POACHING TRAGEDY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12859, 6 May 1905, Page 2 (Supplement)

POACHING TRAGEDY.

i HEAVY SENTENCES FOR SHOOTING i THREE .GAMEKEEPERS. ■ Intensil interest was evinced in the tritjf at York Assizes of three Scarborough labourers indicted for the murder of a gamei keeper, Thomas Atkinson, t*< Sherburn, ; near Scarborough. The court was crowded, ! hundreds of persons being refused admission. The prisoners were William Hoving- " ton, 56, Charles Hovington, 28, father and sou, and Thomas Dooson, 62. It was alleged against the men that on ho night of Friday, November 25, they were found by ' a party of gamekeepers poaching at Sherburn, and thai in the conflict which followed accused fired, Atkinson being in--1 staidly killed, and two other keepers named Gamble and Morris were so badly injured that for some time their lives were in danger. Mr. Milvain, K.C., prosecuting, said that Atkinson was in the employment of Mr. Pickering, who leased part of the shooting near Canton. On the evening of November 25, Mr. Pickering's three keepers, Thomas Gamble, William Welburn, and Atkinson, went jut, accompanied by another keeper named Morris, who was in the employment of Sir Algernon Legard, and they were proceeding along the road when they heard shots in a covert. They went to the covert and decided to meet the poachers. The only weapons they carried, with the exception of Morris, who had an old policeman's baton, in his pocket, and his gun, were their sticks. They met prisoners coining out of the covert, and two of the. keepers detached themselves from the others with the intention of cutting them off. At this stage tin keepers were joined by a watcher in the emplov of Lord Downe, named Stephen Jan. Gamble and Carr were the first to enter the held in which the murder took place, «md immediately they had done so prisoner- turned round and 'raised their guns, saying, "If you come on we will shoot." Gamble said. " No. no shooting," but one of the poachers fired, and botl the keepers were hit by pellets in their hands and heads. Vvelburn, Morris, and Atkinson then entered the field, and the keepers advanced in line towards prisoners, who retreated. At a distance of thirty yards William Hovington levelled his gun at Atkinson and fired. Atkinson fell forward on his face dead. Up to this moment the only guns used were those carried by piisoners, but after the fatal shot Morris levelled his gun at the man who tired for the purpose, of MAKKINC HIM 101 l IUKXTIFICATION", and hit him ill the legs. He then put down his gun, and the keepers again advanced upon prisoners. Charles Hovington was attacked by Morris and Bell —a platelayer by whom the keepers hail been reinforced—Wei burn advanced upon William Hovington single-handed, and Gamble i.nd Carr advanced upon Dobson. Charles Hovington used the butt-end of his gun. and with such effect that Hell was disabled, and retired from the conflict ii. search of help. The younger Hovington partially disabled Morris. Gamble and Carr were more successful with Dobson, and they had got him down and were endeavouring to secure him when Charles Hovington went to his assistance and struck lambic a blow on the head which rendered liiin unconscious. Then Welburn, addressing the peachers. said, "Now. lads, haven't you done enough 'the poachers walked away a short distance and then turned round, and Welburn, being under the impression that they were coming back to him, took up lie gnu which Morris had laid down. placed a cartridge ii&it, and fired at the three prisoners. He heard one of them cry out. " He's hit me," and then the) went awav. For a long time Gamble's life was despaired of. Mr. Milvain submitted that : if prisoners were acting in concert, with j one common purpose, they were all equally j guilt} - , whichever fired the fatal shot. Thomas Gamble, who hobbled into court on crutches, said the poachers stood in a row at a distance of thirty'yards, and Dobson cried, "Stand back, or 1 .shall shoot." He fired, and witness was struck in the face and waistcoat. The .second time he was 1 shot in the thigh and groin. Dobson broke his gun over his head. No shot was fired by the keepers before Dobson and Roving- J ton fired. Gamble received fifty ot sixty shot wounds, Atkinson had ninety-one j wounds on the face, neck, and chest. The i great vessels of the heart had been pene- j trated. Charles Hovington gave evidence, and admitted that prisoners went out on a poaching expedition, but said the first shots came from the keepers, and he was struck; in the left leg. The keepers kept threaten- I ing to fire. The jury returned a verdict of manslaughter, and Mr. .fustics Ridley .sen- ; tenced William Hovington and Thomas Dobson to ten years' and Charles Hovingtcu to seven years' penal servitude.