Wednesday 1 August 2012

1st August 1812: General Maitland informs the Home Office about Samuel Crabtree

Manchester 1st August
1812

My dear Sir.

I last night received Your’s of the 30th and this morning, met the Magistrates at Stockport on the Subject. —

The Provisions of the 2nd Clause, will be carried into effect, in all the Disturbed Part, of the County of Cheshire, on Wednesday, the first day on which, from the peculiar circumstances of this Country, it was adviseable so to do.

I am equally in hopes of getting the Magistrates to do it, all along the Border, but the truth is, whenever Danger is not staring them in the Face, they are sadly relaxed in their Operations.

A man was killed last night near Ashton: It is not at present quite clear, whether he was Shot, by the Disaffected, or whether he was killed by accident, when on the Way to murder a man, they had agreed to transport at their last Meeting, which is their Cant term for Murder.

I am quite confident, the last will turn out to be the Case, and that this Accident, prevented about 30 of them, who were assembled from carrying into Effect, their original purpose.

I shall write to you again tomorrow,
And am [etc]
T Maitland

Nine OClock PM.

P.S:

I have this moment received a Report, from the Surgeon of the Norfolk Militia, I sent to inspect the Body, he had 4 Balls in him, and I have every Reason to imagine, it was an Accident among themselves: the Deceased was a man of notorious Bad Character.—

TM

[To] John Becket Esqr.
&c &c &c

This letter can be found at HO 42/126.

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