John Alexander

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Maureen Withey on 8th November 2019

In the South of England, agricultural labourers rioted in November and December 1830, over very low pay and the introduction of new machinery, which would further reduce work. They were known as the Swing Riots, so named because of threatening letters, signed "Captain Swing", were sent to some land owners. There was much speculation about who Captain Swing was, and several imitators. John Alexander was convicted for sending a threatening letter. The details of the case were reported as follows in the Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette, 20 Jan 1831. “Apprehension of “Swing” – at length there is some clue to the detection of at least one of these mysterious threatening-letter writers. A Mrs Chandler, of Church Farm, Pewsey, Wilts, having received a letter, intimating that her house would be burnt to the ground unless she remitted £10 in a letter addressed to X.Y.Z. at the Nag’s Head, James-street, Covent Garden, that lady immediately forwarded it to Bow-street Office. Sir R. Birnie desired a £10 note to be enclosed in a letter, and left at the house, and ordered Dodd, an active officer of the establishment, to wait there and secure any individual who might inquire for the letter. It had been previously ascertained that a man, accompanied by a recruiting Serjeant of Dragoons, had asked if any letter to that address had arrived; and on Thursday morning he again called, and being told such a letter was received, with 2s 3d to pay in postage, he went away, not having so much money about him. About three o’clock he went again, accompanied by the Serjeant, by whom he had been enlisted, and who lent him the money, and paid the amount of postage, and received the letter. He was then secured by Dodd, and taken to Bow-street. Dodd detailed the whole of the transaction as far as he was concerned; and W. Clark, Serjeant of the14th Light Dragoons, said he had enlisted the prisoner, who in the morning asked him to lend 5s as a letter containing money had arrived from the country, and he had not sufficient to pay the postage; he did so, and on receiving the letter, he told the Serjeant, “it was all right.” The prisoner, upon being asked if he wished to say anything in explanation of the charge, denied all knowledge of the letter, and added, that he should say nothing at present. He was then asked to sign his name, which he did, and the hand-writing was deemed to be precisely similar to that in which the letter signed “Swing” was written. The prisoner was remanded until Monday next, to give time for the attendance of his prosecutrix, and other witnesses from Wiltshire. He was conveyed to the House of Correction, Cold-bath-fields. There is good reason for believing that the prisoner has been deeply implicated in the burnings and destruction of property, which have taken place in Wiltshire. MONDAY- John Alexander (the prisoner) was brought forward before Sir R. Birnie and Mr Mallard, in order to be finally examined. The prisoner was defended by Mr Wooler, and a professional gentleman appeared for the prosecution. Mrs Chandler was then called forward, and stated, that on Tuesday last, the 11th instant, the letter now produced was handed to her by one of her servants, who stated that it came by post. On receiving it, she was advised to go to the postmaster at Marlborough, and having consulted with that person and a Mr Lewis, she was advised to write a letter enclosing a shilling, and directed it to X.Y.Z., Nag’s head, James-street, Covent Garden, till called for. She did not know the handwriting of the letter addressed to her, signed “Swing.” Caroline Dear, a little girl in the service of Mrs Chandler, proved that on Tuesday morning, the11th instant, she received from the general post boy the letter now produced, addressed to her mistress, and paid 9d postage for it. She handed the letter to her mistress immediately after she had so received it. Mr Matthew Loe, of No 27, Southampton-row, Bloomsbury, deposed that he was in the service, as commission agent, of Messrs. Henry ?arnett and Wm Avery, silk merchants, of No10, Cateaton street, city. The prisoner had lived as porter with the same firm for 6 or 7 years, and left his situation some time in last November. The letter now produced, signed “Swing,” was written, to the best of his (witness’s) belief, by the prisoner. The prisoner said that , acting on the instructions of his solicitor, he should reserve his defence to a future opportunity, when he should satisfactorily prove his entire innocence of the offence laid to his charge. The witnesses were then bound over and the prisoner was fully committed to Salisbury for trial. He is a man about 35 years of age, rather decent in appearance, and apparently shrewd and intelligent.”