The Sun. — 1858-12-01 (London, England)

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.  SERIOUS POACHING AFFAIR IN NORTHUMBERLAND.  NEWCASTLE, Nov. 30.—The details of a serious poaching affair which occurred near the Cheviots on Saturday have reached this town to-day. It occurred upon the estate of Mr. E. I. Collingwood, of Lilburn Tower, near Wooler. It seems that gangs of poachers roam about the hill districts of the northern part of our county, and in consequence the country gentry have to employ a large number of game watchers. A number of watchers were perambulating the estate of Mr. Collingwood and the adjoining estate, belonging to Mr. Cresswell, of Harehope, about 3 o'clock on Saturday morning, when poachers were descried. A watcher named Nixon, in the employ of Mr. Creswell, saw three of them. He ran after them, and in doing so was joined by some, if not all, of the other watchers, and had nearly overtaken them, and was pursuing closely behind, when the poachers were observed to look back ; they seemed determined not to be taken, but each seemed to wish his companion to fire the first shot towards the watchers, until at length one of them did deliberately turn round and fired his gun and shot poor Nixon, who fell, apparently mortally wounded, to the ground. The other watchers first saw to the state of their companion Nixon, and gave up the chase of the poachers, who had still two guns with them besides that which had been discharged, and who, probably as a matter of prudence, were allowed to escape. Nixon was carried in a faint and suffering condition home to his cottage, and several shots, about No. 6 size, were found to have entered his body about the thighs and the lower part of his bowel,s. He was evidently da wounded, though%opes are miiv entertain o is recovery. When the gang of poachers left him -it was about 3 o'clock in the morning, and, though some time was lost in doing so, information of the outrage at an early hour was given to the police office at the village of Eglingham, and thence passed on to Mr. Superintendent Marshall at Alnwick, which is about 10 miles off. Mr. Superintendent Marshall also sent a telegraphic message to Major Browne, chief constable of the county, and the best measures that could be thought of were devised for the purpose of apprehending the perpetrators of the murderous., attack. From inquiries of Nixon it appeared pro bable that he would be enabled to identify the man who shot him, and to whom, though it was rather dark, he had been very near. v Having obtained the best description they could of the three poachers, seven men, suspected as poachers, and in the houses of some of whom game that morning had actually been found, were taken into custody at Alnwick on suspicion, and conveyed, in charge of Mr. Superintendent. Marshall, in an omnibus to where Nixon resided ; but as neither the wounded man fior any of the other watchers could identify any one of them; they were brought back to AlnWick and liberated. The detectives, however, are still engaged in inquiries, with a view to bring the real parties to justice. It seems that one of the other watchers was also hit by the dis. charge of a gun, but he is not seriously hurt.