The Sun.
London, England, 1824-07-15 00:00:00

DEATH BY FIGHTING.

•
Ypstortitty afternoon an Inquest waslielil at
the Half-moon tavern, Lower-street, Islington, before Tuos.
ST 11l LIWG,. Esq., Coroner, on the body of Thomas Smith, aged
23, a Kentish-town stage-coachman, whose death was occasion-
ed in a pitched battle with a person of the name of Harry
Bestir, on Monday last. The principal witness, in addition to
the evidence of Mr. Shirley, a surgeon, who had no doubt the
deceased's death was caused by bruises on his head, was Edw.
Smith, of New Noriblk-place, Lower-road, Islington, brother
of the deceased, who deposed, that on Thursday last he paid
a visit to his father's house. It was about seven o'clock in the
evening; witness's father was the only person there when he
called, and he informed witness that his brother was going to
fight a pitched battle on the MOnday following; witness salt!
he was sorry for it, and endeavoured to find his brother, but
did not see him until the morning of the battle, when he was at
Copenhagen-house; he spoke to him, endavouring to persuade
him from fighting, saying, that he was too fat, and had not an
equal chance with the person with whom he was going to fight,
who was a good man, and had two ways of fighting; the de-
ceased replied, that unless he was to fight now thatit had come
to such a pitch, he would not be able to stand by his coach
to get a single passenger; the deceased was a stage-coachman,
and drove one of the Kentish-town steps I witness offered to
be his second, but his brother said he bad two "good men" to
second him, but notwithstanding, he (witness) stood present to
see him righted • a ring was formed, and his brother entered
the ring first, anti threw up his hat; and a person, whose name
1w understood to be Donovan, a pugilist, was a second to his
bother; there were six persons assisting in the ring; one gen-
tleman, during the fight, kept hollowing out, " Henry, if you
heat him I'll give you a sovereign." The deceased was knocked
down several times by his antagonist, who had time knack of
tripping hint up; witness was infiornied that the fight lasted
two hours and fifteen minutes ; doting the fight, witness en.
teretl the ring and ,saw his. ilrother ;Ong on his back, and
was desirous of ending the fight, but the seconds interfered,
and turned him ooLotAbe,.ripsg 41,je did not go to his bro-
ther until the fight was over, when his brother said, I'll
fight. no ,mora .witnese-repliedr " NO, .you, shall not fight
any more,' now I have got you . ' the deceased requested- to
sit down on witness's knee, and he died soon after. The
seeonds_quitted: the deceased immediately after the fight, and
did not render the, least assistance. A surgeon was sent for,
and he attempted to bleed him ; his brother was apparently
in perfect - health and spirits on the morning of the fight.
I)Liring,thp tight, the deceased's antagonist put his top near
the deceased's thigh, and knocked him down, when a cry of
" foul" took place, and the deceased's second threatened him
if he did it again. The inquest was adjourned far the at-
tendance of other witnesses, who were better acqusinted with
the sec.onds concerned in the transaction.