SURPRISED COMBATANTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 102, 20 June 1911, Page 3

SURPRISED COMBATANTS.

ACTOR IN A° NEW ROLE. A little I)it. of real life acting was witnessed in Hindley Street, Adelaide, the other afternoon. William Desmond, who is, leading man in the Katherine Orey Company, which recently toured. New Zealand, ani is now appearing in Adelaide, was walking down the street with a friend when he observed three men tackling a fourth man, who apparently carrying more sail than ballast, 'the latter was roughly pummelled in the trio, and was finally stretchc 1 out in the gutter just as Desmond arrived. Besides being an actor, Desmond has a New York reputation a , jui amateur boxer, and to keep himself lit he plays baseball and Bng!.v football. He did not take long to decide upon taking a hand in the melee. Grasping the nearest he deftly swung him off Ids leet and laid him prone in the gutter beside the drunk. A well-directed punch settled No. 2, and evidently persuaded the third combatant that safety for him lay only in flight. At any rate' he took to bis heels. No. 1 rose wbatbfnlly to Ids feet, muttering execrations, and pulled oil Ids coat with business-like intent. However, one look at the tall, muscular figure, who stood ready to receive him, was sufficient,-, for lie readjusted Iris coat and slunk off in the crowd, obviously unwilling to risk ;i further .experience at the hands of the welldressed stranger.