Name: Martha Kearsley
Occupation: (Single woman / Spinster)
Home: N/K
Date: 27 September 1819
Source: Lees Inquest 46 - 54
Summary: Present at St.Peter’s-field. Witnessed actions and violence meted out by soldiers. Detailed eye-witness testimony offered in evidence. Personally unknown to John Lees.
Transcribed by: CW
__________________________________________________________________
MARTHA KEARSLEY called in and sworn.
Q. Where do you live?
A. At Oldham.
Q. Are you married or single?
A. I am single, Sir.
Q. What do you know about the death of John Lees?
A. I was at Manchester, Sir, on the 16th of August last.
Q. How came you to be there?
A. I went there on that day, to the Meeting.
Q. Well, what did you see there?
A. I saw two soldiers striking at a man, and he was endeavouring to keep them off, when another came up and cut him on the back of the shoulder.
Q. Whereabouts did this happen?
A. It was near the hustings.
Q. Where were you at the time, to see all this?
A. I was sitting on the edge of Mr. Hunt's carriage.
Q. At what part of the carriage; was it with the coachman?
A. No; I was sitting behind.
Q. Were there any other women on the carriage besides yourself?
A. No; there were persons within the carriage, but none on the outside except me.
……………
Q. How long had the man been engaged with the two soldiers when the other came?
A. Not many minutes; he had been preventing their blows, when the third soldier came up, and struck him with a sword.
Q. Are you certain he struck him intending to cut him?
A. I am sure he did.
Q. Did you hear him say any thing?
A. I did not.
Q. Were there many men there at the time?
A. Yes, Sir; there were men on all sides.
Q. What became of him after he was struck? Did he fall down, or go away?
A. I cannot tell.
Q. Why, as you were looking at him, you must know?
A. No, Sir, I don't. I was so struck with horror, that I turned round, and saw no more of him.
Q. Did you see any person cut after this?
A. Yes, many.
…………
Q. How many times did you see this man struck?
A. Once.
Q. Did you see any thing more of him?
A. I did not see the man or the soldiers any more.
Q. Where was he struck, do you say?
A. On the shoulders.
Q. Did you see Mr. Hunt?
A. Yes; I saw him come from the carriage to the hustings.
Q. Where were you then?
A. I was standing on the ground near the hustings.
Q. How far were you from the hustings?
A. I can't say particularly; I did not measure it.
Q. Is that the only answer you choose to give me, woman?
A. I have told you the truth, and I have nothing more to say.
Mr. Harmer (to the Coroner)—I beg pardon, Sir, for interfering; but really, Mr. Coroner, I cannot help saying you examine this witness in a tone and manner very different to what you did Mr. Cox.
The Coroner (to Mr. Harmer)—I believe I am as mild in examining her as I was examining Dr. Cox. But she has exhausted my patience.
Mr. Harmer (to the Coroner)—Forgive me if I differ with you on that point, and allow me to say, that in all the Inquisitions I have seen, the usual course has been to ask the witnesses to give their own account of what had come under their observation, and after they have concluded them, to question them if any thing remained unstated or ambiguous. This was your course with Dr. Cox, but this witness, you cross-examine in the outset.
The Coroner (to Mr. Harmer)—I believe I have seen as many Inquests as Mr. Harmer, and conducted them as well as he has seen them conducted.
Witness examined by Mr. HARMER.
……………….
Q. Did you notice the dress of the man who was struck?
A. I saw he had on a dark coloured coat.
Mr. Harmer--(to the Coroner)—I wish the deceased's coat to be produced again ….
Mr. Harmer—(to the Witness, Martha Kearsley)—Look at that coat, and tell me if it is like the one worn by the man to whom you have alluded?
A. The colour of the coat is the same the man had on, to the best of my knowledge; but I cannot swear to the coat, because I only saw the man when the act was committed.
The Witness, MARTHA KEARSLEY, re-examined by the CORONER.
…………..
Q. Might it not be some other dark colour. Don't you call blue a dark colour?
A. I call corbeau or dark brown a dark colour.
Q. That is the only answer you give to my question?
A. Yes, Sir; I don't know what other answer I can give.
The Coroner—Well, you may withdraw.
