The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-04-09 00:00:00

GREAT FIGHT FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP.

ARBEST OF "THE BENICIA BOY" (HEENAN.)
We announced this event in our third Edition of
Saturday. lire now give the full particulars:—
(From
Bell's Life, First Edition.)
A' telegraphic despatch from a sportsman at Derby
arrived at the office of Bell's Life in London, on Friday,
to the following effect :--" Friday, April. 6. They have
just apprehended John Heenan, at Trent Lock, and got
him in Derby lock-up 20 minutes ago." This armour.)o
ment naturally excited our surprise and vexation, espe-
cially when we came to consider the spot where the arrest
took place. We instantly communicated the facts to Mr.
Wilkes, as the proper representative of Heenan in London.
The indignation of that gentleman was not less than our
own, and he and his friends all agreed with us that if any
persons were to blame in the matter they were Heenan
himself and his companions, Mr. Falkland and. Jack
Macdonald. Rumours had been spread that Tom Sayers
intended to obtain the arrest of his opponent, in order
that he might retain the belt without another contest,
but such an accusation as this was as warmly scouted by
all the American gentlemen as by ourselves.
Why Falkland or Macdonald should have selected
Derby, above all places in England, for the training
quarters of their man, we know not, nor mitt we possibly
conceive. Had it been their deliberate intention to have
their man arrested they could not have gone to a better
place to ensure their object. It is only a few weeks
since three men were tried at the assizes in that very
town for'being concerned in a prize-fight. In. Derby
Gaol were Tom Paddock, Harry Poulson, Callaghan,
and others, confined for many months, for` a riot in con-
- notion with a prize-fight, and the whole county has long
been known as the most dangerous place for the mem-
, bers of the P. R. to select for their sports.
We have learned that Heenan had several narrow
escapes . from arrest previOus to his arrival at -Trent
Lock. In the neighbourhood of Bedford, at. Stilton,
and other places, he only escaped by a miracle. It is a
pity his friends did not take the advice offered them by
Langham and others, as to the selection of training
quarters.. A subsequent message says Heenan is not in
gaol, but .in custody of the- Superintendent of police,
_awaiting. bail. This, we hope, will be quickly forth-
coming to enable him to leave the county.
, FURTHER PARTICULARS.
' (From. Bell's life, Second Edition.) -
In our First Edition we stated that Heenan had been
arrested at Trent Lock, near Derby, and conveyed to
the lock-up in that town. After that edition had gone
to press, we learned that Mr. Falkland had not been
with Heenan for a fortnight. It is clear, therefore,
that, he could not have advised the Benicia Boy to take
his sudden journey into Derbyshire ; and it is equally
clear to us that " The Boy" himself cannot be censured
for the selection of his quarters, as he must have been
mainly dependant upon his attendants in this matter,
and cannot have auy intimate knowledge of the country.
Jack,Macdonald has since called upon us; he says he left
Derby on Friday night, and travelled all night to set
himself right with its and the public. He declares he
selected Trent Lock as being on the borders of three
cdunties---Nottingham, Derby, and Leicester—and
within Zasy access, of any of them. He and . Jack's
friend had taken such precautions as they thought
would render everything perfectly safe, and had em-
ployed a' fellow to sound the police, and ascertain
what wag the feeling, and whether anything had
been done or was intended to be done. This fellow,
whose expenses were paid, and who had received all
sorts of
_presents, declared positively that all was right ;
and it now turns out that he had played into the
hands of police, and it was through him alone that
the officers.obtained information as to Heenan's where-
abouts. Trent Lock, it seems, is the place where Dick
Hall and other Nottingham men, including 'lndigo,
had repeatedly trained, and it is therefore not at all
singular that it should have been selected. We are glad,
for the sake of all parties,,that this matter is cleared up,
and-we are pleased at being able to, express our opinion
that neither of the men, nor their friends, has had hand
in this business. The warrant was originally issued in
Leicestershire.
We have great pleasure in gratifying a request of Mr.
Falkland in stating that the rumour as to Hccnan's
arrest having been caused by Tom Sayers, or his friends,
did not emanate from him or from any of Heenan's
party, all of whom
,have the highest opinion of Tom
Sayers, and believe him utterly incapable of such
conduct.
Our Derby correspondent writes as follows
:
"Heenan was apprehended (on Good Friday) at Trent
Lock, ten miles from Derby. The following are the
particulars :—On Thursday afternoon last a detective
officer of the Leicestershire constabulary. named Clarke,
arrived in Derby, armed with a warrant for the
apprehension of Heenan ; but as the pugilist was 'quar-
tered' in Derbyshire, it was necessary that the warrant
should be backed by a Derbyshire magistrate. Conse-
quently the signature of Dr. Heygate, of Derby, was
quickly obtained, and at ten o'clock on Thursday even-
ing the Leicestershire officer, accompanied by Superin-
tendent Shaw, of the Derby division, Sergeant Lowndes,
and Police-constable Hallam started from Derby in a
trap, and proceeded to Trent Lock,, which divides the
counties of Leicestershire and Derbyshire, where they
arrived about one o'clock on Good Friday morning.
They put up at Deacon's public-house, and remained
until five a.m., when they proceeded to the Navigation
Inn, Trent Lock, which is kept by Mr. Rice. A Trent
ferryman let them into the house, and they immediately
planted themselves at.the foot of the bedroom stairs, and

