The Sun.
London, England, 1829-01-02 00:00:00

AFFRAY BETWEEN POACHERS AND

GAMEKEEPERS.

The grounds of the Duke of Bedford, situated
in the parish of Ledington, in Bedfordshire, having
lately been frequented by a numerous and deter-
mined gang of poachers, who committed great havoc
amongst his Grace's pheasants, notwithstanding
the utmost vigilance of the gamekeepers, the latter
received directions to traverse the grounds in large
~,arties at night, for the purpose, if possible, of in-
-,ercepting the maurmiders, and taking -them into
Custody. Accordingly one night in the last week a
party of gamekeepers came up with the whole gang of
poachers, consisting of 13 able-bodied inert, eight of
whom were well provided with guns, and the re-
mainiog five with swingles or flails, a weapon of a
very desperate description. The gamekeepers, al-
though inferior in point of numbers, compared
with the poachers, desired them to stand and
deliver up their arms. The latter, depending
upon their numerical strength, swore they would
not resign a single gun. A conflict was the
consequence; shots were tired, and several des-
perate blows given on both sides. The swingles
used by the poachers did dreadful execution, knock-
ing down a man at every blow. The gamekeepers,
after a desperate but ineffectual resistance, were
obliged to retreat, one cf them having his leg broken
by a blow from the butt-end of a gun, and alb':
them exhibiting cuts and gashes as evidence of the
furious eveounter in which they had been engaged.
The contest took place in an inclosure, and the
ground, whisk was marked by the struggle, was dis-
covered next morning almost covered with blood.
Favoured by the darkness of the night, and their
adversaries not being in a situation to pursue them,
the poachers retreated with case and safety, carry:
ing with them snore than 20 brace of pheasants which
they had previously killed in his Grace's preserves.
Assistance having been obtained, it was found ne-
cessary to convey two of the wounded gamekeepers
to the Ampthill where they now lie in
a very precarious state. The affray was so sudden,
and the night so dark, that the gamekeepers the
next morning could not undertake to swear to
the persons of those by whom they had been en-
countered, and the assailants would probably have
escaped with impunity, but for the arrival of Gard-
ner, a Bow-street officer, who was sent down
to investigate the affair. lie immediately pro-
ceeded to the scene of action, and took the di-
mensions of the several shoe-marks that were still
visible on the spot. It happened that one of these
impressions was that of a shoe of more than ordinary
size, and the officer remarked, that two of the hob
nails in the heel were wanting. Proceeding upon
this apparently slight evidelnee, Gardner immediately
examined the shoes of some men who had previously.
been taken into custody upon suspicion. This ex-
amination finally led to the discovery that the shoe
of a man trained John Axham, exactly corresponded
with tire impression which Gardner had noticed.
Axham, fearing for his personal safety, was induced
to become approver. He informed against the
whole of his associates, amongst whom was his own
brother. They were all, 12 in number, taken into
custody and committed to Bedford gaol to take
their trial at the next Assizes.

lleyatches were received at the Foreign-office,
Downing-street, on Wednesday night, front Lord Cowley,
our Ambassador at 'Vienna.

On Friday morning, as one of the Brighton
coaches (the Regent) was entering.Sinitham-bottom, onite
return from London, the hounds of Lord Derby were
pressing a fine stag towards the turnpilre-road, and he soon
came up with the Regent, continuing his course abreast of
the horses for a considerable distance, to the great delight
of the passengers. At this period, whilst the ostlers at
the changing stables of the Times Brighton coach were
gazing at the passing scene, three horses which had just
performed their journey, and had been dispossessed of their
harness, bolted from their stable, all jaded as they were,
and joined the " jovial cry," mingling with the sportsmen
at full speed, and so intent were those high-nettled ani-
mals upon the joys of the chase, and the enchanting music
of the hounds, that they leaped one after another into a
gravel-pit (not a deep one), and, after floundering a little
with the loose stuff at the bottom, made up their lost
ground by redoubling their speed. The dogs were now
close upon the stag, and lest they should run into him,
some of the sportsmen, who had crossed, whipped them
off. Our " old stagers," however, were not- SO easily di-
♦erted from their pursuit, but followed their game until
they came up to his haunches, when they accompanied
him, nothing loath, for three miles on the Brighton-road,
when the stag leaped a high hedge, and bounding over the
hill, left his companions to snort until they were recaptur-
ed by the astonished horse-keepers. —B riyhton Gsardian.