The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-24 00:00:00

SPORTING INTELLIGENC P.

TATTERSALLS'—YESTERDAY.
CHESTER CUP.
33 to 1 agst Agag (taken)
40 to 1 agst Umpire (taken)
40 to 1 agst Caller Ou (taken)
40 to 1 agst Brown Duchess (taken)
40 to 1 agst Schism (taken)

THE DERBY.
25 to 1 apt Typee colt (taken)
40 to 1 agst Hubert (taken)

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STAKES. —Atropia WAS struck out
immediately after the publication of the weights.

MURDER OF A GAMEK.EEPER-DESP.ERATE

AFFRAY TVITH POACHERS.

For some time past great depredations have been com-
mitted by gangs of poachers (believed to come from Tude-
ley, the Mailings, Yalding, &c.) in the woods surrounding
Roydon Hall, the seat of W. Cook, Esq., J.P., and that
gentleman has been compelled to employ extra watchers or
underkeepers to look after his extensive game preserves,
and this led on Wednesday morning to an encounter, in
which the head gamekeeper, in the employ of Major Cook,
the son of the proprietor, lost his life.

The keeper, whose name was Grey, had been over to
Mereworth, an adjoining village, to invite some of the
farmers to a day's shooting on the following day, and one of
the gentlemen thus invited sent him to the Torrington
Arms to got a little ale. Grey left that house about half.
past ten o'clock, and find ng everything apparently quiet
about the woods he retired to rest. About one o'clock he
was knocked up by some of the watchers, who informed
him that they had heard the firing of guns in a wood called
the Mill Roughs, near the Hatches-gate. Grey, with five
others, atonce proceeded to the wood, where they enooun-
tered a party of poachers, eight or nine in number, and
armed with guns and bludgeons.
Grey, who was a powerful and determined man, ex-
claimed, " I know you all—you are East Mailing men,"
and rushed in amongst them. The poachers, who appeared
to be under the command of one of their number, drew up
in line and presented their guns, threatening to shoot any
one who dared to interfere with them. The keepers and
poachers had a desperate struggle, in the course of which
two of the latter were got down. They called for assist-
ance, one of them exclaiming, " Shoot the —," and a
gun was discharged, the contents of which entered the right
thigh of Grey, who notwithstanding fought on, knocking
down two more men with his life preserver. At length he
failed through loss of blood. The other keepers conveyed
him to his cottage, where he was promptly atttended by
Mr. Biggenden, of East Peckham. B e lingered in great
agony until nearly six o'clock, when he expired. In the
meantime the poachers retreated in something like military
order, presenting their guns to the keepers, and threatening
to "floor them as they had done the other man." It is
evident that some of the gang were severely injured, as
some marks of blood were traced. They heft behind
them two broken guns, two caps, and the lining of
a hat covered with blood. The ruffians were dressed as
pikeys or labouring men, and poor Grey described the man
who shot him as being a tall man.

Information was despatched to the police, and the chief
constable, Captain Ruxton, with Superintendent Heise,
Kent county constabulary, were unceasing in their efforts
to discover the guilty parties, or some of them.
In the course of the day two men from Mereworth, named
Simpson and Honey, well known to the police as being
poachers, were apprehended, but they soon proved an alibi,
inasmuch as it was shown that they were drunk and incapa-
ble, and were assisted by a neighbour to their homes, some
four miles from the scene of the scuffle. Two other men
were also placed under the surveillance of the police, but
the underkeepers, on being called on, could not identify
them, and they were released.
The unfortunate man has left five children, and his
wife is approaching her sixth confinement.

THIS DAY'S MARKETS.