"....The organisation of poaching was becoming increasingly sophisticated as is apparent from a reconstruction of the activities of a poaching gang at Stowe Bardolph in 1830. Friday Carley (who turned King's evidence) went to his father's public house, the sign of the Bell at Wimbotsham, on the Thursday before Christmas 1830, and there met Robert Chapman, William Bonus, William Watson, Hammond Baker and others. Carley had a gun with him, when he went home, and Chapman said to him "Will you go with me tonight to get some pheasants?" and Carley answered "Yes". When Bonus, Chapman, Watson and Baker left the public-house, Carley followed them to the blacksmith's shop*, where he found Chapman, Baker and Watson loading their guns-Bonus had no gun-and Carley loaded his gun. They then went up the back lane onto the Downham to Stowe road, into the Church Wood. Chapman had a dark long slop on, a dark cap and a light coloured handkerchief tied round his face, chin and neck. They walked into the middle of the wood and young Watson shot at a mock wooden pheasant with his single barrel gun, and then stopped, with John Isgate to load his gun again. Watson and Isgate were separated from the group for some time, and Carley said he would fire his gun to let them know where they were, although when he fired only Watson came back. As the gang went out of Church Wood across the view into Spring Wood, Chapman said, "Stop, till I have loaded my gun," and he pulled out a powder flask; although whether he loaded his single barrel gun again or not Carley could not say. Chapman then called out "Here comes the watch; all stand true, if any one runs away I will shoot you". They then saw two of the watch, John DAWSON and James WESTON, who had been attracted by the firing of a gun; and when they were within seven or eight yards of them, called out"Hello", and the poachers answered the same. Chapman shouted to them, "You are quite near enough", in reply to which Watson said "If you be men, act like men", and one of the poachers said "I will never be got", after which Chapman and Watson fired their guns, and Baker's gun flashed in the pan. At this time there were only six poachers in the wood - Chapman, Baker, Cawston, Bonus and Carley: where Isgate, Clarke, William Ward and John Waters had gone is not clear. Carley said "For God's sake don't shoot", but to no avail. None of the watch had guns. After the poachers fired they ran away in company. Chapman said "There was one dropped", Cawston asked "Of which party?" and Chapman replied "One of the watch". Weston had fallen, and died about two hours later. Chapman then said he would go to Sudbury** for two or three days till he heard.

Before Robert Chapman could be brought to trial, it was necessary to find him; this blacksmith of Wimbotsham, was wanted for the murder of "James Weston, constable of Downham Market", but although rewards were offered for his apprehension, they were without effect. However, the location of Chapman's retreat was traced by Mr Streeton, an active constable of Boston, to the neighbourhood. Mr Johnson, gaoler of Swaffham, and Mr Blow, two constables, proceeded together on Thursday March 31, 1831 in a chaise to the North Forty Foot Bank, about five miles from Boston having received information that they would find the offender there. Chapman was discovered digging in a garden, and being informed that they were to come to apprehend him, he stoutly resisted, and lifting up his spade threatened to murder them if they did not desist; being a powerful and muscular man, he caused great difficulty but was at length hand-cuffed and conveyed in a chaise to Boston from whence he was on Friday taken to Lynn gaol, and next morning conveyed to Swaffham Bridewell, and eventually to the castle for trial at the Summer Assizes.

A similar difficulty was presented Watson and Baker, both of whom had also absconded. Watson was eventually apprehended on May 5, 1831 at Arrow in Yorkshire having changed his name to Jeremy Backs, and Baker was apprehended on May 7 at Stillingham in Durham, under the name of George Clarke. having heard all the evidence, the jury found Robert Chapman, aged 40, William Watson, aged 20, and Hammond Baker, aged 20, not guilty of the charge of murder of James Weston, on December 23. This verdict amazed the court, but "the prisoners were then charged on a fresh indictment with a misdemeanour, and pleaded guilty, and the Court sentenced them to twelve months imprisonment each".

At the Lent Assizes of 1831, the case came up for trial, and Friday Carley turned King's evidence, which was quite surprising; for he had "paid for poaching twice" himself , and had been "taken up for breaking into a draper's house at Wimbotsham" for which he served time in gaol. He denied having informed for the reward of £40, but justified his actions "in expectation of my life being spared, by speaking the truth". William Bonus and Thomas Cawston had just been tried for the murder of James Weston, one of the gamekeepers of Sir Thomas Hare, but on hearing "that Cawston at the time guns were fired was at some distance; and that Carley and Bonus would have got away but that one of his own party (Chapman) levelled a gun at them and said he would shoot them if they offered to run away", Mr Justice Alderson stopped the case. "observing, that if there was a common purpose originally the evidence tended to prove that the prisoners had abandoned it by attempting to run away" and his Lordship directed an acquittal. But William Bonus, Thomas Cawston, John Waters, James Clarke, John Isgate and William Wharfe, " were afterwards tried for the misdemeanour in having been found in a wood armed with guns, and for the purpose of destroying game, and were all found guilty. John Waters (who had been convicted of a felony, and had once been whipped, and several times convicted of a similar offence against the game laws) was sentenced to seven years' transportation, to which he replied "Thankee my Lord." Isgate and Cawston were sentenced to eighteen months, and Wharfe, Bonus and Clarke to twelve months' imprisonment in the Castle (at Norwich).

*William Bonus and Robert Chapman were both blacksmiths. The former was my 3x gt g'father. The latter was my 4x gt uncle. William had lost his wife, Mary the previous Nov 1829, and had 4 children under the age of 13 to care for. I wonder who cared for them whilst he was in prison?

**Robert Chapman's wife, Mary Gentry hailed from Braintree just down the road from Sudbury. He was my 4x gt uncle.