Occupation: (Single woman / Spinster)
Home: N/K
Date: 27 September 1819
Source: Lees Inquest 46 - 54
Summary: Present at St.Peter’s-field. Witnessed actions and violence meted out by soldiers. Detailed eye-witness testimony offered in evidence. Personally unknown to John Lees.
Transcribed by: CW
__________________________________________________________________
MARTHA KEARSLEY called in and sworn.
Q. Where do you live?
A. At Oldham.
Q. Are you married or single?
A. I am single, Sir.
Q. What do you know about the death of John Lees?
A. I was at Manchester, Sir, on the 16th of August last.
Q. How came you to be there?
A. I went there on that day, to the Meeting.
Q. Well, what did you see there?
A. I saw two soldiers striking at a man, and he was endeavouring to keep them off, when another came up and cut him on the back of the shoulder.
Q. Whereabouts did this happen?
A. It was near the hustings.
Q. Where were you at the time, to see all this?
A. I was sitting on the edge of Mr. Hunt's carriage.
Q. At what part of the carriage; was it with the coachman?
A. No; I was sitting behind.
Q. Were there any other women on the carriage besides yourself?
A. No; there were persons within the carriage, but none on the outside except me.
……………
Q. How long had the man been engaged with the two soldiers when the other came?
A. Not many minutes; he had been preventing their blows, when the third soldier came up, and struck him with a sword.
Q. Are you certain he struck him intending to cut him?
A. I am sure he did.
Q. Did you hear him say any thing?
A. I did not.
Q. Were there many men there at the time?
A. Yes, Sir; there were men on all sides.
Q. What became of him after he was struck? Did he fall down, or go away?
A. I cannot tell.
Q. Why, as you were looking at him, you must know?
A. No, Sir, I don't. I was so struck with horror, that I turned round, and saw no more of him.
Q. Did you see any person cut after this?
A. Yes, many.
…………
Q. How many times did you see this man struck?
A. Once.
Q. Did you see any thing more of him?
A. I did not see the man or the soldiers any more.
Q. Where was he struck, do you say?
A. On the shoulders.
Q. Did you see Mr. Hunt?
A. Yes; I saw him come from the carriage to the hustings.
Q. Where were you then?
A. I was standing on the ground near the hustings.
Q. How far were you from the hustings?
A. I can't say particularly; I did not measure it.
Q. Is that the only answer you choose to give me, woman?
A. I have told you the truth, and I have nothing more to say.
Mr. Harmer (to the Coroner)—I beg pardon, Sir, for interfering; but really, Mr. Coroner, I cannot help saying you examine this witness in a tone and manner very different to what you did Mr. Cox.
The Coroner (to Mr. Harmer)—I believe I am as mild in examining her as I was examining Dr. Cox. But she has exhausted my patience.
Mr. Harmer (to the Coroner)—Forgive me if I differ with you on that point, and allow me to say, that in all the Inquisitions I have seen, the usual course has been to ask the witnesses to give their own account of what had come under their observation, and after they have concluded them, to question them if any thing remained unstated or ambiguous. This was your course with Dr. Cox, but this witness, you cross-examine in the outset.
The Coroner (to Mr. Harmer)—I believe I have seen as many Inquests as Mr. Harmer, and conducted them as well as he has seen them conducted.
Witness examined by Mr. HARMER.
……………….
Q. Did you notice the dress of the man who was struck?
A. I saw he had on a dark coloured coat.
Mr. Harmer--(to the Coroner)—I wish the deceased's coat to be produced again ….
Mr. Harmer—(to the Witness, Martha Kearsley)—Look at that coat, and tell me if it is like the one worn by the man to whom you have alluded?
A. The colour of the coat is the same the man had on, to the best of my knowledge; but I cannot swear to the coat, because I only saw the man when the act was committed.
The Witness, MARTHA KEARSLEY, re-examined by the CORONER.
…………..
Q. Might it not be some other dark colour. Don't you call blue a dark colour?
A. I call corbeau or dark brown a dark colour.
Q. That is the only answer you give to my question?
A. Yes, Sir; I don't know what other answer I can give.
The Coroner—Well, you may withdraw.
