The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-23 00:00:00

AFFRAY WITH POACHERS.

HORNCASTLE, Ocr. 21.—Yesterday two men, named John
and Robert Kent, were brought before the magistrates of this
division, charged with poaching in the preserves of Earl For-
tescue, at Tattershall, and also with shooting at John Hay-
h ck, one of his Lordship's gamekeepers, with intent to mur-
der, or do him some_grievous bodily harm. The facts of the
case are of a most singular character.
It appeared, from the evidence of Haylock and other
witnesses, that owing to continued depredations havirg
for the last month been committed on Earl Fortescue's pre-
serves, the keepers received orders to watch for the par-
ties. The poachers continued, however, to elude the vigi-
lance of the keepers until Thursday night last, when Hay-
lock being out on his usual rounds, armed with a gun, heard
the report of fire-arms in a preserve adjoining the field
which he was then crossing. Without waiting for assistance,
he ran in the direction from whence the sound proceeded,
and perceived a man making off towards the opposite side
of the pre>erve. Haylock, a young and active man, soon
gained upon the fellows, and the night being bright, he re-
cognised in the person of the poacher the elder Kent (the
prisoners are uncle and nephew), who was well known in
that pact of the country as a common carrier between Boston,
Horncastle, and Tattershall. The keeper challenged him by
name, and said if lie did nut surrender he should fire upon
him. The fel!ow made no answer, but being joined at the
moment by his nephew and associates, the poachers turned
round and made a show of resistance. The keeper rushed
upon and grappled with the eller prisoner, who, however,
managed to shake him off, when the younger man discharged
his piece at the keeper, but fortunately without doing any
serious injury to his person, owing to an in'ervening clump
of trees. Both the poachers then attacked him. Though
opposed by such unequal odds, he maintained the struggle
with his antagonists until the younger ruffian felled him -to
the earth by a blow on the head, with the but-end of his
gun, Haylock having previously broken his own piece in
the contest. The poachers, conceiving that he was dead,
made off. After lying for some time in a state of insensibi-
lity, he was restored to consciousness by acute pains in his
chest and loins, his clothes having taken fire, as he sup-
posed, from the wadding which struck him when young
Kent discharged the gun. After an ineffectual attempt to
quench the fire, which had then penetrated to his chest, he
managed, though compelled, by the loss of blood from the
wound inflicted on his head, to crawl to a shallow dike, and,
by rolling his body in the water, to extinguish the fire. He
then proceeded to the house of Mr. Jones, farm bailiff, who
went off for Mr. Blades, surgeon, and upon that gentleman's
arrival, the hemcerrage was stopped, but for the two following
days the patient was considered to be in very great danger.
On the following morning the constables of Tattershall, with
at veral other persons, visited the spot, which presented
traces of the struggle. At the place where the keeper was
knocked down there was a quantity of coagulated blood, to-
gether with his keys, a pocket- knife, and at a short distance
off, his powder- horn, which was broken in pieces, the powder
having exploded when the clothes took fire. A dead hare
was also found, which the poachers, no doubt, threw away in
their flight.
Haylock having clearly identified his assailants, both were
committed fur trial at the next assizes. The elder Kent,
though ostensibly pursuing the avocation of carrier, is un-
derstood to have been one of the most practised poachers in
the district.