The National Register.
London, England, 1812-04-12 00:00:00

NATIONAL BEGISTER.

6

c.ut of the City, and that warrants:turn County Magistracy; should in
certain and definite cases, be allowed co operate within the local limits
of the City, without being hacked by the City Magistrates.

PROVINCIAL ASSIZES.

MURDER Or LORD SPE.NCER'S•GANIEKEEPER.

KINGSTON, APRIL 3.—William Halt was indicted for the wilful mur-
der of Thomas Astill (Lord Spencer's gatnekeaper), on the 17th day of
August last at Wimbledon. This was the case of the gamekeeper
who was killed by a poacher in Lord Spencer's park.
The first witness called was a deputy eamekeeper, who merely stated
th It he saw Astill go out, on the morning he met his fate, at five o'clock.
He bad heard the report of a gun ill the pat k or its neighbourhood, and
he had with him his own gun and a cutlass. When he next saw him,
it was in the course of the same day, he was in bed, and badly
wounded.
A labouring man, of the name of Carter, and another, of the name of
Williamson saw Astill at about a quarter before six in the morning go
l':e a close celled Greenfield's Close. They teal previously heard the
reernt of a gun, and they supposed that Astill, the gamekeeper, was
gone in search of the person who tieed it. They saw him in company
with another man, whom they supposed he was following, but they
neither of them could rpeak to the identity of the prisoner. •
. Mr. Carlisle, the Surgeon, said he was called in to attend the dee
ceased on the 17th of August. He fitind that he had received a- blow
au the head, which had driven in the skull upon the brain, and part of
the brain had protruded through the wound. He considered his catse
as desperate front the first moment he saw it. The deceased, though an
old man, had great strength of constitution. He removed the pieces
of bone that were pressing upon the brain. The operation was at-
tench d with great immediate danger, and the patient, thouah he could
not distinctly speak, yet evidently was perfectly sensible. He answered
all the questions put to hint • either by eilirmatively- nodding his head,
or shaking it for di-sent. Thei blow, eateird!ree to the bust of his judg-
ment, was given with the handle of the cuti4:s produced, and cer-
tainly not with the blade, either the edge or bach of it. The deceased
frequently repeated (as they understood his imperfect articulation)
" Woolger has done it."—Mr. Carlisle said he wrote the name Woolger
in large letter, and the ceceased gave an affirmetive no.l, end pointed
to the letters. They then bad a man of the name of Woodeer brought
to hint, but he shook his head, as denying him to be the man. The
prisoner brine apprehended, was also innught into his presence, and he
tnmediately exhibited great symptaes of pert erbetioin, attempted to
raiae himself in his led, and to speek• but coultl not otter any words.
He showed the witness his thighs, wl.ich were braised, and the marks
lii his breeches; the bk were evideittly given with the handle of the
cutlass.
Bai !lard Hill, a labouring man, statue, that the prisoner and lie
• worked at the same job. On the marniag in question he was in the fields,
and saw a men in a red jacket (which was the colour the gamekeeper
wore) following a man in a brown jacket ; he had heard a gun lire
previously ; he did not attend much to them, ;tad he lost sight of the m
at the turn of the park paling. He la-ard of the transaction in the
course of the day, and mentioned it to the vrisoner, who did not at first
say he was the person, hut the next dty he .confessed he was the man,
and said that the gamekeeper was foOohing him ; that he at first took
away his gun; that he then asked the .gamekeeper if he anis satisfied,
who replied not, and persisted in following him • that he attempted to
draw his cutlass, upon which the prisoner said Le took that away also,
and upon his attempting to halloo for assiatance, that he gave hint a
blow on the head with the handle, and two blows on the thighs, to pre.
vent his following him.
The Learned Judge, ow this statement, slid, it was clear that the case
,only amatinted to manslaughter, as it eras in the beet of blood, and not
by malice propense, which the law re Teired to constitute murder.
The Jury foued hint Gu At/ of Minis!augLer, and the .earnesl Judge
immediately sentenced him to twelve months imprisonment, and a fine
et' one shilling.
• Mr. Ga 'mow sat cm the Criminal ;itia• on Thursday evening, but the
canes tried were not interesting. Mr. Justice Gaon finished early
ea Saturday morning, and the Home ti: suit closed.

APRIL 1

eraseeeesmess sais.
shelf, to destroy them. One was taken by the leg, and It is supposed
the creature made a spring to get back to his hole; in consequence of
which, be and the trap came down together, and struck against the
cock of a piece of HoHands gin : the liquor was thus set a running, and
the amount of the loss is estimated at fifty pounds !
I'. Vein, jun. son of a creditable farmer, of greet, near Bridgwater,
was, Tuesdey se'nnight, committed to Wilton gaol, charged with the
murder of Elizabeth Coomer, by drowning her.—lt appears that the
dectaised was within a ft...v days of her delivery of a child, of which the
prisoner was the supposed father, and that he had endeavoured to per-
suade her to charge her pregnancy on some other person: On the night
of ler death, the prisoner had appointed to meet the deceased in a field
adjoining a public-house, into which he went, and purchased a pint of
brandy, and borrowed a glass. When the body was examined, nearly
the whole quantity of a pint of brandy was in the stomach of the de-
caased ; and the fuoteps of a mart, and likewise those of the unfortunae
woman, were traced to the edge of the water. The prisoner, who is
overseer of the parish, has been committed to take his trial, many
s:rongly corroboratieg circumstances, to fix on him the imputed guilt,
having transp're.
1..0 Geye r v.—Mr. Bowman, of Irthington, in Cumberland, lately
attained his 107th year ; he has, in consequence, lived in four reigns.
He shaves himself with ease and expedition ; can read the smallest print
without the assistance of spectales; has his hearing in perfection; sleeps
soundly; never knew an hour's sickness; and, though no enemy to
•
'6 cheerful glass," never remembers, but twice, to have been intoxi-
cated with liquor. He can contest the palm of labour with the No-t
robust young men of the district, whether it- be in the operatic:is
mowing, hedging, threshing, &c. During the winter he actually e:e-
ployed himself in daily breaking the ice with a spade, in order to water
his cattle ; and, that he might not be idle, mucked the byre in the
interval.