The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-01-19 00:00:00

CORON E ICS INQ UES T.

Tut: FATAL. TIOXING-M•Tell AT CHALK FARM.—Yesterday
at three o'clock a respectable Jury assembled at Mr. Sparks', the
Chalk Farm Tavern, to inquire into the death of John Stone, a
young man, wlt3 was killed Ina pitched battle on Sunday morning
dart. in that neighbourhood.
Daniel 31ahony, of No. 3, Fitzroy-place, wan the first witness
examined. Ile stated, that he was sitting in the Adam and Eve
public.houac, Hampstead-road, on Saturday se'nnight, in the even.
ing, when some words arose between the deceased and a man
named Joseph Packer, who finally flung a tobacco pipe in the face
of the deceased, who instantly challenged him to fight. Packer re-
fused, but a scuffle ensued, end around or two were fought in the
room, but the waiters took away the candles, and they were sepa-
rated : however, a match was soon after made, and an agreement
written, matching them for a sovereign a-side, to fight on last Sun-
day. The money was deposited anti the ground appointed. The
arrangements were those of a regular boxing match, two seconds
and bottle-holders for each being appointed. A man named James
Cummins and John Adams were for Packer, and Samuel
Hesrne and Thomas Saunders for deceased. On Sunday morning
lot the parties met by appointment at Chalk Farm, and proceeded
to the ground, a field in the vicinity ; and after some preliminary
arrangements, the light commenced, and continued for a very con.
siderable length of time, with mutual advantage. At the close of
the last round the deceased was placed on his second's knee, and
fell off, but for what reason the witness could not say. On his
looking at hint as he lay on the ground, he appeared insensible,
and in a moment or two breathed his last. The witness maid that
many blows were struck, but none appeared to bate been delivered
with any peculiar precision. Packer, the witness was informed,
was a butcher; the deceased worked at a Alr. Jackson's, Lower
Rathbone.place. The light commenced at nine o'clock, and was
over before ten.
John Merchenner, waiter at the Adam and Eve, described the
quarrel precisely in the same terms as the last witness. The
man Cummins seemed very desirous of having a fight, and snatched
a candle out of the witness's hand when he was removing the
lights.
Thomas %Valley, • labourer, stated, that he came up when the
men were fighting. He was a stranger to all parties. From the
appearance of the persons around them, the witness thought they
were all thieves. The fight did not last long aßer the witness came
up. About four or five rounds before the termination the deceased
was struck when down by Packer, and immediately caught up by
his seconds. An uproar took place, and some cries of " Foul"
towards the last rounds, when deceased continually fell from weak.
nests. Packer fell on him, and the witness thinks he dropped so as
to fix his knees on his abdomen. The moment the deemed fell •
second fight took place. Cummins again became a second. The
witness had been threatened if he came forward or spoke against
any man concerned in the business. Witness had been informed
that Cummins was a very bad character.
Win. Stone, brother to the deceased, was at the fight, which
lasted fig .one minutes :it was a fair fight, and neither took any
unfair advantage of the ether. The witness believes his brother
received a hurt on the breast, from falling on a stone when l'acker
fell on his back. He did not see the last round. The deceased
was only 19 years ofage.
Robert Quay, a man of humble appearance, gave a similar ac-
count of the fight, saying, he observed • Dow street officer on the
ground, and desired him to put a stop to the fight : he declined,