Star.
London, England, 1826-12-23 00:00:00

AFFRAY WITH. POACHERS.

°;`~,

An array ola serious mauve took place in the plants.
Lions of Templenewsam, near Leeds, the seat of the
Marchioness of Hertford, on Monday morning. Four
prisoners have been apprehended, and were examined
at the office of Messrs. Smith and Moore, in this town,
yesterday, before Thomas Benyon, Esq. Christopher
Beckett, Esq. William Rhodes, Esq. and John Blayds,
Esq. West Riding Magistrates. Their names are Joseph
Balaton, Leeds, sawyer ; John Jackson and John Nunns,
glass blowers, Hunslet ; and Joseph Smith, of Leeds,
pork butcher. There are two others of the name of
Robinson (brothers), one of whom resided in Mabgate,
and the other at New-road•end, who have absconded.
Richard Rider, another of the gang, is so dangerously
wounded in the right arm, that he is 'not expected to
survive many hours. John Nunns is also wounded in
the arm, and James Rider, is severely wounded in the
right arm and back. Fortunately none of the game-
keepers have suffered any injury. The following is the
substance of the evidence given by two of the principal
witnesses examined before the Magistratts, which detail
the main facts of the case:

Thomas Phillips, assistant gamekeeper at Temple•
newsam, said,that on Monday morning, the 18th Dec.
he went out into the park at Templenewsam, belonging
to the Marchioness of Hertford, between one and two
o'clock, in consequence of hearing guns fired, and went
in search of poachers, with Thomas Shaw, Robert Shaw,
John Shaw, James Pennington, Joseph Hebdin, and
Reuben Phillips. After they went out, they beard
guns fired, twelve or thirteen times, in the north plan-
tation of the Pork, when the firing ceased for some
time, and then began in a plantation called the old
gravel walk, situate in the pleasure grounds. He and
his party laid in wait for the poachers, and expected to
hear them fire again ; but afterwards pursued them
across the park, and met with them in Edward Phillip's
close, and went up to them, when they swore that they
would blow his brains out (he being the foremost of
his party) if he did not stand back. He said, 4, Friends,
mind what you are going to do." They still persisted
in the same language, and John Jackson then said he
would blow his brains out if he did not stand farther
back, and put his gun up to his shoulder, pointed it,
and swore he would blow witness's brains out. During
this time the moon was shining bright; and Jackson,
who was nearest to him, was about five yards distant.
Witness had a dog in a string, which he let go at them,
saying the word ,4 altogether" to the dog, and imme.
diately the whole of the poachers, eight in number, of
whom Jackson was one, ci led out, shoot the dog," and
immediately a gun was fired at the dog by Jackson. One
of the poachers, dressed in a dark-coloured coat, then
fired at his (Phillips's) party,which was returned by the
keepers, who followed them, and found a spring-gun
belonging to the Marchioness of Hertford, which had
been seen a few days before in the gravel-walk planta-
tion, near the spot where the poachers had been stand-
ing. He also found three pheaunts recently killed,
and quite warm, on the ground. He saw one of the
poachers have a pillow-slip upon his back, full of
something, with which they get away. Jackson had a
velveteen dark-coloured jacket .on, and the witness
swore to Jackson from his size, dress, and voice, being
so near him, and the moon shining so bright. The
affray took place betwen four and five o'clock.
James Rider, cloth-weaver, of Leeds, said, that on
Sunday night, the 17th of December, he met, at the
White Lion, Quarry Hill, his brother, Richard Rider,
'a cloth-weaver, John Jackson, of Hunslet, and a tall
man from Hunslet, whom he did not know, and who
was wounded; Joseph Smith, of Leeds, pork butcher;
and Joseph Bainton, of Leeds, sawyer; together with
two Robinson* brothers, who live in Leeds. They
all went to a field near Quarry Hill Chuich, where
three guns were brought, which John Jackson put
into his pocket. He did not know who brought
them. They then went to a wood at Templemew.
sans, where Jackson gave Bainton a gun, kept one
himself, and gave one to witness, which would not
go off. Some time after they began to shoot pheasants,
and, after killing several, the keepers came up, about
4 o'clock, and set their dog at witness's party, which
was shot. Immediately after that, one of the keepers
fired, and wounded witness in the arm and back, and
the next shot wounded his brother in the arm. They
fired again, and wounded another poacher, whom he
did not know. Witness dropped his gun the moment
he was shot. His brother had no gun, but the tall man
from Hunslet had. There were two guns fired by their
party, and he thought they were both fired at the dog,
but can't say whether it took place before or alter he was
wounded, as he fell sick, and as soon as he recovered,
ran away. The tall man from Hunslet was wounded.—
There were three guns including his own.
John Pemberton Heywood, Esq. appeared as Steward to the
Marchioness of Hertford.
The prisoners, Balaton Jackson, Nunn% and Smith were coma it..
ted to Wakefield House of Correction, to take their trials at Wake..
field Sessions. An application was made to admit them to bail,
which was refused by the Magistrates.
Another affray took place near Bradford, in which a gamekeeper
was cruelly treated, and a poacher seriously wounded.