The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-09 00:00:00

MURDER BY A POACHER

The neighbourhood of Newton Abbot (a town about
sixteen miles from Exeter, on the Plymouth road) was
on Saturday night the scene of one of those fatal con-
flicts which have too often resulted from armed men
being detected in an illegal act. We hope these la-
mentable consequetnce will arouse in Devonshire a cru-
sade against the cause of such sad effects—protection to
vermin—and may those traces, which game-laws have
entailed upon the nation, be henceforth expunged and
obliterated by wiser and mote enlightened legislation.
On the night of Saturday last, Festus Harris, the
gamekeeper, and James Norman, the gardener, of Sir
W. P. Carew, of Haccombe House (the High Sheriff),
were on the watch, and ascertaining that poachers were
on the grounds, they called to their assistance six other
persons, amongst whom were Mr. Robert Rendell, of
Netherton, and William Setter, of Coombinteignhead.
These parties met in a field called Blendfield, between
eleven and twelve at,night, and surrounded the place
where the poachers were. Mr. Rendell and Setter went to
the gate of Kiln-field, and:whilst there heard the rest call
out "gate"—a signal previously arranged. Theyperceived
some one running towards them, with a gun in his hand,
and on approaching within a few paces, discovered it was
one Henry Warren. They ran into the field, and
Warren raised his gun as if to fire. Mr. Rendell called
out, "You'd better not fire;" but immediately Warren
fired at Setter, and without taking the gun from his
shoulder discharged the other barrel at Mr. Rendell.
The shot passed by the side of Mr. Rendell's head, but
the aim at Setter was more deadly; he received the
whole contents in his body, causing a wound two inches
in length, from which the bowels protruded, and from
the effects of which the unfortunate man 'livered until
a quarter past two on Sunday afternoon, when he ex-
pired, at the house of Mr. Elias Rendell, Buckland,
w'aere he had been taken immediately after the occur-
rence.

On a post mortem examination a number of small size
shot were found, lacerating most frightfully the liver,
and injuring the bone. The surgeon also found a piece
of deceased's watch chain, which had been carried into
the wound. The prisoner was, after a scuffle, secured
by Mr. Rendell, and the next day taken before 11. Cart-
wright, Esq., who, having taken the depositions of the
various witnesses, and of the dying man, committed the
prisoner to take his trial at the next assizes for wilful
murder, and also for shooting at Mr. Rendell. He said
to Mr. Mendell, when in custody, he was very sorry he
had done it, and he wished his gun had broken in pieces
when first he took it in his hand. The prisoner's mate,
who was out with him, has been also committed to gaol,
on the charge of poaching. There was some fear of a
rescue by the navvies, but Mr. Flamank, the magistrate's
clerk, very wiselykept the men at Newton until Monday
morning, when they were sent off to Exeter, and there
safely lodged in the county gaol.

THE DANGEROUS STATE OF TOWER-STREET.—
Yesterday a deputation from the inhabitants of Tower-
street and its vicinity, consisting of Mr. Howell, Mr.
Barber, Mr. Finnes, and other influential and respectable
residents, waited upon the Lord Mayor for the purpose
of representing to his Lordship that great danger to life
and limb arose from the narrow state of Tower-street,
which had been almost wholly impassable to passengers
in consequence of the vast increase of commerce. The
object of the deputation was to induce the Lord Mayor,
as one of the Commissioners of Metropolitan Improve-
ments, so to communicate the exact condition of that
croweed thoroughfare to his brother Commissioners as
would lead to as speedy a correction of the evil as pos-
sible. The Lord Mayor, who received his fellow citizens
with his usual affability, stated that a deputation had
been received by the Commissioners, and given
evidence before them as to the most advisable
means of remedying the evil complained of. He
advised the deputation to convene a public meeting
of the inhabitants, and 'determine whether the line re-
commended before the Commissioners should be that
adopted in the application to Parliament ; and he said
he was satisfied that the Commissioners would render all
the assistance in their power to procure an improvement
which would add so many facilities of trade to that part
of the city of London. The improvements suggested
consisted of a new street from Trinity-street, passing
through Seething-lane, Mark-lane, and Mincing-lane,
and coming out near St. Margaret's Church by Rood-
lane ; and it was also contemplated to make a thorough.
fare at the Postern-road, which would be a vast accom-
modation to all the eastern parts of the metropolis, and
particularly to the enormous traffic of the docks. His
Lordship said that if the inhabitants assembled and de-
termined upon a plan, means would be at once adopted
to prepare a Bill for introduction into Parliament. The
deputation intimated that the meeting should be called,
and the suggestions of his Lordship should meet with
immediate attention.
NELSON'S COLUMN.—Yesterday the workmen re-
sumed the completion of this column. The works have
been suspended during the last month in consequence of
the difficulty experienced in procuring blocks of stone of
the required size and quality.
The eldest son of Mr. Sackville L.' Fox, M.P., and
grandson of the late Duke of Leeds, is about tt) join the
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