Bridlington and Quay Gazette. — 1884-12-06 (Bridlington, Humberside, England)

THE FATAL NIGHT POACHING AFFRAY NEAR DRIFFIELD.  The UR was then adjourned till the next morn lug.  }us wr  On Thursday morning the trial of the 6ve game- IN AN EVIL MOMENT, keepers for the wilful murder of a poacher at LowBY thorpe near Driffield, on the 16th October last, was HARRY BLYTH, resumed. Public feeling in Driffield is markedly favourable LUTHOR OF to the poachers, and when the prisoners were being „. 4 Woman," "The Bloom o' the Heather," removed from nowt on Weduesday evening, the ex- "When the (does Stopped," "Magic Montle," eke. treine portion of the population commenced to howl and rush upon the keepers. A man named Wood, who took a prominent part in tbe disturbance, and endeavoured by shouting 'hang them" to excite the rough element, was at once arrested. Fortunately for the keepers they were well protected by a large body of police officers, or there is little doubt they would have experienced rough treatment.  The Bench, at the adjourned bearing, consisted of Col. Brookshank (chairman), Mr. F. Reynard, Mr. A. Rrookabank, and the Rev. W. H. Higgins. Mr. W. H. St. Quintin, Mr. Geoffrey St. Quintin, and Mr. H. 0. Piercy, steward of she Lowthorpe estate were eleo present. William Hartley, labourer, Driffield, one of the poachers. At the adjourned inquest, held at Kelk, us declined, he said, to give evidence because he was instructed that any statement he might make would, probably, be to Lb, prejudice when upon his trial the following day. As regards the COilipUSitiOn of the poaching party, he confirmed the statement made by the previous witnesses, and said that, tesides their nets and dogs, they each had a "good useful walking stick." It was the rule amongst poachers to carry a stick. They had no fire-arms and no life-preservers, but he (witnese) had two pieces of ordinary road metal. He heard John Fenley call out "Heigh up my lads," and as he ran to Fenley he heard two shots tired. The keepers and his party were engaged when he reached them, and after ascertaining that his mates were fighting upon the left side he joined them, and used his rxertions to resist the keepers. Personally he elected Gray, jun., as his man, and, said the witness, "it was as much as I could do to look after hi u." His party tried their utmost to knock the evolvers out of the keeper's bands, the latter in the , meantime "pelting" away with their shots. He I thought that bet seen nine and ten shots were fired. rho light for a trine was certainly favourable to the p -solders, but soon he noticed that the keepers were obtamiog the upper hand, and se,iug this he went to the opposite end of the field, and urged his mates : to drive the keepers off, his words of persuasion using "Go on, lads, we can win in a canter." The poacuers once more stood up, and with an effort drove the keepers back towards Lowthorpe Station. Once out of the field th.s was all, the witness said, he required, and he returned to the place of the original fight to ascertain how his mates had gone 00. Tom Fenley was cut on the head, and Jelin Fenley said be believed their old man was done. They found the deceased and placed him on a fallen tree, and returned to look for Reffold. He was not, however, to be found, and they never saw him until near Driffield, on tbe way home. The deceased, whom they wished to carry, called out in pain, and the two younger Fenleys began to turn sick and weak from toeir injuries. It was then clear that there was no hope of getting the deceased home as well as the tackle aud rabbits, co they decided to relinquish the rabbits, and forthwith they set off with the deceased. His injuries were so severe that he could not bear to be moved, sad, at last. promising to fetch a cart, they left the old man to his fate. He appeared to be dying fast, his voice had grown woos, and his body was very cold, especially his hands, which were like stones.—Mr. Jackson repeated his application, to elicit the dying man's statement, which the Bench decided not to allow.—ln continuation, the witness said he knew John Fields and John Lovell, and "this old original gentleman here" ipointing to Gray, senior).—The Chairman cautioned witness not to speak of any of the prisonera in such a light manner. The matter was mush too serious for levity.—Witnese, resuming, recognised Fields, Lovell, and John Gray as having fired shots.