Manslaughter in a Fight

A drinking session between work colleagues got out of hand and left one of them dead and the other imprisoned after a fight broke out.

On the afternoon of Wednesday 2nd May 1866 five men who worked at a cooperage in Edgar Street finished work early and went to a nearby public house, where they drank three and a half gallons of beer between them. They then began playing cards and a dispute arose, leading to 25 year old Patrick Feerick saying to Nicholas Holden 'You and I had better have it right now'.

The two went outside and a fight commenced, but after Feerick was felled Holden then kicked him in the abdomen whilst he was down. Despite this he was able to get back up and carry on, but was knocked down again and this time hit the back of his head on the pavement.

Feerick was taken home where he died the following Tuesday. A post mortem found a ruptured bladder, consistent with being kicked in the stomach. An inquest returned a verdict of manslaughter and Holden was committed to the assizes on a coroner's warrant.

Holden (aged 35) was tried on 10th August and found guilty, leading to a sentence of six months imprisonment with hard labour.