Bell's Life in Sydney and Sporting Chronicle (NSW : 1860 - 1870), Saturday 20 April 1861, page 3


. COTJBT OP ÈXCHEftUER. ' ' '

' :' [Before Mr Baron Marlin.] ? ?: '?? Í. \

.CONFESSIONS .br .t. SPOBTINO IUK.-SPARKES y. HoDons.-This waa ou action brought by. tho plaintiff, a contractor at York,' against tho defendant, a gin distiller nt Lumbcth. .Tho defendant pleaded " Hot Guilty.'' Tlio plaintill" said-T"I am-a contractor-.at York, and also a betting man and book-maker on tho turf. I at first resided at Bristol, whore I became unfortunate in business, and paid my creditors 14s in tho pound. . My real namo is Fox, but being in want of money, I was ad-vised by Porry, tho 'Tipton Slashor,' and thou ?* Cham-pion of England,' to go round tho country with him and porform in sparring matchos with him. For that ¡ pur- . pose I; changed my unmo to 'Bob Sparkes.' Chi our tour we passed into York, and advertised a ?1 Bet-to' for that night, but Perry was not 'tip to tho mark,* and never carno near tho place. A brewer then took com-passion upon mc, and Boeing that I was poor, put mo into ono of his public-houses, whoro I got on vory well, mid attninod my present.position in life. On the 22nd of June last I was at Ascot, where I met the defendant with some of his friends. The defendant asked me for £20, saying, 'Pay up you ———— Welsher,' which means a thief in the betting ring. The mob at once set upon me, knocked me down; and kicked me. The de-fendant then caught hold of me by the throat, my hat was knocked off, my coat torn to pieces, and my face covered with blood. The defendant struck me several times, and the crowd put me over the railings into the race-course. I was guarded down to a tent by soldiers, and policemen, followed by the dofendant and a fight-ing man-a black man. I have since ascertained that he is called 'Plantagenet Qrcon.' (Laughter.) ? Cross-oxamiuod by Mr Edwiu James, Q.O.-"I have seen;him before." Mr Edwin James-" Whero f" . Witness" In tho Haymarket." " . (Laughter): * Mr Edwin James -"Soyou know him P.", Witness-"Oh, ye«; I know whon ho wus taken to tho Vino-Btrcot Police-station.''. (Renowcd laughter.) .1 took'tho namo of Sparkes when 1 joined tho ÎTipton^Slnshor.' .'I weñtby tho namo of 'BobSparkes, the West Australian Champion.' Thoro was a fighting man of that name, but he lind gonb. back whero ho carno from.' (Laughter.) Mr Edwin James -"Well, I suppose you have droppod tho * Wost Aus-tralian' titlo . now ?" ? Witness-"ihavo, but-some-times a. friond will soy, 'Now then¿ West Australian champion,' como und havo a glass of sherry."*. After somo.further evidonco this closed tho plaintiffs case. Defendant called several gontlomen,- who proved that tho defendant, Mr Powor (a member of tho bar), . and Mr' Whitcgruvc, on the day-in question, wont down to Ascot; but stiled distinctly that, tho dofendant never assaulted tho plaintiff, and that it was a mistake of idontity. .Tho learned counsel for tho plaintiff, after heiring this'inri.denco, said it would bo no uso Iiis addressing tho, jury,' and .consented to a verdict for tho defendant.-- Tho loamed Jildgo said it was quite clear that this was a caso of mistaken idontity. Verdict for tho defendant accord-ingly.- Weekly DispalcJt, Fob. 10.