll house.

(There is a somewhat more extensive account of this testimony in The Cambrian.)

The four prisoners taken by Mr. Chambers and the military in Carmarthenshire, on Thursday morning, were then placed at the bar. Three of them were mere boys — one apparently only thirteen years of age, and the fourth seemed a young man of the age of five-and-twenty. [The Welshman, in another article, lists them as “William Hugh, a lad of 15 years of age, the son of a very respectable farmer of Talyclew, dressed in woman’s clothes — Thomas Williams, a servant to a farmer at Llangennech — Henry Rogers, a farm servant at Penllwyngwyn, and Lewis Davies, farmer of Scybor Ucha, near Pontardulais.”] The following evidence was produced:–

William Chambers, jun, Esq, examined: I am one of her Majesty’s justices of the peace for the county of Carmarthen. In consequence of information I received, I proceeded on the night of Wednesday last to Pontardulais, accompanied by a party of soldiers under Captain Scott. We set out from Llanelly between ten and eleven o’clock — Llanelly is distant from Ponlardulais six or seven miles. On the way, I saw a rocket explode in the air, in a direction between Llanedy and Llanon. On arriving at Gwilly Bridge, which is about half a mile distant from Pontardulais, I heard some horns sounded. There was one particular note which I noticed, which was repeated several times. Immediately after I heard the last note, I heard the report of fire arms in the direction of Pontardulais bridge, upon which I requested Captain Scott to load. I then advanced to Gwilly bridge, and having arrived there, I was in advance of the men, and saw the prisoner Lewis Davies come in from Pontardulais, over the railway, towards the place where I was. I immediately followed and saw him put something which he had in his left hand either under his coat, or into his pocket. I put my hand there, and pulled from under his coat, or out of his pocket, a woman’s cap. He was dressed in his usual clothes. The bottom part of his face appeared to be blackened. I asked him where he had been, and he said, “I’ll be quiet — I’ll come with you.” He was then given in charge to Sergt. Gibb. Up to this time I had heard the discharge of about forty or fifty shots within about seven minutes. I then went with the rest of the soldiers in the direction of the road leading towards the Hendy bridge, imagining that an attack was to be made on the gate. When I arrived at the gate, I heard the galloping of horses, and I immediately concluded that the Dragoons were approaching from Swansea. About the same time I heard persons approaching from Hendy bridge towards Pontardulais, and the prisoner William Hughes was taken shortly afterwards. He was dressed in woman’s clothes, — a straw bonnet on his head, and his face blackened. I went on to Pontardulais, accompanied by Captain Scott and some of his soldiers. Upon arriving at the bridge, the Dragoons galloped on, and I thought were going to charge us, but on perceiving who we were, they desisted. I proceeded to the gate — found the gate destroyed — the internal partitions of the toll house destroyed — and the windows smashed in. I saw three men there in custody. On my way back to Llanelly, the prisoner, William Hughes, told me he had a horn, and he would show me where it was. I went with him to a certain spot, and there found a horn, close to the spot where he was taken.

Sergeant Henry Gibbs, of the 73^rd regiment, examined: I was on duty on the night of Wednesday last, between Pontardulais and Llanelly. I was stationed on the railway near the Gwilly bridge. Whilst we were there I heard some men coming along the railway; I stopped them. I see them here now. They are the prisoners, Henry Rogers and Thomas Williams. They were not disguised at all or armed. They seemed to be very much frightened because I brought the bayonet down as if I was going to run it through them, and told them to slop. I told them I would let them go if they would tell me where others were gone to. They said they had nothing to do with the gate, but merely went out to see.

On the same date, a coroner’s inquest was held concerning the death of Sarah Williams, the toll collector at Hendy Turnpike Gate, who had been shot in the course of that gate’s destruction. This inquest rather incredibly would find the death of Williams to have been from an “unknown” cause — thus precluding a homicide investigation. It seems to have been an act of jury nullification meant to shield Rebecca and her followers from the authorities.

Here is how the Monmouthshire Merlin covered the inquest:

Coroner’s Inquest

On the body of Sarah Williams, the toll collector at the Hendy Turnpike Gate.

On Monday last, an inquest was held at Pontardulais, before William Bonville, Esq., coroner, on the body of Sarah Williams, aged 75.

The Jury.

Griffith Henry	Jenkin Henry
Thomas Samuel	John Bowen
John Thomas	John Pugh
Walter Hopkins	David Davies
John Bowen, jun.	Samuel Griffith
John Thomas	David Evans
John Jones	Richard Davies

The Evidence.

John Thomas, labourer, sworn: Is a house carpenter, residing near the Hendy gate toll house, in the parish of Llanedy, in the county of Carmarthen. Knew the deceased, Williams, who was the toll-collector at the Hendy gale, and has been so for about a week. On Saturday night last, about 12 o’clock, or early on Sunday morning, I was alarmed by report of five or six guns near the Hendy gate. I was then in bed, and soon after the deceased came to my house, and called me and my family to assist in putting out the fire at the toll-house, which had been set on fire and was then burning; but we did not go, as we were afraid to do so. In about a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes afterwards I heard the report of another gun; and about a minute after deceased came to my house, and my wife went to the door and saw deceased coming towards her. She (the deceased) was crawling along by the wall to support herself until she came to the door, when she cried out, “Dear, dear,” and fell down, and I found she was dead. The deceased has been a toll collector at many gates for years.

