"We regret to see the brutal practice of prize fighting resorted to in this city, by the following statement of the contest between Mr. Long Cornish and Mr. Whiteway.
(From a correspondent.)
"The fancy of the neighbourhood have for the last week been on the qui vive, in consequence of a rumour that an affair was to come off between Long Cornish, a slaughterman, and the champion of the Butcher-row, and a man named Whiteway, who next to St. Crispin has been regarded as the patron saint and champion of the snobs.
"The origin of the fight appears to have been a squabble among the principals at the late wrestling match at the Mount Radford Inn, when Cornish being under the influence of Sir John Barleycorn, Whiteway gave him a thrashing; but Mr. Long Cornish being a glutton in these things, the friends of both men endeavoured to get up an affair for ten pounds aside, which it was stated was the amount for which they were to contend. The thing was kept as snug as possible, in order to prevent the interference of the beaks, and on Sunday it was rumoured that those who were at Countess Wear Bridge, on Monday morning at ten o'clock, would be near the scene of action.
"The road from Exeter to Countess Wear Bridge was crowded, not only by pedestrians, but by almost every description of vehicle. At the time appointed, both men arrived, Cornish and his friends in two flys; Whiteway and his friends came on foot. About half past ten the ring was formed, in a marsh adjoining the bridge, and it was computed that there were not less than two thousand persons present.
"Whiteway was the first to enter the ring, he appeared in excellent spirits - but had too much flesh, his age too was against him, he being 47, and Cornish only 35 - but notwithstanding he was the favourite. Cornish shortly after entered, attended by Tom Lane as second, Jem Evans as bottle-holder. Whiteway was seconded by Shapley.
"At a quarter to eleven, both men being ready, Whiteway addressed the spectators by saying 'that as it was to be a fair stand up fight, he hoped that no one would interfere, and that if either man went down without a blow, the other should be at liberty to jump upon him.' The company seemed pleased with this arrangement from the cheering with which it was received.
"The men then set to, and as soon as Whiteway came within reach, Cornish (who is left handed) hit him a most tremendous blow on the right cheek and he went down as if he had been shot. He recovered and came again to the scratch to be served the same in the next round. Twelve rounds were fought, in every one of which Whiteway was regularly knocked down by Cornish; there was no wrestling or attempt at anything of the kind. It was a regular give and take affair.
"After the second round it was evident that Whiteway had no chance; on two occasions when Cornish laid himself open, his opponent neglected to take advantage of it. On time being called after the twelfth round, Whiteway's second gave in for him, and Cornish was declared the victor.
"The fight lasted about a quarter of an hour, and the work that was done in the time amply made up fot the short space that it occupied. The knowing ones appeared to be taken in by the result."
Countess Wear would seem to have been a popular location for such events.
This account is written in true Pierce Egan 'Boxiana' style (he was still alive. He died in 1849) with some lovely cant words; the fancy, snug, beaks, bottle-holder.
A snob was universally understood to mean a shoemaker ( St. Crispin was a shoemaker.) and nothing else.
John Barleycorn, here created a Baron, was and remains, as every schoolboy and girl knows, the personification of whisky and beer.
Source: The Western Times, 16th September 1843.
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