The Sun. — 1847-03-31 (London, England)

FATAL AFFRA Y IN THE DARK. On Monday an inquest was held, by adjournment, before Mr. W. Baker, Coroner, at the Grave Mariner, Whitechapel-road, respecting the death of Samuel Salter, aged 31 years, late a porter in Leadenhall Market, who died in the London Hospital on Tuesday morning last of injuries he received in an affray with a man named Charles Frenkish, a carpenter, who is in custody, 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 Wednesday last. Mr. Pelham, solicitor, attended on the part of the accused. From the evidence it appeared that the deceased resided with Frenkish at No. 24, London-terrace, Commercial-road East. For some time past he had been leading a very dissipated life, and was constantly in 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 went into the Mackworth Arms, where he remained until twelve o'clock, drinking and fighting with several persons. He then left tlfehouse, and being unable to walk, he was assisted hcme by Mrs. Frenkish ; he was very violent, and fell heavily to the ground several times. On reaching home he abused Mrs.Frenkish, and struck her a blow en the chest. Shortly afterwards Freakish returned home and accused him with striking his wife. The deceased said he had, and instantly struck Frenkish 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 hos • pital he appeared to be in a state of intoxication. The upper part of his body was most frightfully discoloured and bruised. He had since made a poflt mortem examination of the body, and found the intestines; very unhealthy. The liver was Of an enormous size, and weighed upwards of five pounds, the ordinary weight bring about two pounds. The appearance of the stomach indicated that the deceased had been a greet drunkard. The immediate cause of death was an effusion of blood on the brain, caused by violence, he had no doubt from blows. A fall might Call,e 211 eiTUsiou of blood on the brain. Tne CORONER ttnn :named up at great length, and, after a long consultation, tie jury returned an open verdict, that the deceased " Died fl oin an elfusios of blood en the brain, from violence, but how it was caused there was no satifactory evidence before the said jurors." The inquiry lasted seven hours.  • _ _