The Sun.
London, England, 1834-12-26 00:00:00

DREADFUL AFFRAY WITH POACHERS.

HAT T ON- GARDEN.
For some time past a. most desperate gang of poachers
have been committing daring depredations on the estates of
various.noblemen and gentlemen in. Staffordshire, Worces-
tershire, and Warwickshire, and on several occasions the
most desperate conflicts have taken place between them
and the gamekeepers, in which some of the latter nearly
lost their lives. It was found necessary to increase the
number of the latter in order to guard the premises of their
masters, which step it appears had the effect of making the
poachers more determined and violent, and they, became a
terror to those parts of the country. The alarm was raised
to such a height that the Marquis of Stafford, Earl of Tal-
bot, and other noblemen and gentlemen assembled to devise
means in order to check the lawless gang in their depreda-
tions, and bring the ringleaders to justice. The tenantry of
the above gentlemen offered their assistance to the game-
keepers, and for some time they kept a strict look-out for them.
On the morning of the 12th inst., about two o'clock, the
poachers entere Shetsworth Park, the seat of Edward,
Groves, Esq., when they were met by the tenantry and
game-keepers armed, who called upon them to surrender.
They were about eighteen in number, and they bid defiance
to the gamekeepers, &c., and threatened to murder the
first person that dared approach them ; and they com-
menced firing at some pheasants. The gamekeepers aroused
the inmates of Mr. Groves' establishment, when the coach-
man and the whole of the servants got out of bed, and, bay"
ing armed themselves, proceeded to their assistance, and
pursued the poachers until they arrived on the estate of
Edward Muley, Esq., when the poachers made a sudden
stop, as if determined on resistance, and one of them ad-
dressed the gamekeepers and tenantry, threatening they
would not be taken alive ; and that they would fire upon
them if they persisted in the pursuit, at the same time level-
ling his gun and making use of violent language. Eventu-
ally a most desperate conflict ensued between them ; and
the gamekeepers, &c., were attacked with the but-end of
the gun, knocked down, and beaten in a shocking manner,
and left insensible on the ground, weltering in their blood,
and the poachers made their escape. Mr. Groves had the
sufferers carried to his residence, and provided medical as-
sistance, and several of the injured party were found to
have broken limbs and fractured skulls, &c. Mr. Grove's
coachman was most seriously injured on the head, and is
not out of danger. A meeting of the Magistrates of the
district was immediately called, and the depositions of the
injured party taken. The police of the neighbourhood were
instantly put into requisition to trace and apprehend the
offenders, and four of them were ultimately taken into cus;
tady, when one of them " split " upon the gang, and said
that two of the ringleaders started off for London on the
day of the murderous attack. Subsequently, the police
apprehended ten of the party, and lodged them in gaol, Pre"
paratory to their undergoing an examination before the Ma-
gistrates. Mr. Bruton, the Governor of Stafford Gaol'
was directed to pursue the poachers in London, and having
obtained a warrant under the hand and seal of Earl Talbot,
he proceeded thither, and on his arrival he repaired to Besr
street Police Office, and consulted with Sir Frederick 11°e'
who afforded him every assistance, but no clue whatever
could be traced of them, and he was induced to retell
home. However, George Collier, an active officer, 94'
N division, having received information of the circuit'"
stance, with a description of the persons of the two inclitv
duals who had escaped, has been upon the look out for thou
Feeling convinced that he was on a right scent to apPre-
bend them, he suggested that Mr. Bruton should leave
the warrant with him to execute, in the event of meeting
with them, which was accordingly acceded to, and on Satur-
day morning last Collier, who had received information that
two men answering the description were at a house in the
neighbourhood of Battlebridge, where he had watched ft/r4
two nights successively, saw them leaving the house, an
t
W el
being exceedingly powerful young men, rather than
them single-handed he waited the opportunity, went begin
u
them, and tripping them up, called for assistance, and sue"
ceeded in handcuffing them and conveying them to the str
tion-house, where, for the first time, they inquired ?et
charge against them." Collier replied, " Why, about 03.,
affair at Shetsworth Park. You nearly killed them." 'The't
did not deny the charge, but were exceedingly enraged a
suffering one man to take them. They acted with great
bravado ; and said they belonged to a gang of poachers svil°
nearly killed some gamekeepers in Staffordshire, in Octobett
last. They were afterwards taken before Mr. Laing
this office, and examined, when he ordered Collier to sac,7l
secure the prisoners, who gave their names Nichols and Pied
and to take them forthwith to Staffordshire, to be exaatie
before Earl Talbot and other Magistrates. k to
Collier accordingly ironed them and took them ba°,, ea
the station-house, but the Commissioners of Police re`usr- ,
to allow him to take them to Staffordshire unless be —;
signed his situation, when Mr. Laing ordered Coulson'
constable of Battlebridge, to perform that part of the
duty, which he did. Yesterday he returned to Lundell,
and informed Mr. Laing that he had safely lodged them i°
Stafford Gaol. The prisoners underwent a strict examina-
tion before the Magistrates, and were clearly identified as
having been two of the ringleaders of the gang. Ten el
the gang were in custody, and arraigned before the Mag49‘
trates with the prisoners, and, after a long investigation,
the whole of them were fully committed to Stafford Gaol t°
take their trial.
The prisoners were then heavily ironed and handell‘
and conveyed to that prison.
Coulson stated, that Mr. Grove's coachman was sill
very ill, the scalp of his skull being fractured. The oth ea
servants were extremely injured by the violence they '1"
received.

THE MARKETS.

COUNTRY COW

;TS DURING THE WEI

COUNTRY CORN MARKETS DURING THE WEB
Wheat. I Barley. Oats. Beans. lei
Per Quarter. s. to a. 5. s. s. to s. s. to s s. to
Bland ford 40 42 31 -- 21 40
41) 59 36 40 15 22 30 35
31 30 22 37 4a 0
Chart 40 46 24 32 18 22 .16 40 32 --
1-itintingdon 142 20 26 31 21 25 37 40
Long Sutton...—. 34 44 24 35 :37
t...uth 38 45 126 32 18 24 34 40 :14
I.y 134 49 26 :32 23 24 132 31 3.-
Newark 44 25 33 17 26 36 41 •••••
No•tingliam 40 45 31 36 1:2 26 35 42
Pet,rhorongh 30 40 28 35 18 25 36 42
Plymouth —..... 40 50 30 34 20 23 ***
Pantetraet 1 67 43 27 43
91 afunl 165 70 36 39 22 28 41 43 •-•
tivpingh,oo !34 39 25 29 20 30 36 46
W..lwe --- 145 33

IA It K Dec. 24.
Per Quarter. s. d.
Barley t4 0 t'
Oats 2O 0
Beaus (per sack) l6 0
Hour (per bag) 32 0
Bread (per gall.) I 0_