THE HOME-COMING OF LES DARCY.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1917, Page 7

THE HOME-COMING OF LES DARCY.

(Wellington Post Correspondent.) Sydney, June 27. Perhaps it may seem incredible but more people have during the last iwo or three days rushed to look at the coffin containing the body of Ees Darcy, the champion pugilist, than have witnessed the departure of any of our soldiers, ©arcy, you may remember, is the youth who on the eve of the conscription referendum, fearing that an affirmative vote would interfere with his idea of fighting in America, smuggled away on a coal tramp anil eventually reached Xew York. There he was barred as a runaway by the State Governor, was turned down in other States, and eventually died a few weeks ago at Memphis from pneumonia. His fiancee, who hurried to America when news of his illness was received, and his trainer, Hawkins, brought the body back. It was removed from the _ steamer to an undertaker's premises in the city on Tuesday afternoon, and the piaee was immediatelv surrounded by an immense crowd anxious to see the coffin. For a time traffic was quite suspended and the police had great trouble to handle the crush. So great was the pressure that the undertaker's plate glass 'Windows were smashed to splinters. Passing m at. the rate of fifty a minute men women and childern filed past the coffin m •i steady stream .until late at nisnt. When the premises were closed there was still a mdb of expectant sightseers outside. Next morning the. procession started again and in a few hours thousands were jostling and clamoring for a place in the queue. >othing of this sort has ever occurred in Sydney before. Probably 100,000 citizens took part in the proceedings. The funeral at Mainland on Sunday is expected to temporarily depopulate the surrounding country. _____