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

NOTTS. EARRING, MOINDAY.—The adjourned inquest was resumed this morning, at the house of Mr. Roberts, 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 Bullwell, all 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 in all ; that they had no fire-arms with them, with the exception of two pistols. 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 placed in their pockets, and they then went in the direction of Bilsthorpe. The keepers quickly pursued them, but as silently as possible. A net for game being set, the keepers approached. A poacher appeared to be on the look-out, who soon descried the 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 time two of the poachers were overtaken and knocked down by the keeper's flails. As soon as this was done, the keepers rushed after other of the poachers, one of whom they quickly overtook ; he was also " felled" by a flail. Upon striving to capture a fourth, the poacher gave lteunr onee,d which round, a shrill whistle, leaped over a hedge, struck and ohnuer loefd tah e bodystone e rws i tohn gretheats h ov u der. After this, o the wholemusthave amounted oroauthnsd,eds,ayainngd tthhaet they .. to near sn forty men. The keepers were r. of punchers was aeliers use would murder the gamekeepers, theunined latel Yfear: most poachers keepers, and instantly commenced throwing large stones at them. One of the watchers contrived to get in advance of the poachers, and on being followed by several, used his flail with such success that he a felled" two or three. Upon the keepers the field, for the purpose of securing thoseers that been knocked down, they were met by Robertsa(sihnad ce deceased), who complained of being hurt. Tnin king 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 lith 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 dee ceased could not be recognised. At the time of our parcel being dispatched the investigation had not terminated, and it is currently believed that the jury will not agree as to their verdict, whether murder or justifiable homicide. It is, therefore, not improbable that another adjournment will take place.