RECEPTION OF A PUGILIST.

Oamaru Mail, Volume X, Issue 4098, 30 December 1887, Page 3

RECEPTION OF A PUGILIST.

John Lawrence Sullivan, the champion pugilist of America, arrived at Easton Statfoa at 3.30 o'clock one afternoon recently, and was afforded a tremendous reception by an assemblage estimated at nearly 12,0001 A large force of policemen bad been specially told off for the occasion, but they were entirely nnable to cope with the crowd, and when tbe train arrived the people clambered over tbe tops of the carriages, while 12 omnibuses full of sporting men made their way into the station. On Sollivan making his appearance he was greeted with load cheeriog, waving of handkerchief* and bats, and so eager were those assembled to get a handshake from the visitor that they crowded around him in a manner that made it impossible for the party to reach the vehicle in waiting. In this dilemma the champtosr dashed into a mourning coach standing near, but so many people crowded into it that the bottom fell ont. A brougham waa then procured, and SaQivan drove to Fleet-street to the Sportsman office. Here he made a short speech, at first from the staircase and afterwards from the window, and, having thanked the public for their very kind reception, requested them to let him pass ■o that be might get to his hotel and have Ms dinner.