The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-07-22 00:00:00

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CHARDS Or MURDER.
riEtsssEoßD, Jci.v 20.—Erfereed Looker was in-
dicted fur the wilful murder of Jam a Mingav, at Doti-
truelneat, on the 2tAth of December last, by shoaling
him with a gun loaded with powder and a ballet.
The case excited an uncommon degree of ',Hemet in
the county, from its peculiar circurustanees, and the
manner in which the alleged crime was perpetrated.
The prisoner stood for trial at the last Assizes, hut at
his instance it was postponed until the present Assizes,
on the ground of the absence of a material and neces-
sary witness.
Counsel for the Crown, Mr. BROD/Uri( ; for the pri-
soner, Mr. ANDRES'S and Mr. BCRMCSTcR.
Mr. BRODRICK stated the case with very great
abilitv.
The ease against the prisoner was supported prin-
cipally by the dying declarations and depositions of
the deceased. It appeared that the prisoner was game-
keeper to T. P. Fane, Esq., and that the deceased was
a labouring man, confessedly addicted to poaching.—
On the evening of the 4titli of Decentlwr last, the l‘ri-
soner was on the look out for poachers, armed with a
double-barrelled fowling-piece. When he entered
Dogwood, the property of his master, he heard a gun
go off, and as he proceeded he saw the deceased dis-
charge a pen at a hen pheasant, upon which he went
up to the deceased and said, " Is it you ?" The latter re-
plied in the affirmative, and said, " Keep off, or I'D she of
you." The prisoner instantly levelled his gun at the de-
ceased, at the distance of a rod and a half, and fired
off both barrels, and wounded him in the groin with a
Oar, slightly touching his skin with small shot. The
dea...seti fell immediately, and groaned with the ra-
ce.-- of pain. Prisoner came close up to him, and
" If you offer to stir, CH blow your b--3.
I. ans out. ' The deceased replied, " You have
me--1 am a dead man," awl the prisoner left
him immediately, In the agonies of death. '1 he de-
reared contrived to crawl about the distance of a wile
to the cottage of a man, named Day, where he was
admitted, and told what had happened to him. Ile
tv.o removed in a cart to the cottage of his mother, at
Satoltwealt!, and a Surgeon bring sent for from Brent-
weud, the wound was pronounced mortal. Ilia intes-
tines darn protrn.led eight or ten incite,: in length
from his body, and he told the Surgeon that his as-
si.tance would be of no use, as he was a dying
The Surgeon immediately took from the mouth of the
deceased his account of the trartaartion, and put it on
paper. Information was then given to Archdeacon
Waallaston, a Magistrate, who, as soon as possible,
etended the deceased, and took Isis dying declaration
on oath, as above stated in substance, the decrast d de-
claring that there was no other person with him. .1
warrant was issued for the apprehension of the pri-
ware. Ile was at first denied by his wit-, but being
heart' to rough, the house was searched, and he was
taken into custody, and in two hours afterwards was
eirotaght into the presence of the deceased, who was
re scorn to the tlepartition,he had made, anti which
was read over to the prisoner. The declaration of the
prisoner was then taken down, which stated, that
when be saw the deceased knock down a hen phea-
sant, be went up to him, and the di ceased immediately
paid, " Danin your eyes, if you don't stand, I'll shout
y at," and presented his gun at bins. Prisoner ap-
prehending danger to himself, in iiiii aliately fired one
Larrel of his gun, and one only, in which was a slug,
s-td then ran after another man, alto appeared to have
I -it in company with the decease-I, but could nut
rata him. '1 he deceased died the peat day. It ap-
p•ared, that when -the .prisoner was taken into CRS-
tAy, be stated to the constable, that upon seeing the
prisoner be put two or three slugs into hie piece f;
oat of his pocket, and ran after UM. He further
ai•i, that when he went out for the night he alvveys
Laded his gun with awes. It appeared that the gun
of the deceased had been discharged before the pri-
s mer vitae up to him, and the deceased, on his dying
Led, declared that he bore no malice towards the pri-
a naer, and that bad his gun been loaded, perhaps lie
s amid haw shot the prisoner.
The prisoner being called upon for his defence, put
in a written paper, containing the following words:—
" It is, anti ever will be a matter of regret to use, that
I naould be the cense of the death of a fellow-crea-
tare ; but hearing and believing that there were other
torn in Dagwod, I was actuated from fear, that my
own life was in danger."
Twa or three witnesses were called u;ann to prove
ti' it the deceased was a notorious poacher, and that
he had frequently expressed great hostility towards
gamekeepers in general.
A vast number of witnesses, amongst whom were
Cal. Hamilton and Sir W. Clayton, by both of when
th prisoner had been employed as ganwkeeper, 'guts.
bin a moat excellent character for a humane anti i
p .iceable dispositian.
The LOUD Cuter JUSTICE charged the Joel with,
three propositions ; first, if they were of opinion that
toe prisoner acted from motives of self-defence, tinder
apprehension that his owo life was in danger, he
e weld be entitled to a general, verdict of not guilty;
s alorad, if they were of opinion that the •discharge of
his gun was not only not necessary for self-defence,
bat a wanton act of malice towards the deceased, thee
t:rei would find him guilty of the whole charge of wila
fal warder; and third, if they were of opinion, that
he &Med under the impression that discharging his got,
. Arai necessary fur his defence, but that he did so hi-
mmgissely sad hastily, then they would find him guilty
;,tit 0111101datOter.
..daoa to. a 4ety, after hearing the whole of the evidence
se •el ite:apitmlated, by the filagreed Judge, deliberated for
140 • 4.-Peleset See tainetes, and footed the prisoner Guilty ut
tot a wow a Cade JUSTICE, ill passing sentence, e-
stfoltts • that the awful (ate of the decease.'
tritoki. me warning to gamekeepers, in the discharge
-rstagsa
_ .•; mittheir slaty, set wastealy to 4figl 'with the- jpersof
aa trete though they Might be en-
.,
ta ,akimadji vlawfpflairialt. The (pytrt, 4!aking,
lee oonsideraths tie inipritimisient which he Ead
already suffered, adjudged him to be further imprison-
ed in the County Gaol for the term of nine calendar
Months.
' This was the Out case in the calendar.

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