The Sun. — 1862-01-24 (London, England)

MURDER OF A GAMEK.EEPER-DESP.ERATE  AFFRAY TVITH POACHERS.  For some time past great depredations have been committed by gangs of poachers (believed to come from Tudeley, the Mailings, Yalding, &c.) in the woods surrounding Roydon Hall, the seat of W. Cook, Esq., J.P., and that gentleman has been compelled to employ extra watchers or underkeepers to look after his extensive game preserves, and this led on Wednesday morning to an encounter, in which the head gamekeeper, in the employ of Major Cook, the son of the proprietor, lost his life.  The keeper, whose name was Grey, had been over to Mereworth, an adjoining village, to invite some of the farmers to a day's shooting on the following day, and one of the gentlemen thus invited sent him to the Torrington Arms to got a little ale. Grey left that house about half. past ten o'clock, and find ng everything apparently quiet about the woods he retired to rest. About one o'clock he was knocked up by some of the watchers, who informed him that they had heard the firing of guns in a wood called the Mill Roughs, near the Hatches-gate. Grey, with five others, atonce proceeded to the wood, where they enoountered a party of poachers, eight or nine in number, and armed with guns and bludgeons. Grey, who was a powerful and determined man, exclaimed, " I know you all—you are East Mailing men," and rushed in amongst them. The poachers, who appeared to be under the command of one of their number, drew up in line and presented their guns, threatening to shoot any one who dared to interfere with them. The keepers and poachers had a desperate struggle, in the course of which two of the latter were got down. They called for assistance, one of them exclaiming, " Shoot the —," and a gun was discharged, the contents of which entered the right thigh of Grey, who notwithstanding fought on, knocking down two more men with his life preserver. At length he failed through loss of blood. The other keepers conveyed him to his cottage, where he was promptly atttended by Mr. Biggenden, of East Peckham. B e lingered in great agony until nearly six o'clock, when he expired. In the meantime the poachers retreated in something like military order, presenting their guns to the keepers, and threatening to "floor them as they had done the other man." It is evident that some of the gang were severely injured, as some marks of blood were traced. They heft behind them two broken guns, two caps, and the lining of a hat covered with blood. The ruffians were dressed as pikeys or labouring men, and poor Grey described the man who shot him as being a tall man.  Information was despatched to the police, and the chief constable, Captain Ruxton, with Superintendent Heise, Kent county constabulary, were unceasing in their efforts to discover the guilty parties, or some of them. In the course of the day two men from Mereworth, named Simpson and Honey, well known to the police as being poachers, were apprehended, but they soon proved an alibi, inasmuch as it was shown that they were drunk and incapable, and were assisted by a neighbour to their homes, some four miles from the scene of the scuffle. Two other men were also placed under the surveillance of the police, but the underkeepers, on being called on, could not identify them, and they were released. The unfortunate man has left five children, and his wife is approaching her sixth confinement.