Star.
London, England, 1828-04-12 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

OXFORD CIRCUIT.—GLOUCESTER, Arius to.
Sabi—Beim Mr. 13alrOe
MtTanzit.—Rkhard Whitethorn was indicted for as-
saulting, beating; vnd woundirig, on the 26th November
last, at Turk Dean, Robert Retina, a 'gamekeeper of
Harry Edmund Waller, Esq. of which beating and
wounding the said Robert Rounce died on the 16th of
December last; and' *cob Perry *and William Smith
were indicted for aiditig, and as•isting therein.
Mr. JUATICII..with whom was Mr. MACLZAN, stated
the case.
Robert Cook said, I am in the-employ of Mr. Waller,
as gamekeeper.- On the eveßing of the 26th Novem-
ber last, in consequence of some suspicion I had, I went
out to watch the game. accompanied by' Stephen
Curtis, Edward Strong, Robert Rounce. and George
I Curtis. We met in a field on Mr. Waller's estate,
in the occupation of Mr. Stone, one of Ma ter-.Ats. We
had each of us a stick, but no fire arms. Rounce
was under-keeper to Mr.. Waller, at Farmington.—
When we got near to a wheat field, we lay down
under a wall near the gate. After being there an hour
and a half, on hearing a noise I looked up. and saw
a man tarn from the wall. I jumped up and got,
over the. wall, and saw two men standing near the
gate, about ten yards off. They had a brindled
dog with them. Rouncet,the deceased, got up to them
first, and laid hold of one Of the men ; I seized the other.
Rounce and his man had some words together. Rounce
told him to drop his stick, and blows then passed between
them. The man I had got hold of was very quiet; he
did not strike me, nor I him. I interfered between Rounce
and hisman. I loosed the man I had hold of, and laid hold
of the other man, in order to stop the blows. A third man
then came up to me. The first man that I laid hold of
hallooed out 66 Forward, forward." The third man
came up to me with some sort of' a. weapon that he
held in both hands. He gave me a violent blow
across the head with it, which felled me to the ground
senseless. I had not said or done any thing to that man,
nor did he speak to tne. When I recovered, I found
that I had received several blows on my head, and one
on my right shoulder and left hand. The three men
were then gone. Geo. Curtis and Edward Strong were
there, but I could not see Rounce. The two Curtis's,
Strong. and myself, then walked towards my home at
Hazledown.—Curtis and Strong went a little way with
us, and then went back to look.for Rounce. Soon after
that I nisi Rounce in Hazledown village. Robert
Cook. a first cousin of mine, was with him. Rounce's
face was all covered with blood, and he appeared to be
very badly beaten, bleeding very much about the head.
The first man I seized in the wheat field had a short
smock and hat on: there was a moon about a quarter
old, but it was not clear that night. The third man who
struck me had a short smock on and a leather cap. In
consequence of the bruises I had received, I was obliged
to keep my bed for five weeks and two days.
Stephen Curtis, Edward Strong, and George Curtis,
the other keepers, corroborated the evidence of the last
witness, and stated that they saw flounce have bold of
Perry's stick, twisting it about to get it from him. Perry
called out, D—n you; you.will break my arm." The
witnesses identified Smith and Perry, and one of them
stated he believed Whitethorn to be the third man•who
came out of the wheat field. •

Job Perry—l bye at Roel, in this county. The pri-
soner Jacob Perry is my brother ; I know Richstc!
Whitethorn and Wm. Smith ; I met them on Nov. 26,
in the evening, about eight o'clock, at llasiling,_which
is about four or five miles from the wheat field. We
all set out together to go poaching ; we had three nets
with us and a dog, a dark coloured dog of the terrier
kind; Whitethorn had a stick in his hand tfiittlre had
to set the nets with ; there was an iron socket on
the end of it, sharpened to stick into the ground;
the stick was about a yalsl long from the socket; it
was a crab stick, about the size of a. little Rail; I.
had a stick to set the nets; Smith and Jacob Perry_ ki4
sticks. I zlon't know if all the sticks had sockets to
them. There might be about nine sticks. Before we
gist io TheAlltriillitYld:- we 'caught four bares..
.We
parted before we got to.the wheat field. Jacob Perry
and William Smith took the hollow, and Whitethorn
and I took the hill. In the 'rhea field there is a gate
in the hollow, leading.. into, the wheat field. White-
thorn and I began to. stet 'the nets there, and had not
properlf set them 'when I. heard one halloo. I don't
know whose voice it Was, it came Tint of the hollow
on hearing that; Richard Whitethorn tan from me down
to the hollow; he had stick in his hand, and I re-
mained where I was. •
Mr.

Charles Lamley, s surgeon of .'Northleach, said
he was called on to attend'Rounce at Hazledown,
between twelve and One o'clock on the morning of
the 27th November; he found him with three severe
cuts on his head. The -next day be saw the de-
ceased again at Northleach ; he would net suffer his
wounds to be examined till the 9th day ; he was then
nearly insedsible, and the Witness introduced a bistoury,
and opening one of the wounds, led out a quantity
pf blood. On the 10th day Mr. Pitt, of Belford,
lesamined 'the wounds of the deceased with the .wit-
iness ; he was then totally ihsensible. They trepanned
4ini, and found that the dura mater was ruptured, part
of the inner lamina of the skull being driven in upon
the brain. On the 16th flounce died, and on opening
his head, witness found a collection of matter sufficient
to fill a gooses egg. It was only wonderful how. he
had lived so long. Contrary to the advice of the wit-
ness, Rounce had left his bed, and walked front lipzle-
down to Northleach, a distance of four miles; the morn-
ing after he had received the wounds, he bad attempted
to ride, but was unable.
James Gibberson, a tailor, residing in Sherborne- street,
Cheltenham, said, I remember seeing on the 27th Nov.
Whitethorn and Jacob Perry at my house; they had
some game with them—three hares. They said they
;had had avow the night before; Perry said so. Perry
showed me his arm, where he bad been struck by the
keeper.. H. said it was very nearly broke; it happened
on the bill. They then 'went away, leaving the game
with me. I saw them again at my house in about two
hours, and from thence I went with them to Prestbnry.
Nothing passed, on the road till we got to the King'i
Arms, when Petry said in the tap room, ,in tke:prei
sence of the last witness, that he and Smith were
taken by the keepers, and whin he hpUooed the keeper
struck him; another of the keepers desired him not td,
beat the man, as be was taken into custody ; the keepet
replied he would cut his brains emir he hallooed
any more. Whitethorn said, directly he beard Perry hal-
loo he caste down, jumped a gate, end met one of the
keepers with him, who ordered him td give himself up.
He said he did not think he should, neither should the
keeper have those mai& had got. Whitethorn said the
keeper seemed preparing far fightihg,aad thatWhitethor■
kicked bins Apo sind hit himasbewasgeteutg up again.
Whitithoen ilitLia-struck thorman swore, but went