Who was "Billy Muck"

[Guest Leipzig]

I found the following article on the British Library Newspaper Archive site (http://newspapers.bl.uk/blcs/start.do?)

 

Who was "Billy Muck"?

[vox]

A very similar account from the Leeds mercury

A Fatal Prize Fight at Sheffield.�"Yesterday (Sunday), a shocking scene occurred in a wood on the western side of Sheffield. A number of young men of the lowest class, went to the Old Park Wood for the purpose of “bringing off,” as the slang term is, a couple of prize fights. The sacredness of the day was profaned by an assemblage of some of the most dissolute of the population ; and the scene began at six in the morning, the ring being regularly prepared, the men being provided with “seconds,” &c., and in fact there were all the usual ceremonies observed. Two prize fights were arranged, and when one had been brought to a conclusion, two young men, one of whom was named Thomas Dawes, stepped into the ring to fight for £1 a-side. They fought for 20 minutes, and at the conclusion of a round, in which Dawes had received a heavy blow on the throat, he was placed on his second's knee. On “time” being called, he rose and attempted to close with his antagonist, but suddenly reeled and fell dead. His “friends” ran away afrighted, but some of the bystanders carried the body to an adjacent public house. An inquest will, probably be held to-day ; and in the meantime the police are in active pursuit of the pugilist, whose soubriquet is “Billy Muck.” He has fought several times before.�"Leeds Mercury.

[dunsbyowl1867]

Do you think he was a relation of 'Lady Muck'?

I found the following article on the British Library Newspaper Archive site (http://newspapers.bl.uk/blcs/start.do?)

Who was "Billy Muck"?

[RichardB]

A very fine, and probably totally unanswerable question.