THE FALL OF WELLS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 176, 24 January 1914, Page 7

THE FALL OF WELLS.

SENSATIONAL SCENF, PFN PICTURE OF THE CONTKST. | SCI E.N(F AND TIIF "KNOCK-OUT." ("A.C.1." in Loudon News.) Outside, in the wide spaces around C'oveut (,'arden. where the air is thick with drizzle and the smell of infinite oranges, the crowd is gathered silent, expectant, hopeless. There is no admission for lhem. there whore (he lights stream out so brightly and where the motors come up in ceaseless procession with elderly genlleme:i in evening dress and opera hats and large cigars. Inside, the building hums with ox- • cited conversation in French and English. Through it all runs the one theme of the coining light. No, not "light." They do not call'it (bat. The amiable gentleman who sits beside me in the great hall where the crowds rise tier above tier to the ceiling, catches himself tripping over the fatal word. \U- is engaged in the "profession" in a Northern (own and is concerned for the proprieties, and when lie lets slip the word "light" he .snatches it had; again j ns though he has committed the un- ! pardonable sin—"l mean boxing contest," lie says, with an air of asking my forgiveness. '■TIIF (ILORY OF FNfILAND." As we sit awaiting the event he openout to me all the mysteries of this worid of which I know nothing, for I have come lo my first ooxing exhibition with an open m'iiid and a widespread ignorance, not lo criticise a light bill to see what il means and lo understand the psychology of Cue crowd. My neighbor's mind is full of one opprc-ive lhouglil--thc triumpant advent of Franco into the boxing ring. Only ten years ago. and they wore a joke, could 'do nothing but kick. And now . . . and he reels off name after name ol wonderful young Frenchmen who have put wonderful voiing I'.uglishiuen to sleep. And as he talks I seem to hear a break in bis voice as of one who lament.- over the Falherland. And I realise that to thousands of gentlemen in evening dress around me the glory ol Fnglaud is bound up will, the into of Bombardier Wells. It is a strange world. A SKXSrtTVK CATIIF.IiiV;. The spirit, of the gathering is singula rlv decorous and unexpectedly si n-i----tivo". Thai is the first impression I have. II comes in one of the preliminary episode-. A voiinj; Fngli-hman. Br'.iddock. is matched au-iin-l a F.vuch man. Verger. The former slowly wc.udown bis opponent and finally, in the fifth round, knocks him down. Verger struggles lo his feet as the referee counts "nine." lie is down again, bill rises limp and pitiably only to meet I ho ......mo fate. "Stop il!" "*mp it!' comes the en from all round. "This is not, sport." ' And the referee bows to the protest, and the match is over. A CHORUM OF PROTEVf. There is another note of .the same • sort when the chief event of the night approaches, i 'arpentier is the iirst lo leap the ropes- a. young- fellow of pleas ill!.' address, with the lace of an artist rather than that of the pugilist, lb l throws bis smiles here and there anion,::

I Llit? spectators as lie catches the? eye of tiiomls. His «ir is composed and eon- ■ Hilc-nt, without any suggestion of bravado. "Doesn't look much like a man who was in a mine two years ago," savs inv neighbor. He is soon followed by WeJN. Jlc smiles uneasily, and betrays to the practised eye of my neigh- | Ixir tin- signs of nervousness. And he makes a mistake that is resented by the gathering. The battle was to begin at ten, and at the stroke of the hour the Frenchman, Inning been welcomed by Lord Lonsdale, stands in his coiner wailing for his opponent, lint there is unaccountable delay in Wells' preparations. Five minutes pass, and Isi ill lie »its in his corner surrounded bv his helpers. Ten minutes, and he is still bandaging his band.-, and (.'arpenticr >lauds in bis corner eying him coolly and philosophically. Tile crowd can stand it no longer. This is an offence againsl "good form," and from everv quarter there comes a chorus ol indignant protest. IX TilK HANDS OF A FI.'KY. Wells rises. The signal is given and the two men advance from their corners. The ICnglishnian towers over ins rival, but there is a certain unsteadiness in his gait compared with the supple sclf-pc»scssion of the other. They shake hands, step back to get into position, then launch themselves at eaeli other. There is hardlv a moment of doubt. Carpentier has'struck Wells a frightful blow over the heart, and as they unclose and step back the KngrMiininn's chest is seen to be livid. They close again. There is a moment of suspense, but mil of doubt, for Wells seems helpless in the bands of this fury, and hefore one can well say that the contest has begun the Englishman fulls like a tower, full length on his back, his face, crimson.

'■One," "two." "three." Ho i-'Hs painfullv mi liis siil»". "Koiir." "livi"." JJnt why count? It is all over, and the place rii'ms with shouts of Gallic triumph nii.l Otrpeniicr. cool ami smilim', is lioisic.l on tlic shoulders of his seconds and there sits receiving the homage of tlie multitude. A HUOKICN" Il)"iAmi in the. corner is hi, handiwork. He had risen half a minute lie!ore a hue spectacle of a vigorous Kneji-hinan. And now he sits.like a wren;, Ins head rolling helpless from side to -nle. Ins seconds fanning him, lnm. noiirinu water over hfm. And when at l,.ii"lh he stagers to his feel ami endeavors to address the. crowd he finds bow little pity the world has lor the defeated, lie is a broken idol and they have no more use for him, and do not want am explanations. 1 cannot hear what he says ami.U (lie hubbub, hut as he turns heavily and fjets over the ropes ] see the mark of a frightful blow upon his face. And so he van.-lies. And out -in the sired the e.rea! crowd still stands in the dri/zlinn ram; watch, in- the lidii that stream, from the windows and asking eae.crlv lor news from within. There the blow, so swift and stauiierimi has fallen like a thunderbolt. "Miiibod" is writte i ever, face ;,„,! i„ the depressing liieii every t.oinue. Dill perhaps the .-lor, of llii-i----].n„| is to lie found elsewhere than at the National Sperling fiiib and in safer keepin- than trial of liniiiliardicr Wells. TIIK KN'IK K-iU'T. I have spoken of Ihe promptitude witli which the spectators resented the extremes of brutality. Thai is a point which fairness compels me to record. Hut (lie ••knock-out" exhibition lannot be other Hian I.nital, and the spectacle „1 Wells as he lav a help!.-. In;, on the Hour, or reeled to his corner, .vas u spectacle that can only leiue .', sense nl d'isirusl. ISnxiii",' as a science is a line ;■,,,.,•,.„i-inn; lint as a science it is judged ■„„ i. bv the knock-out bul by points, just as tile kindred science of f.-ncina is. Wells would have been beaten pist as certain last uidil without the knockout as lie was with it; but it the contest li-nl been decided on point. I here yc,,:,|,| 1,;,..,. hecll 111. IMV.-.I .-11-dc ill tlm driz/.lin.u rain and far 1.-wer witlnn. The conclusion seems ii'iv-i -I ible. The lmxiiiL' contest, in spile of the delicatcvorhal iiroprietv of my iiei.elibov. i- a prize li-Jit as iueonlr.nertibl.v a, licit between Tom Savers and the >',,-.. - ia llov. It is a pity that we allow these. thi'iifTs to wear eentleinniily aliases.