The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-15 00:00:00

THE FATAL FIGHT AT WEST HAM

John Lee, Charles Chilcott, and Albert Young, three
gipsies, well known from travelling the counties of Norfolk
and Essex, surrendered to take their trial on the charge of
manslaughter of William Nichols also a gipsy, The pri.
soner Lee and deceased belonged to different tribes,
_ _ _

It appeared that the wife of the deceased and the wife of
Lee had a quarrel and fought. Afterwards the husband of
each, for the honour of their tribe, took up the quarrel and
had several r unds, which was however put a stop to. The
quarrel, however, appeared to be fermented by the women
of each tribe, and ultimately the prisoner Lee and Nichols
agreed to have a pitched battle on the 16th of June, at
4 o'clock in the morning at West Ham. The two tribes
met at the appointed place, the men shook hands, and then
commenced sparring. After several rounds, in which de-
ceased was the most punished, he sank to the ground, and
never rallied. He eventually died, and in a post mortem
examination, it was found there was a rupture of a blood
vessel on the brain, which caused death, and it might have
been occasioned by a fall or excitement.
Counsel having addressed the jury for the prisoner,
The Lord Chief Baron told the jury it would be much
better in these cases where parties were concerned in a
'breach of the peace that they should be indicted and
punished for that offence, and not in such a case as the pre-
sent indicted for manslaughter. He did not think that the
prisoners Chilcott and Young ought to have been indicted
for manslaughter, as they had nothing to do with the death;
they were only aiding in a breach of the peace and not a
felony.
The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and the pri-
soners were discharged.

NEW COURT.
(Before Mr. Justice Wightman.)
CONVICTION OF A GAROTTER.
Thomas Ford, 26, a labourer, and one of a notorious
gang of thieves infesting the Surrey side of the water, who
had previously been sentenced to three years' penal ser-
vitade for a robbery with violence, was again indicted for
garotting and robbing Joseph Sawyer, and stealing from
him a watch, the prisoner's cpmpanion escaping.
The prisoner was sentenced to 10 years' penal servitude.
On hearing the sentence the prisoner's wife, who was in
the gallery, commenced screaming in the most violent man-
ner, and it was with difficulty the officers could get her
from the court.

THIRD COURT.
(Before Commissioner Kerr.)
John Murray and John Manning were indicted for steal-
ing a watch, the property of Thomas SaNine. Murray was
sentenced to one year, and Manning to three years' im-
prisonment with hard labour.
Morris Murphy was indicted for a similar offence.

The Jury found him guilty.
A detective officer said the prisoner was associated with
a well-known gang of thieves infesting Barbl,.:an and its
neighbourhood. In consequence of the audacity with which
the robberies were now continued it had been found neces-
sary to employ additional police. He knew that the pri-
soner had been formerly convicted.
On the prisoner being asked what he had to say why
sentence should not be passed upon him, he replied, " I'm
innocent, my lord, and no mistake, so whatever punishment
you give me I shall submit to it cheerfully."

The Commissioner then sentenced him to seven years'
penal servitude,
The prisoner seemed astonished at the sentence, and,
turning round to the detective, said "It's lucky for you, old
fallow, I'm in here, or I'd blow your brains out, I would,
you dog."