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SUSSEX SMUGGLERS. 77
well; and fancying they heard him breathe or groanr threw posts and stones in upon him, and went their way.
" The terror of this act of cruelty had spread through the country, stopt every person's mouth who had it in their power to give any information ; so that the body was not found till September, when it was so putrified and consumed as not to be known but by the belt, and which Chater's wife will prove to be her husband's. If there was any doubt as to the identity of the man, we could shew likewise, that being examined by the smugglers just before he was murdered, he said his name was Daniel Chater.
" It appears therefore from this state of the case that all the prisoners are guilty of the indictment; Tapner was present at the consultation at Scardefield's, and was the person who hanged him ; Cobby and Hammond were present at the consultation, helped to carry him to the well, and were present at the murder, and therefore equally guilty with Tapner as principals; Carter and Jackson took him away by force from Payne's, and the treatment of him there on the road shewed an intention from the first to murder him, though perhaps the particular death he was to suffer was not then agreed on. They were afterwards present at the consultation at Scardefield's, where it was resolved to murder him, and went almost to the well with him; and when they parted, gave those who murdered him particular directions to the well. Young Mills was also at the consultation, and particularly advised and directed the murder, in which he declared he would have joined if he had a horse. Old Mills, though he kept no public-house, receives this man brought in the night, in a bloody and deplorable condition. Chater is chained in his out-house from Sunday night till Wednesday; yet |
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