The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-29 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME CIRCUIT.—MAIDSTONE, July 28.
(Before Mr. Baron Bramwell.)
THE ROYDEN HALL MURDER.
The public will remember that a barbarous mur-
der was committed on the night of the 22d of
January last at Royden Hall, the residence of Major
Cook, one of his keepers, named James Grey, having
been deliberately shot dead by one of a gang of
poachers, eight er nine in number, and two prisoners,
named Alfred Burr Luck and Stephen Eversfield,
stand committed to take their trial for the murder
at the present assizes.
It appears that although it was known at the
time that there were at least seven or eight, if not
more, persons concerned in the outrage, the
whole of them contrived to keep out of the way, but
in consequence of information that was received on
Tuesday evening by Superintendent Hulse, a very
active and useful officer belonging to the Kent
constabulary stationed at Mailing, about six miles
from Royden Hall, he started at a late hour, accom-
panied by some of his constables, for the purpose
of apprehending several men, who there seems to
be very little doubt were part of the gang of
poachers by whom the murder was committed, and
all of whom have the character of being notorious
poachers. After one of the prisoners, who goes
by the name of " Happy Jack," had been secured,
the officer told him that the charge he had to
make against him was that of being concerned
in the Royden Hall affair. The reply he made was
that he was not surprised at it, and had expected
that the police would have been after him before.
He then voluntarily made a statement to the effect
that the gang of poachers consisted of nine persons,
but that they were not all provided with guns.
He said that after they had been in the wood some
time they were met by the keeper, Grey, who was
shot, and seven or eight other men, and a scuffle
immediately took place, and he saw him shot and
fall to the ground. He then gave further infor-
mation upon the subject of the murder, but de-
clared that Eversfield, one of the men now under
charge, was not with the party. The other pri-
soners who had been taken were confronted with
this man, and he repeated the statement he had
previously made in their presence, and it appears
that several of them admitted they were there, but
denied that either had fired the gun.
In consequence of this important discovery it
was expected that the trial of the two prisoners
who are in custody would not take place at the pre-
sent assizes, and that one, if not more, of tne
prisoners, who have since been apprehended, will
be admitted as witnesses for the Crown.
In the course of the day Mr. F. Russell, who
was instructed to conduct the prosecution, made an
application to the Court to postpone the trial of
the two prisoners now under charge in the gaol to
the next assizes, and he did so upon an affidavit
which embodied the above facts. He also applied
that the recognisances of all the witnesses might
be respited, and that no bill should be preferred
before the grand jury at the present assizes, as he
said that the interests of justice were much more
likely to be carried out by all the parties being
tried together, when the whole of the facts would
be laid before the jury. The learned counsel added,
that from certain fresh facts that had come to the
knowledge of the prosecution, he should not object
to ore of the prisoners (Eversfield) being admitted
to bail.
Mr. Ribton and Mr. Francis, who were instructed
to defend the prisoners, opposed the application,
and said they Were most anxious to take their trial.
They added that it would be a great injustice to
keep them for several months with such a serious
charge hanging over them.
Mr. Baron Bramwell said he fully felt the force
of the argument used by the learned counsel, and
he should be most unwilling to detain the prisoners
in custody, if elicit a course could be taken without
detriment to the interests of justice. He would,
however, coneult Mr. Baron Martin on the subject.
His lordship accordingly left the court for that
purpose, end on his return he said that his learned
brother was of ophtion that, under the circum-
stances, he had no alternative but to grant the ap-
plication that had been made by Mr. Russell, and
postpone the trial of the two prisoners who were
already committed. He added that if the counsel.
for the prosecution, from his knowledge of the facts,
consented to Eversfield being admitted to bail, the
Court would not object to sanction the proceeding,
although, tndoubtedly, in cases of murder bail was
very rarely taken.
ARSON AND MURDER.
John Horsley, 18, a miserable looking led, was
charged wit h wilfully and feloniously setting fire to
a stack of straw, the property of John Kingworth.
He was ale° charged upon another indictment
with the wilful murder of a man or boy, whose name
was unknown.
Mr. &roe conducted the prosecution.
It appeared from the evidence of a police constable
named Hills, that on the night of the 3d of July he
was on duty, when he observed the appearance of a
fire in the direction of a farm occupied by the prose-
cutor, called Plane Farm, near Folkestone. As he
was going towards the fire he met the prisoner, and
asked him if he knew where the fire was, and he
made no answer, but stepped on one side and ap-
peared desirous to avoid him. He asked him a