The Sun. — 1862-07-22 (London, England)

THE BISHOP BURTON MURDER. Cuthbert Wray, 30, was charged with wounding Mark Robinson, with intent to kill and murder him on the 16th of November, 1858, at Bishop Burton. Mr. Thompson and Mr. Shepherd prosecuted ; Mr. D. Seymour, Q.C., and Mr. Maule defended. (The prisoner was originally indicted for the murder of Jex, the game-keeper, but the grand jury threw out the bill, and found for the minor offence only). On a remarkably moonlight night in November four years ago, three gamekeepers left the house of their employer, R. Watts, Esq., of Bishop Burton, near Beverley, about ten o'clock. They proceeded to two plantations called Great Gallops and Little Gallops, on a Mr. Long's farm, and they were walking between these woods, when they heard the scream of a hare from the direction of another field. They retraced their footsteps until they came to what is called Brogdalo Plantation, where they saw several poachers. The watebers now held a consultation as to the necessity of procuring further assistance; but the head watcher, Jex, who was a most bold and resolute man, would not hear of it, and the three then got over the hedge, Jex first, a man named Geddes next, and Mark Robinson last. The watchers now saw the full force of the poachers—some eight or nine men—who were armed with guns and heavy hedge stakes. The poachers, it seemed, were the first to commence this fatal and terrible affray, by setting their dogs upon the keepers. Jex said that it they did not call the latter away he would shoot them, and he carried his threat into execution by raising his gun and shooting a lurcher dog dead. A parley now succeeded, and a few stones were subsequently thrown at the keepers, and one large flint hit Robinson a severe blow upon the head. One of the poachers then cried out that he would knock Jex's brains out if he did not keep back. Jex replied by threatening to fire upon them, and eventually he did so. A general melee at once ensued, guns, stones, and stakes being freely used. Jex and Robinson were knocked down, and Geddes afterwards observed Robinson shoot a dog that was about to seize upon Jex. Shortly afterwards Geddes himself was shot, and as he found himself seriously wounded, he scrambled across a hedge and made the best of his way for assistance. Some men being alarmed, in this manner went to the scene of the affray, where they found Jex quite dead, and with his face quite beaten into the soil in the field from the blows he had received. A large number of flint stones were laid about him, together with a large hedge stake. Robinson was met with on the road, being in a very dangerous condition, and he afterwards became insensible from the various wounds he had received. On the following day minute search was made in the neighbourhood, and, following the direction of a bloody trail, the dead body of the lurcher dog that Jex had shot was found concealed in a bush on the road between Cherry Burton and Market Weighton. Suspicion fell upon several parties, and seven men were subsequently tried at York Assizes, and four of them were now suffering severe punishment for the part they took in the proceedings. It was subsequently ascertained that one of those men, named Marshall, and the prisoner Wray, arrived at the village of Cottingham (a short distance from the scene) between three and ,1 four o'clock in the morning, both in a very wounded deplorable condition. Their wounds were dressed, and they remained at the house of a man named Downes for some time, but the latter, hearing of the death of Jex, would not harbour the two men any longer, and consequently they had to leave the house. Marshall was afterwards captured, but the prisoner Cuthbert Wray had hitherto eluded detection. The police, however, got notice of his whereabouts, and he was apprehended in a brickyard at Scarborough on June 30. He was working there at the time, and the police saw him when they surroundedwiz the yard. A signal was given by a fellowIrian, and the prisoner instantly threw off his apron „ad shot woundstarted off. He was, however, shortly was Cuthb:aptured, and admitted that his name him, he found that y When the surgeon examined lithat there were several marks of gunthelNrier.wSaesYntno2erairs tbhoedyd.efence, contended that the Cuthbert Wray eabeX show that this man was and had been pre4o4 be had of, or that, if he were, 44 done what he had