The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-22 00:00:00

MURDER IN WARWICKSHIRE,

Only a day after the murder for which George
Hall has been committed for trial at the approach-
ing assizes at Warwick, a similar crime was perpe-
trated at Brailes, a small agricultural village, within
sight of the scene of the conflict between the
Royalists and Parliamentarians, at Edge Hills, in
1642.

The name of the deceased is Henry Clifton, and
he was employed as an agricultural labourer on the
farm of Mr, James Garrett, who has a large holding
under H. J. Sheldon, E,q., the late high sheriff of
the county of Warwick. The name of the murderer
is George Ditton, who for the last 12 months has
acted in the capacity of gamekeeper to Mr. Sheldon.
The crime was committed ;ate on Tllursday evening,
as deceased was returning from his work at Mr.
Garrett's, across an orchard on land occupied by Mr.
Harris, another tenant farmer of Mr. Sheldon's, on
which orchard there is a footpath used by the in-
habitants in crossing the Brailes hills, as a short
route to the main thoroughfares leading to the Ox-
ford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway on
the west, and to Shipton-on-Stour, Stratford-on-
Avon, &e., on the north. This footpath has been
extensively used daily from time immemorial, but
Mr. Sheldon has set up a right of way for the last
12 months.

The explanation of the above facts are necessary
to a proper understanding of what is to fol-
low. Clifton and a fellow-labourer, named Hol-
ton], were crossing the footpath on the night in
question, when the keeper was stationed in
the orchard with a double-barrelled loaded gun and
a dog. As soon as he saw them approach, he asked
a man named Walker, working in the corner of the
orchard, who they were. Walker told him the
name of one of them. Ditton said he would see
who the other was. That other was deceased, who
had a stick in his hand. It is stated that he had
been previously stopped by the keeper and asked,
but refused to be searched for game. On the pre-
sent occasion, however, there is no allegation that
Clifton or his companion were either returning
from or going to poaching grounds ; but, however,
Ditton wont up to Clifton, collared him, walking
beside him some distance with his hand upon his
collar, telling him he was on trespass. An alter-
cation and struggle ensued, the keeper wishing to
drive the man bask over the hills, the deceased
desiring to get home ere the shades of evening fell,
but, it is said, promising not to come that way
again. By a desperate effort deceased got out of
the keeper's grasp and struck him with his stick,
after which Ditton deliberately presented towards
him his gun. By this time Mr. Harris had come
up to his orchard and, according to the evidence he
and Holtom gave at the coroner's inquest on Satur-
day, Ditton deliberately shot the deceased, and
walked away to his lodge, followed by yells and
cries of vengeance. He was soon afterwards ap-
prehended.
The coroner's jury returned a verdict of " Wilful
mu

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