The Sun. — 1864-04-02 (London, England)

THE FATAL FIGHT AT BOLTON.  An inquest was held yesterday at Bolton, on the body of Peter Murphy, aged 21, who was killed in Chapelstreet, Little Bolton, as stated in our impression of yesterday.—Henry Tempest, butcher, stated that he was at a ball at the Baths Assembly Room on the night of the 28th inst. in company with Eli William Lever and several others. They all left the Baths about two o'clock in the morning. The deceased was intoxicated and very quarrelsome. Lever was also in liquor, but not so bad as Murphy. They went to the Museum, in Churchgate, and on leaving there about two o'clock in the morning, Murphy began to quarrel with a young man at the top of Bank-street. Lever desired him to be quiet, and said he would go home with him. Murphy, however, wanted Lever to fight, but they agreed to go down Bank-street, and went on arm in arm. Witness followed soon after, and heard they had been quarrelling in Brownstreet. When they got to Chapel-street they both stripped to fight, and Murphy called his father to come out and ''sea fair-play." The father came out in a few minutes, and his son and Lever were then fighting.. The father called to his son, " Give it him." Murphy was knocked down by Lever, and his father, on lifting him up, said, "Go at him." A second time Murphy was knocked down, and fell uposi his back, and then his father took him into the house. He was bleeding above the left eye, and appeared to be insensible. Witness was quite sure Lever never kicked the deceased. Mary Murphy, sister of the deceased, swore that she saw Lever knock her brother down, and than kick him twice ; once on the left eye, where he was cut. She also stated that her father did not encourage her brother to fight ; he wanted to separate them, and called out that his son was murdered. James O'Brien, a piecer, saw the party at the top of Bradshawgate about 5 o'clock in the morning, after they had left the Museum. Murphy was quarrelling with a young man, and when Lever told him to make less noise and go home quietly, Murphy challenged him to fight. They agreed, however, to have it out in Chapel-street, and went out down Bank-street arm in arm. In Brown-street they got to blows; and when Murphy was down Lever kicked him on the eye, and blood flowed from the wound. Catherine Fenwick stated that she saw the fight in Brown-street, and that when it was over Lever lifted Murphy up and held him over the rails of her cellar steps. Henry Peadlebury, a piecer, residing in Chapel street, heard the noise and went out. Murphy was coming out of his father's house, stripped, and his father followed him. Murphy struck first, and Lever returned the blow. They both kicked two or three times. Murphy was knocked► down and Lever kicked him on the left eye. Murphy's father then lifted him up and said, "Go into him quick." Murphy then rushed at Lever,and they had a second round, when Murphy fell backwards and was unable to get up again. The father was encouraging and backing his son, but nobody appeared to assist Lever. Dr Carruthers stated that he had made a post mortem examination of the body, and found the cause of death to be effusion of blood on the brain. The body, in other respects, was perfectly healthy. Externally there was a cut above the left eye, a swelling and discolouration on the left cheek, and also on the neck. The effusion of blood, he said, might have been caused either by a blow or a fall. The Coroner having summed up, the jury returned a verdict of Manslaughter against Lever, with an expression of their indignation at the conduct of John Murphy, the father of the deceased.