Margaret Thomas, wife of the last witness, said that between 12 and 1 o’clock on Saturday night last, the deceased came to our house, and asked my husband and me to get up directly, as some one had set the toll house on fire. I went out to the door and told her to carry her things out of her house. She went back to the toll house, and took her furniture out on the road. I asked her several times to come into our house, but she did not come. I heard the report of four or five guns afterwards, and the deceased, in about three-quarters of an hour after I had first spoken to her, came towards my house, at which time I was standing within the door, which was open. The deceased did not speak a word that I heard, and seeing that she was exhausted, I laid hold of her round the waist, and she sank down at my door, on the outside. My husband came out, and we took her into the house, but she did not speak a word. My husband held her, and put her in a silting posture on the floor, and she died in about two minutes. I did not see any blood, except a little on her forehead. I thought at first that she was frightened to death. I did not hear the noise of horses, nor footsteps, nor did I see any persons from the beginning to the end. I did not hear any horns blown, or any shouting. My husband was in the house all the time.

By the jury: I did not think from the blood on the forehead that she had had a blow, and that that had been the cause of her death. I did not think she died from a blow, but by suffocation from loss of breath.

By the Coroner: About eleven o’clock I saw the toll house and gate still standing, and in the course of the night I saw the toll house on fire. That was when the deceased called us up to put it out, and in the morning I found the house and and gate both pulled down, there being only the walls standing. The house had a thatched roof, and contained two rooms. The toll board had fallen down some time back, and was then in the house in pieces.

Mr. Benjamin Thomas sworn: I am a surgeon, residing at Llanelly. I have, with Mr. Cooke, inspected and made a post mortem examination of the body of the deceased Sarah Williams, now lying at the Black Horse, Pontardulais. We examined the body externally and internally. On the anterior view of the body, whilst the corpse was lying on its back, from the feet to the breast there did not appear to be any mark of violence. The marks of shots were seen penetrating the nipple of the left breast, one in the arm-pit of the same side, and several shot marks in both arms. On the external end of the left clavicle there were two shot marks, one on the left side of the wind pipe, several on the forehead, and one in the external angle of the right eye. There was blood on the cloths covering the breast, and the marks of blood having escaped from the mouth. In moving the body to a sitting posture, a considerable quantity of fluid blood escaped from the mouth. The back view of the body did not shew any mark of violence. On moving the integuments of the scalp, the shot marks observed on the surface were found in the bony structure of the skull, but not penetrating through it. Upon removing the bone covering the brain, the external covering of the brain, or dura mater, was exposed entire, and appeared slightly vascular, as did also the entire structure of the brain. The lateral ventricles contained no more fluid than is generally found in them. On opening the chest the left lung pressed higher up than is natural, and was darker in colour, and on cutting into it, the substance was found considerably congested, with marks of some shots on the surface, two of which we found in the substance of that lung. In the right lung, there was an adhesion to the side, on nearly the whole of its external surface, with a considerable effusion of dark coloured blood into its substance. In the cavity of the left pleura there were about three pints of blood, a large portion of which was in a coagulated state, and the remainder fluid. The head was natural, and we did not proceed further with our examination, being satisfied as to what was the cause of death, which was the loss of blood and the state of the lungs and pleura arising from the shot found in the substance of the lungs, and which had caused this extravasation of blood.

Mr. John Kirkhouse Cooke, of Llanelly, surgeon, corroborated Mr. B. Thomas’s evidence.

The jury then retired to consider their verdict, and in about a quarter of an hour returned the following:– “That the deceased died from the effusion of blood into the chest, which occasioned suffocation, but from what cause is to this jury unknown.”

Other newspapers went into more detail about Cooke’s [or perhaps Cook’s] testimony, which more than merely corroborating Thomas’s conclusions, backed them up with additional details. Here, for instance, is the Cambrian’s version:

I examined the body of the deceased with the last witness — found no external marks of violence, excepting some gun-shot wounds. The shots were found in the bony structure of the head, and in the breast. The lungs on the left side protruded considerably, and also had the appearance of having a considerable effusion of blood; and, on removing them, we discovered an immense effusion of blood into the cavities of the chest — the greater portion of it in a fluid state, but a considerable quantity was coagulated. It amounted altogether to about three pounds of blood. On tracing the surface of the lungs, on the interior part of it, I discovered distinct patches of effused blood, also opening, which had the appearance of being made by shot, which I traced into the substance of the lungs, and extracted two. They were the ordinary sized shot. This examination was sufficiently satisfactory to shew the cause of death, which would have been produced from the large quantity of blood effused into the chest, and which impeded the motion of the lungs, as well as by the large quantity of blood lost, destroying vitality. There was also a large quantity of blood escaped through the mouth. There was no other cause to attribute this effusion of blood into the cavity of the chest, but by the shots penetrating the lungs and injuring its vessels.

The Welshman reports that on the same Monday, a policeman insulted a woman in the company of a soldier, the soldier later caught up to the policeman, and “a furious collision took place” between cops and soldiers “for some time — the combatants amounting to 30 or 40 persons.” This gives some clues as to the state of morale among law enforcement, as do these details: “Every evening since the station house has been literally besieged with persons, yelling and hooting the police, and cheering the military… Several persons are in custody for withholding their assistance to the police when called upon ‘in the Queen’s name.’ ”