past and present
Murder of William Lilley
Trial of David Booth and Aaron Savage
Wednesday 12th January, 1866
The Silverwood Poaching Affray.
William Sykes (who was convicted at Leeds assizes a fortnight ago of the manslaughter of William Lilley, gamekeeper, at Silverwood, near Rotherham, and sentenced to penal servitude for life), and David Booth and Aaron Savage (who were acquitted on the same grave accusation) were now indicted with night poaching. Sykes, who appeared, in his convict's dress in the dock, pleaded "Not guilty," as did also Booth and Savage. Booth added, "I was never in that field" (where Lilley was murdered).
His Lordship: You are now charged with having been in a field with three more men, being then armed with bludgeons with intent to take game, and to do grievous bodily harm.
Booth: I am guilty of being there, but not guilty of using any bludgeons, or anything else.
The Judge: You had better plead not guilty.
Booth: I am not guilty.
The indictment set forth that, on the night of the 10th October, they were on land in the occupation of Matthew Brown, having their bludgeons in their possession, and nets used for the purpose of taking game.
Mr. Digby Seymour, Q.C., and Mr. Vernon Blackburn were for the prosecution; Booth was not defended, but Mr. Yeatman appeared for Savage.
The circumstances of the case have been recently and fully detailed in the course of the murder inquiry. Woodhouse, the approver, was again the principal witness; and Mirah Sykes, wife of the convict Sykes, deposed to having gone to Kimberworth on the 10th October to fetch her husband's nets. On the following day Woodhouse and Booth met her in Kimberworth Lane, and Woodhouse then said, "Have you heard of the keeper's death at Silverwood?" Witness (Mrs Sykes) rejoined, "Is he dead?" and Woodhouse replied, "He is, but I don't care about anything, except for Davy's (Booth's) wife." Booth said "B------y like; my wife has known me do things before, and she has never 'telled' yet." Woodhouse had further told her that Lilley had left a widow and several children, and added that "He expected Lilley’s decease, for he had given him blows that would kill a horse." (Sensation in court)
Mr. Yeatman cross examined Sykes with the object of showing that she had been influenced in her present course of conduct by the hope of procuring some commutation of her husband's sentence, but the learned gentleman failed, to elicit more than that she was desirous of telling the truth, in order to punish men who were as guilty as her husband, if not more so, and that she had been lead to understand there was no hope of a sentence of penal servitude for life being shortened owing to any evidence she might be enabled to afford the prosecution by way of procuring a conviction.
The jury, after considering for about an hour, found both prisoners guilty of night poaching and trespass, but acquitted them for assault.
His Lordship reserved sentence until this morning.