CHRONICLE. 



11 



loaded e;im^, and Uie reniainiler 

 eariying- clubs and other offensive 



^ver^pons. 



Aljoiit twelve tliev fell 



m with a party of nine of the 

 game-keepers, who at first re- 

 treated from the formidable force 

 opposed to them, but almost im- 

 mediately returned with increased 

 numbeis. They were, howevei-, 

 very inadequately armed. Colonel 

 Berkeley, from motives of human- 

 ity, not permitting one of them 

 to carry fire-arms when they went 

 upon the watch, in order to avert 

 the danger of such an awful ex- 

 tremity as that which followed. 

 The two parties advanced within 

 about ten yards of each other ; 

 Avhen, one of the gamekeepers 

 calling out, " we have found you 

 at last," a shot was fired by the 

 jjoachers, and immediately after- 

 wards a second, which struck 

 the unfortunate man, Ingram, 

 who instantly fell, and died after 

 a momentary struggle. The 

 gamekeepers, seeing they were 

 so imequal a match, then gave 

 way, and fled, several other shots 

 being fired at them in their re- 

 treat, to the niunber of six or 

 seven discharges in the whole, by 

 which six of them were severely 

 wounded ; the poachers, during 

 the firing, frequently exclaiming, 

 " Glory ! glory !" The whole of 

 the desperadoes then left the scene 

 of miirder in a body, and pro- 

 ceeded to a field near the ^'illage 

 of Moreton, where they separated ; 

 prior to which, one of them, re- 

 marking that, if discovered, they 

 would all be hanged, proposed 

 that they should again swear 

 fidelity to each other, which was 

 done by every man kissing his 

 own hand ! 



Colonel Berkeley was upon the 



alert night and day, and "led the 

 party wherever there was the ap- 

 pearance of resistance or danger ; 

 and he entreated that no one 

 would follow him who felt the 

 smallest dislike to the service, 

 offering, at the same time, to 

 provide for such as might meet 

 with any accident on so necessary 

 an enterprise. The neighbouring 

 magistrates and gentlemen se- 

 conded the Colonel's efforts, 

 which have thus happily been 

 crowned with success, the whole 

 of the gang being in custody ex- 

 cept five, and these, it is ex- 

 pected, will soon be apprehended. 



The prisoners were tried at the 

 Gloucester Spring assizes, when, 

 after a trial of two days, they 

 were all found guilty, but were 

 recommended by the jury to 

 mercy, with the exception of J. 

 Penny and Allen, who were left 

 for execution. 



20. As the gamekeeper of Ben- 

 jamin Stead, Esc]. of Crowfield, 

 Suffolk, was out, about two in 

 the morning, he heard persons 

 walking in a small covert, near 

 the hall. He immediately called 

 iqjon another man, who lived 

 near, with whom he went into 

 the grove, where he found seven 

 men, and three or four dogs 

 with them. Four of the party 

 secured the gamekeeper and his 

 a."5sistant, leading them about 

 the plantation, wlnlst the others 

 shot till three or four o'clock. 

 As the depredators were supplied 

 with air guns, no alarm was 

 excited, and the execution which 

 they did among the pheasants was 

 very extensive. They repeatedly 

 expressed their determination not 

 to be taken ; and, when they had 

 finished their sport, they tied the 



keeper 



