The Sun. — 1851-10-28 (London, England)

THE LATE FATAL AFFRAY WITII POACIIERS 1N NORTH NOTTS. EMERING, MONDAY.—The adjournod inquest was resumed this morning, at the house of Mr. Roberta, before the county coroner, Mr. Falkland. Very great excitement was manifested, and a strong feeling pervades the district in favour of the poachers, who in several of the neighbouring villages have formed themselves into associations or clubs for the destruction of game, every member of which has to pay a fee upon his enrolment. The substance of the evidence given is as follows The poachers belong to the villages of Sutton-inAshfield, Arnold, Hucknall-Torkard, Mansfield, and Builwell, rll stocking-weaving districts. A number of them are captured, but nothing can be decided upon until the result of the inquest is known. One of the witnesses stated that the keepers and watchers amounted to ten men ie all ; that they had no fire-arms with them, with the exception of two pistole. Their only weapons were what they term flails, made of two pieces of wood, fastened together like a threshing-flail. An unusual thing was, that they left their dogs behind them. About ten o'clock, or a little after, on the night of the affray, footsteps were heard on the Bilsthorpe-road, in the heart of Sherwood Forest. The poachers halted when about a dozen yards from the keepers, and in the immediate proximity of a heap of large stones. A number of these boulders the poachers hpeliancgedsient, their pockets, and they then went in the direction of 13ilsthorpe. The keepers quickly pursued peered to bet on ktheeepleorosk them, but as silently as possible. A net for game dpeosaocriheedr appeared watchers, and hurled a large stone at them. Witness intimated that it was high time to make a capture of him, and onwards the whole party dashed. In a short -aoPuptr, owa chhoe d soon the keepers rucisol.eod. time two of the of whom thevu down by the keeper's this was done, ails. As soon as afterpoachersfi were other overtaken knockede one poni quickly overtook ; he was also "felled" violence, poacher whichg a gave by a flail. turned round, and hurej struck-g Ta h shrill onel o mustf the have av e whistle, t o bec aedpnyteu orwef tpaho afgoe ruhereatrths , vwti hoae.s leaped over a hedge, der. After this, the whole discovered. They keepers am eu no tne d the t to h nearo u l . The keepers wered immediately surrounded, and the poachewrsoultdise the most fearful us rcdoenrt theri ve throwingd go largegeet stones at tandhem i.nstoanntelyof oaths, saying that they Cthoemwmaetaccheinedr in advance of the poachers, and on beingsne followed by several, used his flail with suchthat he " felled" two or three. Upon the keepers going go the field, for the purpose of securing those that had been knocked down, they were met by Roberts (sine deceased), who complained of being hurt. Think! ing he was seriously hurt, the keepers advised him to go to " the house," and upon their arriving there he was insensible. The poachers had only one dog with them, a bull-terrier, which, however, they did not let loose. Besides Roberts being injured, another keeper, named Charlesworth, was hurt by a boulder. Roberts died on the 17th inst. The poachers were armed with no other weapons except stones, and were not told to surrender previous to their being knocked down with the flails. The man who struck the de• ceased could not be recognised. At the time of our parcel being dispatched the in. vestigation had not terminated, and it is currently believed that the jury will not agree as to their ver•• diet, whether murder or justifiable homicide. It is, therefore, not improbable that another adjournment will take place.