The Sun. — 1841-04-13 (London, England)

WKHURST GANG.  The neighbourhood of Chichester, about a century ago, was much the resort of smugglers, but more especially of the cdebrated Hawkhurst gang, which was broken up in 1749, by the execution of the following desperadoes :—Benjamin Tapncr of West Stoke, William Carter of Hants, Richard Mills of Trotton, Richard Mills the younger of Stedham, John Cobby of Sidlosham, John Hammond of Bursted, and William Jackson died two hours after the sentence was announced. These with others were implicated in several murders, which they deemed it expedient to perpetrate for their protection in their outlawry, but the one for which they suffered was the murder of Chater, a shoemaker of Fordinghridge, and Gallq an exciseman, who were seized upon by the smugglers on their way to Major Battine, at East Marden, for the purpose of giving information against Diner, a ssmuggh-, who, with others, had b:en engaged in breaking open the custom house at Poole. Chater was murdered by being hung in a well at Lady Holt Park, and Galley died three days previously from wounds received from the smugglers. The whole of the prisoners were hanged at a spot atintit e. mile from this city, and the body of B,q)junin Tepner was hung in chains on Rook's•hilt. Tile bodies of Mills and Jackson were thrown into a hole near the place of executiot , and near to it is erected a stone, having the following inscription ' " Near this place was buried the body of William Jackson, a proscribed smuggler, who, upon a Special Commission of Oyer and Terminer, held at Chichesier on the 16th of January, 1748.9, was, with William Curter, attainted far the murder of William Galley, a Custom-house ot!er, and who likewise was, together with Benjamin Lipner, John Cobby, John Hammond, Richard Mills the elder, and Richard Mills the younger, his son (attainted for the murder of Daniel Chafer), but dying a fere hOtirs after sentence of death was pronounced upon him, he thereby escaped the punishment which the heinousness of his complicated crimes deserved, and which was the next day most justly inflicted upon his aenortlplieso " As a Memorial to posterity, and a warning to this and succeeding generations— " This stone is erected, " A.D. 1749."  It is evident from the details given that the whole of the north=western parts of Bussek and the eastern parts of Hants, were a century ago much frequentet by smugglers. Here they had tneir rendezvous, and at different times in woods and various Owes—pits, and other secret recesses, for the depositing their contraband goods, have been discoi,ered, A short time ago another of these places was brought to Ilght on the Old Broyle Common, by some 1 ibourers, who, while engaged in digging a gravel-pit, suddenly broke into a subterraneous cavern. In Gls place there appcirs be a regularly formed arch, br,nching out In severel rections, but owing to its being filled w:th rubbish, it is difteult to recognise its forrti, Nit this will not be lono, a matter of conjecture, for workmen are now employed in clearing it out. In one direction a man on his bands and knees has penetrated as far as 100 yards ur.derground, and in other places there is five feet st4nding room. From the remains of old.fashioned wine and Geneva bottles foetid therein, there can be no doubt o its having been used by smugglers as a place of resor and a depositary for their goodsi—Sussex Express.  '