HAYWARD’S HEATH

The Sussex Advertiser December 15 1868

Serious affray with poachers and shooting at a gamekeeper 

A serious affair took place on Saturday night, or early on Sunday morning week, in some covers near here, belonging to Dr Taylor, of Brighton, in which his head keeper, Field, had a narrow escape from being murdered. It seems that he was aroused by the report of guns in the pheasant covers, and in company with the under keeper, started in pursuit of the poachers, coming up with a Gang of Four, not far from the Ashen-ground, when a smart fight took place, and one of the fellows, aiming at Field’s head, pulled his trigger, but, by a lucky move, he avoided the charge, which passed over his shoulder, the muzzle of the gun being almost close to the keepers head. 

A regular hand-to-hand fight then took place, in which one of the poachers was knocked senseless, but presenting their guns and threatening to shoot the keepers, they kept them at bay until their partner recovered, when they all made off, leaving part of the gun, broken in the melee, behind them. 

In the meantime, police constable Tester, stationed at Haywards Heath, hearing the guns fired, and suspecting what was occurring, made off to the keeper’s house, and finding he was out, called up three men and started to the spot, which they seemed to have nearly reached in time, as he distinctly heard Field’s voice calling for someone to come on, but the wind blew so strongly that they could not ascertain the direction, and made a wrong turn in the wood, so the poachers escaped before they could get up.

There is a well-known gang in the neighbourhood, and parties are suspected, but the keepers do not seem to be able to identify them, and the wounded man with the broken head has not been found.