18 JANUARY 1840, Page 8

" Information having been received by the 3fagistrates that the

Chartists 'WM to have a meeting somewhere in Sheffield late all Saturday night or early on Sunday morning, flay resolved to adopt measures to prevent any outbreak, and applied to Colonel. Marten, who scot piemmets out on all sides of the town, and had his troops in readiness, part in the Tontine Yard and the remainder at the Barracks. In the outskirts of the town some of the Policemen were fired upon, and others attaeked with pikes and bayonets; and we regret to add that some of the wounds inflicted are of a serious nature. One loan, who, from being dres,:d i mm a rough coat, it is supp"sed was mistaken for it Policeman, was tired at, and so dangerously wounded that he was conveyed to the Infir- mary, and t %relay-seven slugs have been extracted by the surgeon from his neck and slum! lers. Others have been mucli hurt. One had his hat pene- trated by a ball, which grazeii the upper part of his scalp, without doing further injury. In the course of the night se.70-al were taken prisoners; and a great nutintity of nio-kets, pikes, daggers, m, its, (an instrument with three prongs,

vhich is meant to Le thrown -d on the ground and destroy the houes' feet,) pow-

er, balls, Al% mules, ee. were se.zed. At one place the Police discovered a re- gular store of thes. deadly weapon; ; and they were brought to the office in a coach, the body of which %% its nearly tilled by them. 'file picquets all the ClOSSOp road met a considerable body of ineu marching towards the town about hali-pa,f one ill tbe morning, the 6 shine ' of wIlose spears wzts distitictly visirde. The picipr.t approached within twenty yards of them to make cer- tain, and imen,ffiuely mite to the Tontine and gave the fibrin. On the other roads faith, s of men were also seen ; but the preparations malle c■ idently had the effect of icctcai lilting them from entering the tmvn. Daring the whole of &inlay, the greatest excitement prevailed in the neighbourhood of the Town- ball, Where a troop of the First Dragoons were on duty ; and at live o'clock the Yeomanry were called out, who emit hi led to parade the Haymarket and ncighhottrffisal durber the whIde of' the night ; and yesterday El great number of prisoner; were taken, exantimil hefore the Alagistrates, and remanded. Some of the -.1lagist rates have been ilk :ittendance since ;iaturday afternoon."

On .1Ionday, six prisoners—Widiant llolberry mid his wife Mary, two named Booker, and t WO others, Thompsen and roxall—were ex-

amined before the Sheffield Magistrates. I lolberry was found. ott Saturday r■i;:lit in his bcd, but with his clothes on ; and in his garret. were hand-serenades, and arms and combustibles of various k huts. Ball- cartridges alai b;ffish•sliells (it is said) Were di:-COVVred. at the dwellings of the other prisoners.

The cx cmli anal ion was contillued On Titesday ; when evidence was given as to the designs of the Chartists,—priticipally by f+mintel Thomp- son, Linis■-ht' it Chartist, who had been admitted into their coulblene:. The umst important part of this man's testimony •,:vre stated by -Mr.

Palfreynta, a oa committing Holberry and Booker for bight trims,

4' Your seliemes were of' a most diabolical kind : flue first attack was to have been on the S.!s;ions-hoo.e, next on the Town -hall, and then on the Tontine Hotel ; and the towo was to have been fired in several places. Men were also engaged to fire the Barr:mks ; after that, Mr. Albert Smith's house ; and then the houses ct t he :■Ittgistrates around. The watchimil and 1101 Ire (IV to have been tvetssinsted, aad (se s thrown in the streets to obstruct the cavalry, told shops attar-lest \Odell cent:tined arms. Von intended to go on with your con- spiracy in that general awl patine way ; and there can be nu doubt in any person s mind that the offence ('11111 emplated was high treason." Sheffield has been tranquil since Monday morning. At Dewsbury, Heekniondwike, and other places ill \Vest Yorkshire, some :lisle dis- turbances have occurred; and rumours of similar breaches of time peace at Bradford, Barnsley, and Mansfield, have been current.