asked for the landlOid. IL cntne, and they nsked if
Heenan was not in the house ? The landlord replied
that he had been there on thnevening previous, but he
could not say that he was sleeping in the house. Sergeant
Lowndes and police listable Hallam then went up
staffs, aiid entered a bed-room. The bed was empty,
bat by the Side of it *as Et shitty trousers, and waist-
coat. In the room, however, WEIS Al. Macdonald,
iltighes, and another friend of Heenan's. They
said they did not laid* where he was. The officers
searched every rooni. tip-stairs for about in hour
and then returned downstairs. IjitectlY afterviards
a man named Henry .Tackson, who keep the lock house
on the Trent bank, came into the -house, bringing
with him a note written in pencil, which he handed to
the landlord. The police were in plain clothes; and.
Superintendent Shaw said to.Tackson, 'Who cs it froth ?'
and he replied, 'Heenan.' The note was as follows
'‘ 1 am waiting at the lock house for my shoes ; Mac-
donald must bring them directly.' The police at once
proceeded.to the lock house, which they besieged.. The
occupant, howeyer, would not admit them upstairs, and
stoutly denied that Heenan was in the house. It was
then agreed that Sergeant Lowndes should go to Mr.
Satton, of Shardlow, a magistrate living near, and get a
search warrant, in order that they might go upstairs.
About , ten minutes after •he had been despatched
on this' errand; Heenan jumped through the bedroom
*judo*, and, made a clear leap over the head of police-
Constable Hallam. Ile at once took to his heels and
was pursued by the officers. A regular steeple-chase
ensued, but the line of country' being new to the
American, and his bat.) feet being cut by the stones, he
was compelled to stop, after going over two or three
fields. Both he and his friends seemed very mortified
at the capture. A trap was soon in attendance, and he
was at once conveyed to Derby, a distance of ten miles.
On the road he had a little chaff' with the polite. He
then said he had not signed an agreement to fight
Sayers, and therefore his apprehension was illegal.
Heenan also said; have been removed twice. Why
don't they take Sayers. I have been hunted about like
a dog.' His arrival at Derby about ten, a.m., on Good
Friday, caused a great sensation, and a large mob con-
gregated in front of the ToWn Hall,. to which he was
taken. •He was at once put into the lock-up, and
directly afterwards was visited by Mr. H. F. Gisborne,
a Derby magistrate; who ordered him to be placed in
better quarters. Mr. Hilton, the head constable of the
borough, very kindly took him to his own house, ad-
joining the". Town Hall. Daring the -day Macdonald
arrived, and Dr. Heygate having been seen by Mr. S.
Leech (from the office of Mr. Gamble, solicitor); who
appeared for Heenan, agreed to take respectable bail for
his appearance."