The Sun. — 1861-03-22 (London, England)

SHOCKING DE ATH OF A POACHER.  On Wednesday afternoon an inquest was held before Dr. Birt Davies, at the Grand Turk, Ludgate-hill, Birmingham, on the body of James Willcox, by trade a pearl button maker, 39 years of age, residing in Sheep-street, who received severe injuries whilst poaching at Erdington, on the 16th instant, and died in consequence, at the General Hospital,. Mr. W. S. Perkins, clerk to the county magistrates, appeared to watch the proceedings on behalf of John Palmer, an officer belonging to the Warwick county constabulary; and Mr. Reeves for the friends of the deceased.  The first witness called was Sarah Willcox, who said that the deceased was her husband. He left home well on Saturday afternoon, the 16th, in company with a man named Charles Bailey, in order to catch some birds that had been ordered by a party. The deceased and Bailey had on three previous occasions been out on a similar errand. The next morning she saw the deceased at the General Hospital. He appeared to be injured, and was in an insensible state. He continued unconscious until his death, which occurred on the 18th.  Charles Bailey, after being cautioned by the coroner, deposed that about five o'clock on Saturday afternoon he called for the deceased, at his own house, and they walked to Bromford and back. They had about three quarts of beer each at the Royal Exchange, at the top of the Rocky-lane. About 11 o'clock they proceeded to a field belonging to Squire Wheelwright, in the hamlet of' Erdington, in search of a few larks. They caught a lark and another bird, and were about walking out of the field, when a man ran up to the deceased and struck him a violent blow on the head, which knocked him down. Witness walked away, but heard the man " laying on" the deceased. He then proceeded home, but before doing so he went and informed the deceased's wife of the circumstance. He would not know the man that struck the deceased again. Neither of them had any weapon in his hands. Witness added that the deceased was carrying a net at the time he was struck, for the purpose of catching the birds. Police-constable John Palmer said that on the night of the 16th he was on duty near Mr. Wheelwright's farm, when he heard a number of sheep bleating. Suspecting that there was something wrong he immediately proceeded across a field, and had proceeded about 50 yards over another meadow when he saw the figure of a man about 20 yards in advance. He " flashed" his lantern, and the man ran away. He was, however, stopped by a young Newfoundland dog that accompanied witness, and proved to be the deceased. Witness caught hold of him, and a severe struggle occurred between them, during which time the deceased called for help to a companion, who replied, "Put it into him." On hearing this witness succeeded in obtaining possession of a loaded cane he carried with him, and which he had dropped during the encounter, and commenced to defend himself with it from the blows the deceased and his companion attempted to give him with two sticks. Witness struck several times with the cane, and at length the deceased fell to the ground, and the other man immediately made off. He examined the deceased, and finding him to be bleeding he sent for a surgeon, and with assistance conveyed him to the Birmingham General Hospital. Two witnesses were then called, who produced a large clasp knife and a stick the deceased carried.  Mr. Goodall, house surgeon at the above institution, proved the admission of the deceased to the hospital about four o'clock on Sunday morning. He was then quite insensible; had a wound on the left parietal bone, and a compound fracture of that bone, through which the substance of the brain was escaping. He continued in an unconscious state until Monday afternoon, when he expired from the effects of the injury. After death witness found a circular aperture in the parietal bone about an inch square, and the bone from the aperture was deeply embedded in the brain.  The coroner summed up the evidence at some length, and the jury, after half an hour's deliberation, returned a.verdict of homicide in self-defence.