30 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1814. 



whoever dared to enter should lose 

 his life. They, however, forced 

 an entrance, and havin;^ seized 

 the old man, were about to disarm 

 him, when a fowling piece was 

 discharged at one of the consta- 

 bles, named Jory, and its contents 

 having entered his side, he fell 

 dead on the spot. The whole of 

 the family were talten into custody. 



Mr. Ware's fox-hounds, having 

 started a fox, near Rock-house, 

 about six miles from Taunton, 

 she soon after took to earth, and 

 on being dug out, was secured 

 alive, together with a litter of nine 

 young foxes. We doubt whether 

 such an extraordinary instance of 

 fecundity was ever before known. 

 The discover}' is fortunate for the 

 small farmers on the adjacent 

 moor, whose very extensive flocks 

 of geese might otherwise have 

 been seriously injured by the noc- 

 turnal depredations of this rapa- 

 cious family. The dam is ex- 

 ceedingly poor, and with all her 

 cubs is alive, and in the posses- 

 sion of Mr. Ware's huntsman. 



15. At the late Somerset as- 

 sizes, a cause of the greatest im- 

 portance to sportsmen was tried, 

 by which it was established, that 

 no person hus a right to destroy 

 dogs belonging to other ^lersons, 

 whether' trespassing or not, and 

 that cautionary boards are of no 

 avail. The action was brought 

 by Mr. Corner, against T. S. 

 Champneys, esq. and his game- 

 keeper, for shooting the plaintiff's 

 greyhound, which was proved by 

 several gei;tiemen to be a most 

 valuable animal. It appeared that 

 Mr. Champneys Iiad ordered his 

 servants to destroy all dogs found 

 on his premises ; and one wit- 

 ness stated that the dog was forci- 



bly taken, tied to the stump of a 

 tree, and there shot and buried. 

 The defendant attempted to jus- 

 tify himself by stating that he had 

 cautionary boards put up, specify- 

 ing, that all dogs found on his 

 grounds would be shot. The 

 learned judge animadverted se- 

 verely on Mr. Champneys' con- 

 duct, and stated, that such notice 

 would not justify the destruction 

 of dogs. The Jury returned a 

 verdict for the plaintift— Damages 

 50/. 



Nottingham. — On Sunday night 

 last, about twelve o'clock, Mr. 

 Orgil's patent lace manufactory, 

 at Castle Donnington, Leicester- 

 shire, was forcibly entered by a 

 band of desperadoes, supposed ten 

 or twelve, and tJie entire machi- 

 nery, consisting of twelve warp 

 lace frames, reduced to a heap of 

 ruins, with the exception of one, 

 which received only a partial in- 

 jury. The depredators, not con- 

 tent with committing havoc on the 

 machinery, cut or burnt all the 

 valuable cotton-yarn and lace-pieces 

 within the premises. The dry 

 timber materials they attempted to 

 fire ; and had their scheme suc- 

 ceeded, the whole building might 

 have presented one vast mass of 

 flame. Mr. and Mrs. Orgil being 

 roused from their sleep, the latter 

 threw up a sash, and put her head 

 out of the window to learn what 

 the matter was ; but before u 

 word was exchanged, one of the 

 villains that stood sentry discharged 

 a pistol, or musket at her head 

 the contents of which she dis- 

 tinctly felt pass by her. After 

 the work of destruction was over, 

 one of the wretches exclaimed, 

 " Old Simon, before we leave you, 

 I will have another peg at you !" 



