The Sun. — 1862-08-04 (London, England)

THE ROYDON HALL MURDER.  It has been already stated that five men were apprehended a few days ago by Mr. Hulse, the superintendent of the Kent constabulary, stationed at West Melling, upon the charge of being concerned in a brutal murder that was committed on the 21st of January last upon James Gray, a gamekeeper in the service of Major Cook, of Roydon Hall, East Peckham. Since then another man has been apprehended, and it is believed that the whole of the party concerned in the outrage, with the exception of one man, are in the hands of the police. A preliminary inquiry took place yesterday, at the magistrates' clerk's office, west Mailing, before J. Savage, Esq., one of the county magistrates. The names of the prisoners are Thomas Stevens, John Hawkes, John Hodge, alias " Happy Jack ;" Joseph Obey, Thomas Allchin, and Stephen Burgess. They are mostly young men, and are strangers to East Peckham, where the murder was committed, but reside in different villages, within a distance of five or six miles, and they are all known to the police as notorious poachers. Ever since the murder took place they have been suspected, but it appears that it is only recently that information has been obtained such as would justify their apprehension. Capt. Buxton, the chief constable of the Kent constabulary, was present to assist in the inquiry, which, as may be expected, created a great aeal of interest. The facts connected with the murder were briefly stated. It appeared that the deceased who was about 40 years old, and a fine, courageous man, had been keeper to Major Cook for about three years, and there appeared to be no doubt that the poachers in the neighbourhood, of which class, unhappily there is a considerable number, entertained a great deal of ill feeling towards him on account of the strictness with which he performed his duties. On the morning on which he lost his life he had gone to bed, but one of his assistants hearing guns fired at one o'clock in the morning in a wood called Moat Wood, went to his cottage and informed him of the fact, and he got up and immediately proceeded to the spot where the firing was heard, and on their way they met some labouring men, who accompanied them, the party being composed of six persons. They had not gone far before they came upon a number of men, all of whom were armed with guns, and the moment the latter observed the keepers they formed into a line and presented their guns. The deceased called out that they would not, surely, be so cowardly as to shoot ; and one of the men with an oath, declared that they would do so if they attempted to take them. Gray, who was a very determined man, immediately told his party to advance and seize the poachers, and the instant he did so one of the men discharged a gun at him,and the whole of the eharge entered the thick part of his thigh. A desperate struggle then took place between the keepers and the poachers,lbut in the resultithe whole of the latter, who were eight in number, succeeded in getting away. The unfortunate keeper was removed to his own cottage, where he died about half-past five o'clock the same morning from the loss of blood and the shock to the system. A great number of persons were subsequently apprehended and charged no with being concerned in the murder, but two only were eventually committed for trial. The only adonal evidenceahe gone into was that of Mr. Hulse, wenx perintendent of police, who stated that he his eot n's cottage, accompanied by some of said thatit::,)elea, and the moment Allchin saw him he that he iutenlT d expected him for some time, and officer had noted to have come to him himself if the subsequently arre,sso. The other prisoners were themselves in cal-t1:41.,,e11,d,eal and when they found give information in i'eCreY all appeared anxious to however, declared :'llee to the crime. Bur..at and he said that ,i4.;e knew nothing of was one of the men in cuatod,om Stevens," who Upon this Stevens was broughi,foruld clear him. Burgess saw him he lost all his coward, and when admitted that he was at the affray, nee, and he out denied, a tgheessc'harge,