On the night of Dec. 22 last, Leigh and Speake, two gaimekeepers, were on the look-out for poachers.
They saw Davenport, who flashed a light in their faces, and then projected smoke or vapour. in Leigh's face.
Leigh's eyes began to smart, and he felt a splash of something in his face, followed by a sensation in his nose and eyes.
Ultimately, Leigh fell, but Speake continued to chase Davenport.
A struggle followed, in which, it was alleged, Davenport bit a piece out of Speake's ear.
He also gave Leigh a savage kick on the jaw, declared Mr. Elsden, but the gamekeepers managed to Overpower and handcuff him.
After he had been taken to the police-station a gas gun was found in the field, and vapour was still coming from it.
The police searched Davenport's house and found four bottles containing benzyl bromide and some soda-water bulbs, which were apparently the propellent used in the gun to eject the gas.
Leigh, in evidence, denied that he struck Davenport with a stick.
Prof. Roberts stated the overcoat Davenport was wearing that night was impregnated with benzyl bromide.
When this chemical comes in contact with the eyes, he explained, it causes tears to flow freely.
When transferring the contents of one bottle I got a bad dose, and for two hours was unable to carry out my duties, It puts you completely out of action.
Judge: Is it tear-gas?—It ts a form of tear-gas, but not the kind that was used in the war.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.