Kentish Gazette, 25 January, 1870.

A FARMER’S SON CHARGED WITH NIGHT POACHING.

At the Ashford Petty Sessions on Tuesday last, before H. B. Walker, Esq., (Chairman), tha Earl of Mount Charles, E. C. Dering, and W. D. Walker Esqrs., Joseph Gore, the son of a farmer at Egerton, was brought up on a warrant charged with night poaching on the estate of Sir Edward Cholmoley During, Bart., at Pluckley. Mr. Dering withdrew from the Bench during the hearing of this case, which drew a large number of persons to the Court.

The prisoner asked to have the case adjourned, as he should be able to produce witnesses who would prove an alibi. He said he went down to Egerton Forstal at seven o'clock in the evening, and had several games of cards at the house of a young man named George Brunger. He then went to a beer-shop and had a pint of beer, and thence to the "George Inn" at Egerton-street, where he remained till twelve o'clock, and then went home to bed.

The mother of the prisoner said that her son was taken from the house and driven away in the night, so that there had been no time to get evidence to answer the charge.

The Bench decided to hear the evidence for the prosecution, and they could then decide whether an adjournment was necessary.

Robert Sage, under-keeper to Sir Edward Dering, deposed:- On Saturday night from a quarter to eight to a quarter past eight o'clock, I heard a gun fire in a piece of wood called Faggoter's Wood, in the parish of Pluckley, and belonging to Sir Eward Dering. I ran in the direction from which I heard the gun, and Richard Powle, who was with me, followed me up. When I was within sixty yards of the wood, I saw Gore come out of it.—

(Gore:- I was not there at all, so you could not see me come out).
Gore came about fifteen yards towards me, and as soon as he saw who it was he ran down the road, and I called out, "Stop him down the road." He then jumped the hedge and ran along a piece of wheat belonging to Mr. George Barnes, and I pursued him. I got within about fifteen or twenty yards of him, when he turned round und said, "Stand back you ------ or else I'll shoot you." He had a double barrelled gun in his hand. I replied, "All right, Joe; shoot and be ------. I am going to follow you up if I can." He then ran into a shave and I lost him.

By the Court:- I have known the prisoner for eight years, and I have no doubt whatever in my mind that it was him I saw and spoke to about five minutes before I heard the gun fire I saw Gore and a man named Clarke Wood coming in the direction from Gore's house towards this wood. I and Fowle laid up in the hedge, and they passed as. I heard one of them say, "There are some birds (meaning pheasants) gone up in the firs to-night."

Richard Fowle, deposed to the same effect. The observation about the birds was made by Gore, as witness knew Gore's voice. They went up and spoke to Clarke Wood (Gore having then left him in the road), and in reply to Sage, Wood said he did not know who it was who had passed. While Sage was pursuing the man who came out of the wood, he called out "Look out down the shave," and afterwards "Look out down Monday Boys Wood." Witness, who was following Sage up, accordingly ran towards Monday Boys Wood, and in a clover ley he saw Joseph Gore running. Witness got within two yards of Gore, who then turned round and pointed a gun at witness. Witness held a stick up to push the gun away, exclaiming, "It’s you, Joe, is it?" Gore then walked off in the direction of Monday Boys Wood. Witness had known the prisoner for seventeen or eighteen years, and had no doubt whatever about him. He was dressed in a twill jacket and cap.

Richard Buss, of Pluckley, labourer, was standing at his door with a lantern when he heard the gun fire, and in a moment or two some one coming down the road shouting "stop him." He called his employer, Mr. Barnes, and they joined in the chase. He heard the man they were pursuing tell Sage to stand back or he would shoot him, but he did not identify the man as the prisoner.

The magistrates adjourned the further hearing of the case until to-day; and the prisoner was liberated on bail, two respectable persons coming forward as his sureties in £50 each, and he also entering into his own recognizance in £50.