ot was
determined upon on, Sunday, the 20th of February; and it was to be
put into execution on the following Wednesday, when there was to be a
cabinet-dinner at Lord Harrowby's, in Grosvenor Square. It was agreed
that a single conspirator should go to Lord Harrowby's with a note
addressed to his lordship; that when the outer door should be opened
others should rush in; and that while some proceeded to bind the
domestics, the rest should perpetrate the horrid massacre. The heads
of Lord Sidmouth and Castlereagh were to be brought away as trophies of
their success. The whole of the Wednesday was passed in preparations for
this fearful tragedy. Arms and ammunition were provided; proclamations
were written, ready to be affixed to those edifices which were devoted
to the flames; and strict watch was kept on Lord Harrowby's mansion, in
order to ascertain whether any of the police or military entered it or
were concealed in its vicinity. Towards the evening the conspirators
crept towards their place of rendezvous, and by six o'clock all had
assembled. The place of rendezvous was a stable in Cato-street, near the
Edgeware-road; a building which consisted of two upper rooms, the ascent
to which was by a ladder. In the largest of these rooms the conspirators
were seen, by the glimmering light of one or two small candles, making
ready for their bloody enterprise. They were rejoicing in the speedy
prospect of revenge; but their projected crime had been unfolded. Among
them was one Edwards, who, though a pretended colleague, was a spy. This
man had given them the information of the cabinet-dinner, and then gave
the cabinet information of all the proceedings of the conspirators.
Every precaution was adopted by ministers to lull suspicion; and the
preparations for dinner had been going on as though the ministers would
really assemble. By this means the conspirators were detected with arms
in their hands. Their capture was effected by a party of police, headed
by Mr. Birnie, the magistrate, and supported by a detachment of the
Coldstream Guards. The conspirators were on the point of starting for
Grosvenor-square, when on a sudden the police entered the room in which
they were assembled, and called upon them to surrender. Smithers, an
active police-officer, rushed forward to secure the ringleader; but he
was pierced through with the desperado's sword, and fell. The lights
were now extinguished, and the conflict became general, while some