The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-07 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORFOLK CIRCUIT .—NORWICH, DEC. 5.
CROWN COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice Crompton.)
Samuel Dickerson, labourer, aged 27, and
George Crowe, labourer, aged 27, were indicted
for shooting at John Buckle, with intent to kill
and murder him; a second count charged them
with shooting with intent to do grievous
bodily harm ; a third count charged a wounding
with intent to murder; and a fourth count a felo-
nious wounding.
Mr. Wm. Cooper and Mr. Drake were counsel for
the prosecution ; Mr. Sims Reeve defended the
prisoners.
Mr. Cooper shortly stated the nature of the evi-
dence he should adduce in support of the charge,
which would show that Dickerson and Crowe, on
being pursued by the prosecutor, who is head game-
keeper to Lord Walsingham, had turned round, and
that Crowe had thrown a large stone, and Dicker-
son, who alone had a gun, had fired at and dange-
rously wounded the prosecutor.
Mr. Reeve submitted that there was no case on
the opening against the prisoner Crowe, on this in-
dictment.
His Lordship said that he could not say there
was no case for the jury, but that if he were a jury-
man he should be very unwilling to look at the act
of a man who threw a stone in the same light as
the act of a man who fired a gun at another, and
that unless -it was clear that the two men had gone
out with a common design to resist at all hazards,
the man who threw the stone should not be liable
for the act of him who fired the gun, which might
have been done en a sudden impulse. This was not a
case of night poaching, but a mere trespass in the
evening.
Mr. Cooper said that on this intimation of his
lordship's opinion, he should confine the evidence
he should lay before the jury to that which affected
Dickerson, and the jury thereupon returned a ver-
dict of Not Guilty as to the prisoner Crowe. Mr.
Cooper then called
John Buckle, who was unable to stand from the
effects of the wound. He said—l am head game-
keeper to Lord Walsingham. I remember Watton
Fairday, Tuesday, the 11th October. I was sitting
on a gate about 7 in the evening, half a mile from
Watton. Charles Crane, his lordship's shepherd,
was with me. I heard the clock strike 7. In about
five or ten minutes I heard a gun. The sound came
from Wellacre-piece, the north side of Merton-park.
I ran in that direction. I ran by the side of the
fence, having taken off my coat and hidden it
behind a tree near the end of the pasture. I
stopped, hid behind a tree, and listened. I heard
some persons running through a piece of turnips.
I ran to another tree further on and stood behind
it. I heard some persons come over from the tur-
nips into the pasture. It was bright moonlight. I
heard them come down the bank. I soon after saw
two men coming towards me. One was dressed in
dark clothes and one in light ones. They were run-
ning and walking alternately. When they came
near I had a strong impression one of them was
Samuel Dickerson. I ran out and ran towards them.
The one in light clothes was first. He turned round
and threw a stone. I heard it pass the left side of
my head. The other one in dark clothes, whom I
believe to be Dickerson, put his gun to his shoulder,
took a short aim at me, and immediately fired with-
out speaking a word. I felt the greater part of the
charge in my thigh and the lower part of my body.
I staggered and fell on my side. I felt no pain at
first. I lay, resting myself on my hands, and saw
the two men running away. They were running
half sideways, looking back at me. I said to myself,
"That is certainly Sam Dickerson," meaning the
one in dark clothes. I noticed his carrying his feet
rather wide. I have known Dickerson for 15 or 16
years. The one I took for Dickerson was the taller
of the two. I had noticed before that he was round
shouldered and carried his feet rather wide. I could
not see his face. His chummy hat shaded his face
from the moonlight. He had a brown velvet coat
very much worn ; drab-coloured trousers. They
were running towards Watton, Wayland-wood way.
They would be about a mile from Watton town.
After I was shot I crept back to the tree where I
was shot, and my eyesight left me. I believe I
called " murder. I recollect a man named Howlett
coming up. I was attended by Mr. Sprigge, a
surgeon of Watton. lam in great pain still, and
am not recovered.
Cross examined—l know several persons of the
name of Hensley. I was told Hensley came up with
Howlett. I remember Howlett asking me if I
knew who shot me. I answered, " I don't know,
but-I think." I did not see the men come over the
bank. 1 heard them. They were 60 or 80 yards
' from me when I first saw them. They were
10 yards off when one threw the stone. The one
with the gun, was nearer to me—a little nearer.
They were running beside each other ; Dickerson
was nearer to me. I came out and ran towards
them, and got within ten yards before either of
them saw me. He turned round when he fired. He
stopped and took a short aim. He put the gun to
his shoulder and levelled it at me,
Peter Howlett—l am a gardener. I was going
to the fair that night. I heard Merton-lodge clock
strike seven, and about five minutes after I heard a
gun go off in the direction of Wellacre plantation.
I afterwards heard a second report, seemingly from
Mr. Cook's pasture. This was about a quarter of
an hour after the first report. I heard calls for help
and " Murder." There was a young woman with
me, and I did not go at once. I turned back and
saw young Layte and James Hensley. We all
turned back towards Mr. Cook's pasture. I saw
Mr. Buckle lying there. He said, " I'm shot."
Cross-examined—l asked him if he knew who
shot him. He said, " I don't know, but I think."
Squire Sprigge—l am a surgeon. I was sent for
to see Buckle that night. The charge had entered
the whole surface of the front of the left thigh and
the inner side, and the lower part of the abdomen,
and several shot in the scrotum. I counted up-
wards of 100 pellets. That was not all ; it was a
severe wound.
John -Ward—l am inspector of police at Watton.
I saw Buckle at 8 o'clock, and then went to Watton
and apprehended Dickerson at 10 o'clock that night
in Mr. Waters' booth at Watton. I told him he
was charged with shooting Buckle, Lord Walsing-
ham's keeper. He made no reply. He then had
on a pair of white trousers, a common high-
crowned hat, and plush waistcoat with sleeves, and
an old pair of Blucher boots. I asked him what
he had done with the frock he had on that day.
He said, " I have not had one on to-day ; I carried
it home on my arm." As I was taking him
to the station he said if I would let him go
home he would give me his frock. I went, after I
had locked him up, to his house, with constables
Bales, Case, and Reed. I found boots and trousers
daubed with mud, and very wet. The trousers were
wet from the knee downwards. I found a black
chummy hat, with a broad brim. I could not find
a frock-coat. Next morning at 6 o'clock I went
with Case, Bales, and Reed to Cook's pasture. I
went to where Buckle was found. (Buckle was re-
called, and stated that he had pointed out the
ground to this witness.) I saw footmarks coming
and going to the place where he was shot—the
marks of two men. There was a single right foot-
mark near the tree. I then crossed the road into a
mangold field. I there saw the footmarks of twoni
I observed a right footprint. It resembled the
oneeni
saw in the plantation. I traced the two sets of marks
up the mangolds into the swedes, and then into
Cook's pasture. I observed the same right foot-
print and a very peculiar left foot of the same man.
I got the impression, and it came to the grass.
About 210 yards from where Buckle was shot, and
in the direction where they ran, I found the same
two sets of marks. There were molehills on this
pasture, and the footprints were very distinct on
them. I found them again in a field leading to
Wayland-wood. I examined the footmarks every
few yards with the boots I now produce by making
impressions by the side. They corresponded. The
right boot is very peculiar. There are 12 distinct