Mr Alan Benton was the speaker at our November meeting.
He told a chilling tale of murder which took place in 1869 on the
Elveden estate.
A young man called John Hite was working on the estate as a gamekeeper,
and one December day he heard a shot which he took to mean that there
were poachers in the area. He then encountered two men, James Ruttaford
and David Heffer, one of whom was carrying a shotgun. These men set
about the gamekeeper and bludgeoned him to death, covering the body
before making their escape. Although they were apprehended and arrested
soon after, they were not convicted of the crime of murder, as the
evidence was circumstantial.
Forensic evidence was offered - for the first time in an East Anglian
Court - but it did not prove the case.
The men were guilty of poaching, and we were surprised to learn
that poaching at night was deemed to be more serious than in the
daytime.
Mr Benton’s story gave us a real insight into Victorian justice,
and some sympathy for the hard lives if those who worked on the land.
Secretary
Dorothy Anderson
01440 820376
Events Secretary
Gillian Cooper
01440 820052
Next Meeting
Next month there is no meeting
3rd December
Christmas Celebration
at the Red Lion, Kirtling
Tuesday 20th January
7.30pm in the WI Hall
Antiques Roadshow
by Alan Barry Stevenson of Cowlinge Please bring along any items of interest
