Historic%20Yorkshire
Historic%20Yorkshire
Historic%20Yorkshire
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172<br />
THE LUDDITE RIOTS.<br />
the mastersand those who upheld their authority, and in<br />
the monthof April began to excelin violence any of their<br />
previous deeds. During this and the succeedingmonths<br />
crime came after crime in increasing numbers. On the<br />
night of Saturday,the nth of April, the secret society of<br />
the Luddites met to attack Mr. Wm. Cartwright's mill at<br />
Rawtolds, near Liversedge. Mr. Cartwright had been<br />
one of those who, in spite of oft repeated threats, had<br />
continued to use new machinery; he was accordingly<br />
hatedbythe Luddites,whodenouncedhim anddetermined<br />
to destroy the machinery. Hearing of the threatened<br />
attack, for six weeks Mr. Cartwrightslept in the mill, and<br />
with himfour workmenand fivesoldiers. On the evening<br />
abovementioned the occupants of the mill retiredabout<br />
twelve o'clock, Mr. Cartwright among the number, first<br />
seeing that his watchmen outside were at their posts.<br />
At about, it is said, twenty-five minutes before one a loud<br />
barking was heard from a dog which was kept on the<br />
ground floor. Mr. Cartwright quickly rising and opening<br />
the door of his bedroom, heard the windows on the<br />
ground floor break, and immediatelyafter a volley of firearms.<br />
The arms had been piled the night before, and<br />
upon rushing in their direction Mr. Cartwright met the<br />
workmenand soldiers, who like himself had nothingon<br />
buttheir shirts,and preparingtooffer a staunch resistance.<br />
An alarm bell had been placed on the top of the building,<br />
and this waskept in play by two men who took turn« at<br />
ringing the bell and firing upon the mob below. Meanwhile<br />
the little bandof defenders kept up a continual fire<br />
through the loopholes, whilst from the mob outside came<br />
as unremitting a discharge of guns and small arms.<br />
Mingled with the most horrible curses were heard the<br />
shouts of " Keep close;" " In withyou;" " Bangaway,<br />
my lads;" " Killthem every one." It was reckoned that<br />
nearly 150 persons took part in the attack, but so alert<br />
were the defenders that in about twenty-minutes the<br />
Luddites, probablyfinding their ammunition gone, ceased<br />
to fire, and finally they scattered and departed towards