Shortly after his liberation, Turner, by the advice of his friends, took a benefit at the Minerva Rooms, Leadenhall Street, as a means of contributing towards the heavy expenses he had sustained from his trial and imprisonment. The amateurs rallied round him upon this occasion in gratifying numbers.
The sporting circles of this period were extremely anxious to bring about a match between the all-conquering Scroggins and Turner; but the friends of Turner insisting that Scroggins should not exceed ten stone seven pounds on coming into the ring, the match was for a long time off, until the following accidental circumstance produced a battle, after the previous regular propositions of bringing them together had failed.
At a sporting dinner which took place at the Castle Tavern, Holborn, on Wednesday, February 26, 1817, Mr. Emery, of Covent Garden Theatre, in the chair, Turner and Scroggins were among the visitors. In consequence of the deputy chairman being absent, Scroggins was requested to fill up the vacancy. This little hero had just returned from the Fives Court, after setting to with Tom Belcher, in which display with the gloves he had been much applauded; being somewhat warmed, and not standing upon the punctilio of waiting for the toasts, he rallied his bottle in such quick succession that he was completely floored. Shortly afterwards the effects of exertion and the glass combined operated so somniferously on the upper works of Scroggy, that he laid down his head and went to sleep. The company were rather amused than offended with this inactive state of their deputy, and he was permitted to enjoy the benefit of his slumbers. On waking, he quitted the chair and introduced himself to the company below stairs in the coffee-room. Turner soon afterwards took his leave of the dinner party, and on his way home through the house he took a peep, en passant, at the room below stairs. It is fair to observe that Scroggins was in a state of inebriation. The company remonstrated upon the impropriety of Scroggins’ behaviour, who was quarrelling with and threatening to mill ould Joe Norton. Turner civilly remarked that Norton was an old man, his time was gone by, and as to his fighting it was quite out of the question. Scroggins, with much asperity, abused Turner for his observation, called him everything but a good one, and sneeringly told Ned that he had never defeated any body; indeed, only “licked a man that was half dead with disease before he entered the ring.” This produced a sharp retort from Turner, when Scroggins gave the former a slap in the face. A turn-up was the immediate consequence, but scarcely a blow passed before they were both down, and Turner undermost. Sutton instantly got between them; the company also interfered, and peace was restored. The account of this fracas flew up stairs like lightning, and the amateurs immediately discussed the subject. Scroggins, with derision, offered to fight Turner £100 to £50; but the latter felt all this was empty boasting. It was the general opinion of those present that Turner had been unhandsomely treated by Scroggins; and, in consequence, Mr. Soares, on the part of Turner, immediately made a deposit of five guineas towards making a match in a month from that time, although Mr. S. had, in every previous instance, supported Scroggins. On Wednesday, the 12th of March, the partisans of both heroes met at Belcher’s, and the stakes were made good. But Scroggins was the “idol” of the sporting world, and it was a censure upon any one’s judgment to name Turner as having anything like a chance; indeed, infatuation was carried to such a pitch of extravagance, respecting the overwhelming capabilities of Scroggins, that the Jew Phenomenon never stood upon higher ground in the best of his days.
