Most interested to read this thread. The story is a true one, that of the three brothers John, Robert and George Perkins who were caught with William Lomas poaching in Empingham Woods, Rutland, on 30th January 1833. They fired on and wounded the gamekeeper Thomas Peach, who survived to give evidence against them at their trial before Judge Denman at Oakham Castle in the following month. The three brothers were sentenced to death but only John was hanged. The gallows still survive in the Rutland County Museum. Various versions of the ballad can be viewed online on the Bodleian Library website at http://ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/search/roud/1686, and there is an article in our journal Rutland Record 18 (1998)pp342-49, accessible free at http://www.rutlandhistory.org/rutlandrecord/rr18.pdf. We did know that there were descendants and would be happy to be in contact do message me at editor@rutlandhistory.org. The reference given by Steve Gardham above to 'Chapter 7' is to our publication Heritage of Rutland Water - go to pp 136-7 for details.