The Sun.
London, England, 1851-10-24 00:00:00

FATAL AFFRAY WITH POACHERS.

MANSFIELD, OCT. 23.—During the pant week great
exertions have been made by the local authorities to
discover the members of a desperate gang of night
poachers who have been accustomed to infest the pre-
serves in this neighbourhood in large numbers, armed
with boulders, flails, and bludgeons, so as to be pre-
pared to cope with the keepers if they chanced to fall
in their way.
_ _ . . _

On Monday night, the 13th instant, about thirty
poachers, thus armed, were pursuing their nightly
occupations on land at Rufford, belonging to the Earl
of Scarborough, when they were encountered by the
keepers and watchers, ten in number, who, anticipat-
ing the encounter, were all armed with flails made
purposely for their use. The handles were about four

Feet long, and the piece of wood, attached by a swivel
to the end, was fifteen or sixteen inches in length.
The flail, in former days, was much used on such oc-
casions as these, and not unusually they were loaded
with lead ; but they met with the universal condem-
nation of the judge, and had gradually gone out of
use, until it seems they have been revived shortly
previous to this affray, the chief incidents of which
will be gathered from the following evidence, taken
at an inquest held to-day, before Mr. Falkner, one of
the county coroners, upon the body of William Ro-
berts, who was killed during the affray on the night
in question.
Frederick Edward Brock, of Rufford, gamekeeper,
deposed—I am in the service of the Earl of Scar-
borough. On the night of the 13th instant, I, with
nine others, was concealed amongst Machin's gorse,
at Rufford. Several poachers came down the road,
and passed us ; I think there were about 30 of them
I was not more than six yards from the road. There
was a heap of stones opposite to me. I heard them
drop these stones one by one into their pockets. As
soon as they were about thirty yards past us, I told
our men to take off their cloaks, and get ready. I am
son of his Lordship's head keeper. We followed on
the grass into the road, as quietly as we could. After
we had advanced about 180 yards, walking slow and
still, we found a net set on the road. When we got
to the net, we went considerably quicker, and upon
reaching Cartlidge's gate we saw three men close to
it. They began to throw stones at us. They then
rushed away to get over the stile. One of them suc-
ceeded ; the other two did not. The deceased, who
was a fine, strong young man, and Samuel Herod,
knocked them down with their flails. The third, who
got away, whistled. About thirty yards down the
first field I overtook another man, and knocked him
down with my flail. I passed on, and saw a num-
ber of poachers coming up the other field. I think
there were thirty-four of them all together.
They threw stones at us which weighed
from half a pound to three pounds a piece ;
and we threw stones at them, for we had taken a lot
in our pockets from the road. Our stones were from
a pound to a pound and a half each. I was knocked
down, and remained for some time insensible. I had
the command of our men. We determined to go on
fighting whilst any man was standing on either
aide. We were beaten by poachers two years ago,
and were determined not to be beaten again. I did
not shoot off my pistol, but it went off in my pocket
by being struck with a stone from a poacher.
James Brock said—Whilct we were knocking the
poachers down with our flails as fast as we could ono
of the poachers threw a lose atone and hit Roberts