It is impossible to describe the sensation this fight occasioned in the sporting circles; the fame of Scroggins, from his having conquered Boots, Dolly Smith, Nosworthy, Eales, Whittaker, and Church, in succession, had made such a strong impression on the minds of the fancy in general, that he was thought almost invulnerable. Even Scroggins himself felt impressed with the same idea, and fought £100 against Turner’s £50. It is true the match was first made when Scroggins was not exactly compos mentis; but, in his soberest moments, he boldly asserted he would win it with ease. The capabilities of Turner he positively ridiculed, treated him as a mere upstart pugilistic pretender, and flattered himself that the prowess of Turner would vanish before his punishing arm, like snow before the sun. For three nights previous to the battle taking place, the sporting houses were crowded to excess, and so very high did this modern Dutch Sam stand in the estimation of the knowing ones, that nothing less than three to one would be accepted, and that only from an idea that a chance hit or accident might operate against his usual success. On Wednesday, March 26, 1817, as soon as it was light, groups of pedestrians were seen on the Uxbridge Road; and by eight o’clock carriages of all descriptions were rattling along, from the splendid barouche and four down to the donkey and hampers. By eleven twenty thousand persons had collected on the ground, a field near Hayes, between the bridge and the turnpike, not far from the present line of the Great Western Railroad, about ten miles on the Uxbridge Road from Tyburn turnpike. At eighteen minutes to one Turner appeared in the ring, dressed in a fashionable great coat, and threw up his hat, and Scroggins immediately followed. Cribb tied the yellow handkerchief belonging to Turner to the stake, and Oliver immediately placed the blue fogle of Scroggins beside it. The combatants shook hands before they stripped. Oliver and Clarke appeared as seconds to Scroggins; the Champion of England and Harry Harmer attended upon Turner. Three to one was the current betting against the latter, and many thousands depended on the event. Turner was an object of great curiosity, from his late unfortunate battle with Curtis; but viewed as the antagonist of Scroggins, the idea was sneered at. The ring measured twenty-four feet, and the numerous carriages round it formed an elegant amphitheatre. Lord Yarmouth and Colonel Barton acted as timekeepers.
THE FIGHT.
Round 1.—It was expected, on the combatants setting-to, that Scroggins would adopt his usual method of boring in to his adversary, or, to use his own words, “take the fight out of him;” but he was more cautious than usual, and a good deal of sparring took place. He made a feint at Turner, and instantly got away again. At length Scroggins put in a hit—some trifling blows passed between them, and ultimately Turner went down lightly, when Scroggins held up his hands, by way of showing how little he thought of him.
2.—Scroggins now appeared a little more on the alert to follow up his success; he gave Turner a sharp nobber, but he failed in doing his usual punishing execution. The customer before him was not of that easy description he had flattered himself, and though Turner went down, it was not from effective hitting. (Many persons exclaimed, “Now where’s your three to one?”)
3.—Turner, on setting-to, fought with his opponent manfully, and planted a severe facer under his left eye; and though, at the close of the round, he was again down, his capabilities as a boxer were manifest. He also met with great encouragement from the spectators.
4.—This was a sharply contested round; both were at work in right earnest, and in a close Turner gave his opponent a severe cross-buttock. The concourse of persons was so great, and their eager curiosity not keeping pace with the etiquette usual upon these occasions, pressed forward to the ropes—the outer ring was broken, and all traces of the fight lost sight of, excepting to a few, who, at the hazard of their lives, kept in front.
The men continued to fight for several rounds under this disadvantage, when the inner and smaller ring was broken into, the stakes knocked down, and the ropes trodden under foot. It was now more like a street row than a prize fight, and the combatants had scarcely a yard of space. Scroggins, notwithstanding being so close to Turner, had by no means the best of him, and it was the general opinion, that had no interruption occurred Turner would have won. To attempt to describe any of these rounds with accuracy would be a deviation from the truth; and Mr. Jackson afterwards declared it was totally out of his power to give an opinion upon them. Carter, Painter, Dolly Smith, Richmond, etc., exerted themselves with their horsewhips to beat out the ring, but in vain; nothing less than a troop of horse or a company of soldiers with fixed bayonets could have attempted it with success. Both men were accordingly taken from the ring, and Mr. Jackson went round, declaring all the bets to be null and void. At this period not less than thirty thousand persons were present, and the carriages on the spot and along the road were estimated at eight thousand. A suspense of two hours occurred, and thousands of inquiries took place to ascertain how the day was to be finished. During this interval, the costermongers wishing to clear their carts, but not being able to persuade the customers (who had paid 3s. a-piece to see the sports of the day) to retire from their situations, actually took out their horses and lifted up their vehicles, after the manner of shooting rubbish. This mode of ousting the tenants occasioned much laughter, and a little extra boxing. At length Mr. Jackson appeared, when it was announced that the contest was adjourned to a future day.