The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1887-12-17 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

MURDEROUS ASSAULT ON A HUNTSMAN.  At the County Police Court, held at Abbey. street, Birkenhead, on Thursday, Henry Clarke, a young man residing in Helen's-lane, Lower Bebington, was charged on a warrant, before Messrs. Henry Bell, Stanton Eddowes, and Francis Thornely, with having violently assaulted Jonathan Cole, huntsman, Kennelsstreet, Higher Bebington. Jonathan Cole, keeper of the Royal Rock Beagles, stated that on Tuesday morning about half-past nine he heard the report of a gun in Bentey Hey Wood, Lower Bebington. He proceeded to where he supposed the sound had come from, and there found the prisoner and another young man concealed under some bushes. Prisoner had a gun in his hand and prosecutor asked him what right he had there. He replied "I was only after shooting a wood pigeon or two." Prosecutor told him he had no right to do so, and asked him to leave the wood. He refused either to do so or to give hisname and address. Subsequently prisoner began to move off, prosecutor following. He then turned round and said "If you follow me I will knock your b— brains out with this gun." Prosecutor followed him about 150 yards further, and the prisoner then turned round on him suddenly, raised the gun, and, holding it by the barrel, made a violent blow at the prosecutor with the butt end of it. He put up his arm to ward off the blow, bat his guard was broken down, and the gun inflicted a wound on his forehead, from which he bled copiously. The blow was so heavy that the gun broke off at the stock. It was loaded at the time, and prosecutor produced the shot drawn from the gun in the presence of an officer. A struggle followed in which the broken gun was taken from the prisoner, who then ran off across the fields. Prisoner: Did I refuse to leave the wood when you told me? Yes, you did. Prisoner: Did I strike you before you struck me?  Prosecutor: Yes, you did. Prisoner: It is a deliberate lie. You fast aimed a kick at me I  Prosecutor: I did not touch you in any shape or form whatever. Charles Albert Raynor, Lower Bebington, stated that he was with the prosecutor when he went into the wood. They told the prisoner to go out, and "he put his back up and gave a lot of impudence." He refused his name, but another " gentleman" that was with him gave his own name as John Hughes, and the prisoner's as Clarke. Witness heard the prisoner threaten to knock Coles' b-- brains out if he followed him farther. That was at the bottom of Green-lane. Witness did not see the assault.  In reply to the Bench prisoner said when he turned round Cole seized the gua and tripped him backwards into the hedge. He then commenced "putting his feet into him" as hard as he could kick. In the struggle that followed the gun broke, and he ran off as fast as he could, leaving it behind him. Robert Morrie, Primrose-hill, stated that on December 13th he was in the wood with the prisoner. After prisoner left the wood, at the top of Heath-road, the huntsman (Cole) said he " would follow the prisoner to his b— grave." Witness turned to go to Lower Bebington and the prisoner to Higher Bebington. Cole, who was still following the prisoner, kicked him, caught hold of the gun and threw the prisoner on the ground. Prisoner had hold of the barrel of the gun and the prosecutor had hold of the stock, and the gun was broken in the struggle. Cross-examined by prosecutor: Witness had not given his right name when asked, that he might be able to get out of the trespass. He was about fifteen yards away when prisoner struck prosecutor with the gun. Witness had borrowed the gun from a man named Moore. The Bench said they considered the case proved. The assault was a violent and a brutal one, and prisoner would have to be imprisoned for two calendar months with hard labour.