The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1895-11-16 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

DEAN  FOREST.  MURDER OF A POLICE-SERGEANT.  Early on Sunday morning three men, belonging to the Whitecroft district of the Forest of Dean, were arrested on a charge of causing the death of Sergeant Morris, of the Lydney police, whose body had been found near Viney Hill a few hours previously. The prisoners gave the names of James Morgan, aged twenty-four; G. W. Morgan, aged twenty; and George Hill, aged eighteen. They were found in their homes, and on being taken to the police-station were charged with the capital crime. :Cho men are colliers, and formed part of the White. croft Football Team which played the Blakeney team on Saturday, at Blakeney. It is alleged they did not go straight home, and during Saturday night there was a raid on the preserves of Mr. Russell Kerr, at the Hall, Newnham, four miles from Blakeney. The poachers were surprised by a party of police and watchers, who succeeded in aerating two of them. The deceased officer and constable Harding went in search of the third poacher, and near Viney Hill Church, about one o'clock in the morning, they came up with three men, who first abused and then threatened the officers. The result was that there was a fight, during which Morris anti Harding were frightfully battered with stones, one of which struck the sergeant on the back of the neck, dislocating it, the unfortunate officer dying on the spot. Harding " received such terrible injuries that he became insensible, and thus the three assailants were able to escape, but were subsequently arrested as stated. The district in which this crime was perpetrated has been in a distnrbed condition for years past. It has frequently been the scene of lawless behaviour. Horses have been fatally stabbed, donkeys, pigs, and dogs poisoned, and fowl-houses raided with impunity. The police have consequently been augmented, but wh?n this was done the lawless gauge combined their forces and continued to perpetrate outrages, so that general insecurity has prevailed, although the police have endeavoured to the best of their ability to maintain order and arrest offenders. Sergeant Morris was about thirty-three years of age, and a .uative of Whitchurch, Salop. He joined the county police force about eleven years ago, and after leaving Cheltenham went to Parkend, thence to Lydreey, afterwards to Newnhatn, Cinderford, and St. Briavels Station. Afterwards he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and transferred to Stroud, and about a year ago he succeeded Sergeant Ciarke in charge at Lydney. Ho leaves a widow and three children.  The total number of aliens arriving from the Continent at ports in the United Kingdom daring the ' ten months ended October 31st is shown by a Parliamentary return just isosued to have been 74,528 (namely, 34,556 who were not stated to be en route' to America, and 39,972 who were), as compared with 65,236 (made up of 33,708 not en route, and 31,528 en route to America) in the corresponding period of last year. Orders have been i.pued for the 2nd Somersetshire Light Infantry to be in reedinees to proceed. to Guernsey, replacing the 2nd Royal Fusiliers. 'Cho gunboat Leda, which hers been employed in protecting the North Sea fisheries, put into Sheerness on Saturday with defects in her eteampipes. appeared in various news. Statements having papers that the estate of Earl Poulett, in Somerset, has been sold, Messrs. Dowsett, Knight & Uo., are instructed. by his lordship to state that there is no truth whatever in such reports. The Duke of Nrrfolk, as Mayor of Sheffield, twill his seat on the local magisterial bench on Tuesday. An effort is ,i being made, the " Manchester ardine '' understands, to secure the services oi 1-irrr Grieg one of the Halle concerts durieg the rosent seftecn, with the view, also, of his conducting the performantte of several of his own works. ;dr. William 'Herne, landlord of the Coach and ITrrecs Ecrel, 2[itel; Hill, Barnsley, died on Monthly. Doc.es.l wits flutorit yon agricultural luntteTe, end officiated for the Board of Agriculture in ascertaining the yield of crops. Messrs. potter Alla Company's paper-Inills, Dar wcn. were partially destroyed by fire on Monday nod damn' a amounting to 5'.2,500 was done. nicht, The ( utbreak oceurred in the rag-stripping room. A firemem named Chadwick was injured. ss Mr. J "nice Dune, eir-ehief constable of Leicester, died at llarwiek on MondflYt after an illne of about a fortnight. Mr. Dune, who was a native of Berwickshire, wee for many years chief constable of Leicester, retiring with a pension over a year ego.