[17] This is also prohibited by modern rules.—Ed.
[18] This highly reprehensible system of carrying men up to the scratch was subsequently entirely done away with, as also the system of allowing minute time, another mischievous practice, which, by giving men more time, enabled them to recover sufficiently to stand and deliver blows long after their strength and stamina were exhausted. These alterations took place after the fatal fight between Owen Swift and Brighton Bill, and were attended with most beneficial results. Half-minute time only was allowed by the New Rules, and if a man did not walk to the scratch in eight seconds after time was called, he lost the fight.
CHAPTER IV.
WILLIAM PERRY (“THE TIPTON SLASHER”)
1835–1857.
Although this ungainly specimen of a boxing athlete first saw the light, in the year 1819, in the town of “the Black Country” from which his nom de guerre was derived, he came to London and worked in its neighbourhood at an early age; for, in the year 1835, he was well known in the neighbourhood of Battersea Fields and Chelsea as a “lumping lad” who, despite the drawback of “a K leg,” could hit, stop, and use his “fives” with formidable effect. In November of that year, we read in a sporting paper:
“The admirers of milling in the military village of Chelsea, where the ‘saloon of arms’ of Alec Reid is a centre of attraction, were all alive on Tuesday, from the arrangement of a ‘field day’ to decide the best-man question between two pugilistic heroes of the locality. These were Barney Dogherty, a sprig from the Emerald Isle, and Bill Perry, a young navvy, whose displays with his digits, if not quite scientific, are determined and dangerous. Perry was backed by a sporting butcher, Dogherty by a circle of his enthusiastic countrymen. In weight the Emeralder had the advantage of nearly a stone. Each man was waited on by a member of the P.R., and the regulations of the Ring carried out.
“The fixture was Wimbledon Common, whither miscellaneous groups were seen wending their way at an early hour; but the police scouts were wide-awake, and on reaching the intended scene of action it was ‘no go,’ and the disappointed crew looked as blue as their enemies. A move became inevitable, and new ground was taken opposite the ‘Ship’ at Mortlake. Here the men set to, but after seven rounds, all in favour of Perry, the lobsters were again on the scent, and another retreat was made towards Barnes Common. Here also it would not do—the pursuers were on the heels of the ‘flying dustmen,’ and a helter-skelter sort of march took place over Putney Bridge. Here a council of war was held, and it was at last agreed to march for Lechmere Common, close to the sporting grounds of the Baron de Berenger, in the King’s Road. Here all was right—a fresh ring was formed without interruption, and the sport was resumed and concluded.
“On squaring elbows there was a good deal of sparring, and Perry dodged left and right. After some heavy exchanges and a rally, Barney was down weak. The fight was prolonged for six rounds more, during which Perry had it all his own way, punishing Barney terrifically; still the poor fellow came up as game as a rhinoceros, and would not give in till his seconds, seeing he had not a chance, cried ‘enough,’ and his friends were all satisfied he had done his best to win.
“Dogherty turned out to be too stale for active operations; added to which he is slow and awkward in his style of setting to. Perry is a scientific hard hitter, but with such a man as Alec Reed, in his day, he would not have had a chance. Still, in the present state of the Fancy, he is not to be sneezed at. It was expected a second fight would have taken place between Middlesex Ben and the Winchester Pet, but the former was ‘shopped.’ Perry can be backed with anybody who may envy his honours, and the money will be ready at the ‘Lowndes Arms,’ King’s Road, on Tuesday evening, where Alec Reed gives sparring lectures for the benefit of the rising generation.”
Such is the account of “The Slasher’s” coup d’essai, after which he seems to have found no candidate for his favours for a twelvemonth, and to have worked his way towards his native place. Here his fame as a fistic practitioner was pretty generally acknowledged, and a party of Birmingham boxers, having among their number Ben Spilsbury (not Charley, who fought Johnny Broome), being in the town of Tipton exhibiting the art, young Perry put on the mufflers with that professional. Though the Tipton lad was not so clever as the Brum, he displayed such determination, and got so well “on” to his man, that an observation that, “if in earnest,” Mr. Ben would have to play second fiddle, led to an offer on the part of a Brum to post a “tenner” upon the experiment. “A friend to sport,” at the request of Perry, covered the two sovereigns deposited; and as the Christmas holidays were approaching, December 27th, 1836, was named as the day of battle. After taking some little liberties with the Tipton in the opening rounds, for which he occasionally caught a fearful right-handed visitation, and was rallied down, Spilsbury kept so completely à la distance as to deprive the contest of all interest, and finally, at the end of the 19th round, “cut it,” leaving “The Slasher” in possession of the field and the stakes.