The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-03 00:00:00

DECEMBER 3 1856

AFFRAY WITH POACHERS.

For some months past poaching has been very
prevalent in the neighbourhood of Leek ; and,
judging from a case which was brought before Mr.
Matthew Gaunt and the Rev. T. H. Heathcote at
the police-court on Thursday last, and which occu-
pied five hours in the hearing, has assumed a some-
what alarming aspect. It appears that the keepers
who watch game on the estates of Mr. John Daven-
port and,the Earl of Macclesfield deemed it neces-
sary to unite their forces in order to repel these
nightly depredators. On the previous Saturday
night six of the keepers met at a place called Hills-
wood, neer Abbey-green, about a mile and a half
from Leek. About midnight they espied, coming
along the woodside, five men, who were setting a
long net in the field for the purpose of taking hares
an rabbits. Shortly. after two more appeared,
and the keepers came out of their hiding-place,
when a savage scene ensued. The substance of the
numerous depositions taken in court from all the
injured keepers is as follows :—John Richmond
stated that on seeing the seven men they went
towards them, when the poachers retired a. short
distance, and called out to some companiOns. The
poachers then stood still and said, " We are T 5 of
us, and can beat you if we like." Richmond did not
think there' were so many, and immediately got
hold of one by the collar. They struggled and fell
together, the poacher being undermost. He had a
bludgeon, which Richmond took from him. Three
poachers came and commanded him to " leave
loose." One said, " Bill, pull thy knife out."
The three commenced striking him. He got
up and fought again, and he and another went
down. He was then thrown against a wall, and
became insensible from the injuries he received,
and saw no more of the fight. John Kirkland,
gamekeeper to Mr. J. Cruso, stated that he had a
dog in a strap, muzzled, and one of the poacher's
dogs was set at him. One of the keepers separated
the dogs, while he laid hold of a man by the collar
and pulled him to the ground. When he had him
on the ground he heard some of them say, " Get
your knives, lads ;wo can beat them. The man
he had down cried out, "Take this -- off.'" He
then received a blow on the ear with a bludgeon
which made him insensible, and his head bled pro-
fusely. When his consciousness returned the men
were gone. He tried to walk home, but could
only roach Mill-street, being very weak through
loss of blood from the blows he had received. The
poachers had three dogs, and were armed with for-
midable weapons. They had caps, or " tommy
hats," with each a piece of white calico fastened to
it. Samuel Knight deposed to haying been thrown
down against a wall and beaten and stoned by the
poachers. He believed the first blow he received
broke his arm. He begged of the men not to
murder him. He saw seven first, and after-
wards another party joined them. It was sup-
posed the total number 'of poachers was 10.
Mr. Williams, sub-inspector of police, stated that
a message was received at the police station
respecting the affray, and Superintendent Woollas-
ton and himself went to the bottom of Mill-street,
where they met three of the keepers covered with
blood supporting themselves against the wall in a
state of exhaustion. He asked Kirkland what had
been the matter, and he replied that he thought
some of their men had been killed. Shortly after
a number of men were close upon them. On
taming the corner Kirkland said "Here they are."
Mr. Woollaston and he seized one each, and he
gave his man in charge of Mr. Woollaston and the
keepers ; he ran after the others and caught one,
and having given him in charge he chased an-
other, who jumped into the river Churnet and
escaped. He thereupon pursued and made pri-
soner another poacher. They brought the four
to the station, and went back to see if they could
find the man who had jumped into the river.
They discovered a bludgeon and a rabbit on the
opposite side, close by the bridge where Messrs.
Hammersley wash silk. They then went to
Hillswood, and found 250 or 300 yards of netting,
set and part set, and several caps with white calico
fastened to them, and another bludgeon. A great
quantity of blood was on the ground. Kirkland's
dog lay close by, with his throat cut and 16 or 17
wounds in various parts of his body. The dog was
muzzled IN ery tightly. They found seven bags,
containing eight or nine rabbits, and seven live
rabbits in the nets. They examined the wall where
one of the keepers, named Whieldon, had been
thrown over into the wood, after being beaten until
he was insensible. The stones were bloody and
part of the wall was thrown down. They returned
to fetch a surgeon. The names of the prisoners are
Adam Clowes, Goodwin, Samuel Sheldon, and
Samuel Dawson. Superintendent Woollaston
gave corroborative evidence. Mr. Turnock, sur-
geon, deposed to having attended the wounded
men and also one of the prisoners. He described
the injuries they had received, and said, on the
whole, they were, progressing favourably. Re-
specting Knight, who had only just been able to
be removed, Mr. Turnock said he found a fracture
of the left arm, six very considerable wounds on
the back of his head, and two in front. The pri-
soners were committed to Stafford to take their
trial at the next assizes.—Staffordshire Advertiser.

COLLISION IN THE CHANNEL AND LOSS OF LIFE.—On
Thursday morning last a Dublin steamer named the
Sylph, on her passage from London to Falmouth and
Dublin, ran into a Dutch galliot off the Foreland. The
night was very dark, and it is reported that the galliot
had no lights, but that the steamer had. The galliot
was partly cut down, and in ten minutes after the occur.
renca she sank. The crew consisted of six men and a
boy, and out of these only four men were raved. The
steamer is said to have sustained but little damage.

METROPOLITAN BOA LW OF WORKS.

A sp:cial meeting of this board was held yesterday in
the Council Chamber, Guildhall ; Mr. J. Thwaitcs in
the chair.

THE DEODORISATION Or SEWAGE.

A deputation from the vestry of St, Pa.qcras, intro-
duced by Mr. Wilkinson, and headed by Mr. Garvey,
presented a memorial calling upon the board t 3 take into
consideration the question of deodorisa,tion before corn-
ing to a final decision upon the question as to the out-
falls of the sewage.
On the motion of Mr. WILKINSON the memorial was
received.

Mr. Borsox presented a memorial from the parish of
St. Mary, Newington, deprecating the extension of the
outfall further than necessary to comply with the act of
Parliament.

MAIN DRAINAGE OF THE METROPOLIS.
The report of the deputation of the board, stating the
result of the conference with the First Commissioner of
her Majesty's Works, ctc., on the plans of intercepting
sewers, was considered.