Wellingborough Police Court
Friday, Jan. 14. Before Mr. F. U. Sartoris (in the chair), Mr. R. W. Arkwright, and Mr. N. P. Sharman.

REPORTED PRIZE FIGHT NEAR HIGHAM FERRERS—Harry Hopper and John Bridgford, Rushden, were summoned for a breach of the peace at Newton Bromshold, on Dec. 29th.—W. Cox, a young man, a rivetter of Rushden, said that on the day in question he was at Newton Bromshold, when he saw the defendants there. They were both fighting.—Superintendent Bailie said this affair was reported in the local and daily papers as a prize fight, but the defendants could tell them there was not a farthing at stake. Bridgford was the man who really caused the row. It arose out of a public-house quarrel over some work, and they agreed that they should go and fight somewhere. They had been followed by the police from several places, but he (the Superintendent) denied that money was fought for. The papers ought to be better informed before inserting such paragraphs in their columns. He asked the Bench to bind the men over to keep the peace for six months.—The men were then bound over. Hopper was bound over in his own recognisances for £10, to keep the peace for six months, and Bridgford was bound over for a like amount, and ordered to find two sureties of £5 each. The sureties were James Bridgford and Thomas Curtis.—[We see no reason to modify our previous report, which reached us from a well-informed correspondent. The persistence shown in carrying out the arrangement for the fight, as well as the general repute of the combatants, tends to confirm the accuracy of the newspaper reports, and we need hardly point out that the parties concerned have a great interest in misleading the police as to the nature of the encounter.]