Newport Chartists Vol.4, p.12

Description

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[top right hand margin:-] 12
Barnabas Brough of Pontypool
South That on Saturday Evening
about 1/2 p[ast] 10 at night I was
going on foot between Crossycylog
& the New Inn in company with
Thomas Watkins of Pontypool
Corner When we were stopped
by a body of Men armed with
Pikes Guns Swords Pistols and
Staves it was too dark to ascertain the number
of Men but there were at least
a dozen who surrounded us
One of the Men who I think is
shot and named Shell appeared
as the leader He asked our
names and where we were
going I told him our names
& that we were going to
Pontypool He told us we must

4 [In left margin]

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go with them and ordered some
of the armed men to take us in
charge as Prisoners remonstrated
with them about my liberty
being interfered with when
I was told to hold my tongue
and I could be taken care of
We marched surrounded
by the men to the Marshes Gate
on the Pontypool road about
200 yards before we came there
I jumped over the Hedge with
a ditch of water
when I had several
Guns 3 at least levelled ag[ain]st
me one of which I thrust
aside with my hands and
desired them to take it away
as I should return to them

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immediately and was not endeavouring
to escape A man whom I believe
to be one of the men shot and dead
leaped over the hedge and remained
behind me till I got over the Hedge
He there then brought down to a
Stable facing the marshes gate and
ordered us there & a guard of Pikemen
were ordered to watch us I again
remonstrated with them as being kept
in so cold a place / being wet through &
requested them to remove us to the Toll House
which they promised and we were
afterwards removed to the Toll House
at the Turnpike Gate we were first
shewn into the Bedroom of the Toll House
Keeper where we remained for
nearly an hour and then were
ordered into an upstair Room
& we remained about one hour
and half longer it was about
2 O'clock I looked at my watch
I requested permission to change
my stockings for a pair I borrowed

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of the Tollkeeper & was guarded upstairs
by a Man with a drawn Sword
who stood over me whilst I
changed my stockings I was known
to the Toll keeper and also to one
of the men as they called me by
name. I returned down stairs
in the first room we were kept
in and remained there some
time when an order was given
"To remove the Prisoners upstairs"
(I & Watkins were the only Prisoners
that I knew of) I laid down on the
floor of the room where there was
no furniture and fell asleep
from Excessive fatigue I should
think for an hour. We were then ordered
down stairs & ordered to follow
them a man a pistol walking
at my left side pointing it toward
me. We were then led through the Lanes
it being very dark and wet for a couple of hours & my
shoes were down at heel