My dear Sir,
From the information Allison & myself have receiv’d, Warrants are granted by Mr. Radcliffe against three men from the neighbourhood of Elland, supposed to have been concern’d in the robberies on the night of the 29th Ultimo (Novr)
Lt Cooper & Serjt Clarke of the Suffolk have been active in this business, & I am not without hope that we shall break into it, & apprehend some of those concern’d.
The day has been so wet, I have not been able to go round to the different houses to make any enquiries, & am therefore not prepared to state further as to the facts you wish to have ascertain’d, [illegible] Deighton has had no association being connected with this Township it has depended on it, & the civil Patroles have not extended so far.
From the conversation I have had with two of the persons robb’d I trust they are stimulated to exert themselves & persuade their neighbors to organize some system for their own security, but I find the [witnesses] of the respectable part of the community is greater than I could have believ’d, & my opinion was never favorable on this point—
I was mistaken in my statement of the robberies in my report of Yesterday, it does not now appear more than forty pounds were taken from the Two persons who appear’d before Mr. Ratcliffe — the whole are summon’d for to-morrow, & as soon as I get the result of the examinations it shall be communicated to you—
Unless we can rouse the Spirit of the people to combine to self protection, we must expect nightly depredations, in spite of every assistance the Military can afford — but you may rely on it they will not be brought to any measure of the kind, notwithstanding your utmost exertions till the system of Plunder gets to that extent, that civil associations will be of no [illegible]—
Wroth: P: Acland
[To] Lt General
The Rt Honorable
T. Maitland
This letter can be found at HO40/2/8.
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