Farmer Tribe

Farmer Tribe of Lordington, undaunted by a terrifying experience he had had the night before, was passing through the churchyard to the morning service at Racton, as was his custom on Sunday.

Among the loiterers there he caught sight of one Jack Pitt, the man he suspected of trying to murder him a few hours before. Tribe stared at him hard to see if a guilty conscience would affect Pitt's look, but Pitt returned his stare with interest, and the Farmer passed into church as mystified as ever.

It was a strange affair. A labourer had called at Racton farm for work and was told that Mr Hipkin, the owner, had gone to Chichester market accompanied by Mr Tribe. Between nine and ten that night, having parted with his friend, Tribe rode on alone down Haresfoot Lane.

Suddenly he saw a gun pointed at him through the rushes by the Ems, and before he could escape the gun was fired. Turning his horse he galloped back to his friend's house. No shot had touched him, but shot was found in the saddle and one had injured the horse.

It was known that Jack Pitt had a gun, and a few days before a pigeon he had been seen to shoot had been picked up. The shot found in the bird was identical with those found in the farmer's saddle; they had obviously been made from the leadwork of a window frame.

Suspicious as were the circumstances, no further action was taken by Farmer Tribe, but highway robberies continued in the neighbourhood, and Jack Pitt was caught one day red-handed and met his death on the scaffold in due course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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