15th October 1812: The Huddersfield Solicitor, John Allison, informs the Home Secretary about Luddites collecting money for those wounded at Rawfolds Mill

My Lord

By the direction of Mr. Radcliffe I am to inform your Lordship that John Bates whose original Examination has already been transmitted informs that when the sum of £10..6..6 mentioned in that Examination was paid over to Mark Hill it was paid to him for the purpose of being distributed amongst the Families of the Men who were wounded at Rawfolds mill that is at Mr. Cartwrighs Fight that Benjamin Hinchliffe the Drawer at Holmfirth paid 8..14..6 of that money — John Schofield now a prisoner in York Castle for shootg at John Hinchliffe paid 11 [shillings] and John Bates our Informer paid [£]1..1[s] [Total] £10..6..6

This money was paid over to Mark Hill on the Sunday following the attack on Mr. Cartwright and Hill has been examined before Mr. Radcliffe as to the application of that money but he gives so very vague and unsatisfactory account of it that Mr. Radcliffe has remanded him for further Examination in order to give an opportunity to ask your Lordships Opinion as to the propriety of committing or releasing the Man—It appears that the money was evidently collected and applied for the purposes of comforting and assisting men who had been guilty of Felony in attacking Mr. Cartwrights mill! Benjamin Hinchliffe who paid the £8..14..6 appears to be equally implicated with Mark Hill for he must have been aware for what purposes it was collected and was to be applied—Bates to whose first Examination I beg leave to refer your Lordship states that the subscription was for the wounded men and that it was paid over to Mark Hill who was to dispose of it as he thought proper but that it was perfectly understood to be for the Men so wounded — Mr. Radcliffe request that your Lordship will please to favor him with the opinion of some of His Majesty's Law Advisers for his Government in this matter as it is by no means the wish of Mr. Ratcliffe to deprive any of his Majesty's Subjects of a moments liberty unnecessarily however zealous he may be to detect the Disturbers of the public peace

I have the honor to remain my Lord
your Lordships most faithful and obt Servt

John Allison
Huddersfield 15th October ’12.

[To] Lord Viscount Sidmouth &c &c

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This letter can be found at HO 42/129. The Attorney & Solicitor General's opinion was that "This does not appear to us to be a proper Case for prosecution".