A MURDERERS REMORSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 8986, 25 February 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

A MURDERERS REMORSE.

A private in the Royal Berkshire Regiment, stationed at Reading, named David Pilmore, has been arrested under remarkable circumstances on a charge of mnrder. On the morning of April 29 there was a desperate poaching affray at Badsworth, a village five miles from Pontefract. Two gamekeepers, named Illingworth and Copley, tracked a couple of poachers, one of whom was Pilmore, ana the other a man named Roberts. One of the poachers carried a gun, and in the course of a struggle between lllingworth and Copley, who was running up to his comrade's assistance, the -v.* per was shot in the body, and died soon afterwards. A verdict of murder was returned against Roberts and Pilmore, both of whom escaped, and a reward of £100 was offered for their apprehension. Diligent search was made, but the police were never able to come upon the men. he other morning a private in the Berkshire Regiment, who had enlisted not many weeks before under the name of Willman, was on sentry duty at Reading Barracks. Another sentry, stationed twenty-five yards off, heard him cock his rifle, and asked him what he was about, Willman said he had just seen a ghost, and asked where it had gone to. The sentry laughed, but Willman, who was very serious, said it was the ghost of a man whom he had murdered. Then Willman, who has proved to be Pilmore, told the story of the poaching affray, and how he and Roberts escaped the police. He said they succeeded in getting away from the locality, but in a wood somewhere between Leicester and Reading Roberts was starving and utterly worn out and had died. He further stated that he planted three twigs over the place where he buried Roberts, and that he could go and point out the place easily. He said he continued to live in the wood after Roberts was dead and buried, in order to avoid the police. Then he came to Reading and decided to enlist. The story was repeated to a corporal, and Pilmore signed a written confession. Communications were made to the Pontefract police, and a constable identified Pilmore, and he has now been removed to Pontefract for triaL