The Sun. — 1847-03-30 (London, England)

FATAL AFFRAY IN THE DARK. Yesterday an inquest was held, by eojeurnmenr, before Mr. W. Baker, Coroner, at tne Grave Mariner, White chapel-road, respecting the death of Samuel Salter, aged 31 years, late a porter in Leudenhall Market, who died in the London Hospital on Tuesday morning last of injuries he received in an affray with a man named Charles Freakish, a carpenter, who is in custady, and has been remanded on a charge of wilful murder by Mr. Yardley, one of the Thames-police magistrates. The particulars of the case appeared in the Thames-police report on Wedneseay last. Mr. Pelham, solicitor, attenth don the part of the accused. From the evidence it appeared that the deceased resided with Frenkish at Nu. 24, London-terrace, Commercial-road East. For some time past he had been leading a very dissipated life, and was constantly iu a state of intoxication. On Friday, the 19th instant, he was ' drinking with several companions during the day, and towards the evening he became very much intoxicated. About eight o'clock the same evening he weet into the Maeliworth Arms, where he remained until twelve o'clock, drinking and fighting with several persons. Ho then left the house, and being unable to walk, he was assisted hcme by Mrs. Freakish ; he was very violent, and fell heavily to the ground several times. On reaching home he abused Mrs.Frenkish, and struck her a blow on the chest. Shortly afterwards Freakish returned home and accused him with striking his wife. The deceased said he had, and instantly struck Freakish a violent blow on the mouth. An altercation then took place between them, and they fought for several minutes in the kitchen. A policeman named Read was called in, and they then agreed to fight on the following morning. Frenkish then retired to his bedroom, and the deceased again began to abuse him. They then fought for several minutes in the dark, and during the struggle a table was broken. The deceased bled most profusely from the mouth, and in the morning he was conveyed to the London Hospital. He remained there about an hour, when he left the hospital and returned to his lodgings. During the day he continued to get worse, and he was again conveyed to the London Hospital, where he expired on the following Tuesday. Mr. John Day, house-surgeon to the London Hospital, stated, that when the deceased wes brought to the hospital he appeared to be in a state of intoxication. The upper part of his body was most frightfully discoloured and bruised. lie had since made a post mortem examination of the body, and found the intestines very unhealthy. The liver was of an enormous size, and weighed upwards of fall lsm of t igbhy five pounds, the ordinary weight. being about two pounds. The appearance of the stomach indicated that the deceased violence, ioaoadltehbnecil.na, shaaengherae effusiondat uo doubt drunkard. 00fubbtlo ofrdor lrao' linebtlho immediate .raiAn , cause an effusion of blood on the brain. Tne CORONER then summed up at great length, and. after a long consultation, the jury returned an open verdict, that the deceased " Died from an effusion of blood on the brain, from violence, but how it was caused there was no satifactory evidence before the said jurors." The inquiry lasted seven hours. COAST DEFENCES or