Historic%20Yorkshire

172
THE LUDDITE RIOTS.
the mastersand those who upheld their authority, and in
the monthof April began to excelin violence any of their
previous deeds. During this and the succeedingmonths
crime came after crime in increasing numbers. On the
night of Saturday,the nth of April, the secret society of
the Luddites met to attack Mr. Wm. Cartwright's mill at
Rawtolds, near Liversedge. Mr. Cartwright had been
one of those who, in spite of oft repeated threats, had
continued to use new machinery; he was accordingly
hatedbythe Luddites,whodenouncedhim anddetermined
to destroy the machinery. Hearing of the threatened
attack, for six weeks Mr. Cartwrightslept in the mill, and
with himfour workmenand fivesoldiers. On the evening
abovementioned the occupants of the mill retiredabout
twelve o'clock, Mr. Cartwright among the number, first
seeing that his watchmen outside were at their posts.
At about, it is said, twenty-five minutes before one a loud
barking was heard from a dog which was kept on the
ground floor. Mr. Cartwright quickly rising and opening
the door of his bedroom, heard the windows on the
ground floor break, and immediatelyafter a volley of firearms.
The arms had been piled the night before, and
upon rushing in their direction Mr. Cartwright met the
workmenand soldiers, who like himself had nothingon
buttheir shirts,and preparingtooffer a staunch resistance.
An alarm bell had been placed on the top of the building,
and this waskept in play by two men who took turn« at
ringing the bell and firing upon the mob below. Meanwhile
the little bandof defenders kept up a continual fire
through the loopholes, whilst from the mob outside came
as unremitting a discharge of guns and small arms.
Mingled with the most horrible curses were heard the
shouts of " Keep close;" " In withyou;" " Bangaway,
my lads;" " Killthem every one." It was reckoned that
nearly 150 persons took part in the attack, but so alert
were the defenders that in about twenty-minutes the
Luddites, probablyfinding their ammunition gone, ceased
to fire, and finally they scattered and departed towards