PETTY SESSIONS, FEB. 28
Two men, both named John Coe, of Desborough, were brought before the
Bench, charged with carrying guns near a wood called Goatry Wood, near
Rushton, on Saturday night or early on Sunday morning last. As the men
were both of the same name, and were not agreed which was the elder, it
was necessary for distinction's sake to call one the taller and the
other the shorter.
—James Rayson stated that at the time mentioned he heard a gun go
off in the wood, and on going towards the place whence the sound
proceeded he met the two men then before the Bench, each of them
carrying a gun, the tallest of whom he collared, when he said he would
sooner die than be taken. A scuffle then ensued, in which they both fell
down with the gun under them. He saw Coe trying to pull the trigger of
the gun, and in a few seconds it went off between witness's legs.
—Joseph Jenning, of Rushton, corroborated the above evidence, and
added that he pursued and took into custody the shorter of them, who had
run away.
—As the tallest had been convicted before he was sentenced to three
months' hard labour, and the other to two months; and at the expiration
of their respective terms both are to obtain sureties who with
themselves will be bound for their good behaviour for twelve months, in
default of which they will be confined six months longer.
Northampton Mercury,
Saturday 05 March 1842