Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-02-12
BEECHEK IN CHICAGO.
A HOwlinF Mob struggles TO Hea
Him DiscOuF6e,

Him DIscOur6e.
The Chicago Times, Of February
4tb, says:
1t would be foolish to attribute
the scenes of yesterday morning at
Plymouth church to a desire on the
part of the people for religious edi-
fication. They were occasioned by
the morbid curiosity of the mob
(for mob is the only word that will
correctly describe that assemblage)
to see and hear Henry Ward Beech
er. BY far the larger share Of the
mob were women.
1t having been announced that
Mr.. Carpenter would permit Mr..
Beecher to preach " in the morn
ing at Plymouth church, a crowd
was naturally, and as q matter Of
course, expected; but that scenes
riyaling in confusion, almost in
violence, those at the Halsted street
viaduct last July would occur, was
certainly not looked for. At nine
o'clock approach to the church was
almost impossible. The streets
were jammed for blocks in either
direction, and horses and carriages,
men, women, girls and boys were
wedged in together, struggling for
the doors, At $50 o'clock the
doors were opened, and instantly
the mob surged in, boiled in, spurt-
ed in, climbed, fought, elbowed,
and swore in, so fast and so tumul-
tuously that in fifteen minutes the
auditorium was full. A placard
had been stuck upon the doors an
nouncing that the church would be
closed at 10 o'clock. Before that
hour struck it was found necessary
to shoot the bolts, and so, if posi-
bic, put an end to the hopeless,
though shameful and disorderly
contest for admission. This was
not done without a deal of Difficult
ty and bad feeling; and when at
last it was accomplished the mob
outside gave vent to its disappoint-
ment in the least mclodious and
decent manner possible. Two po-
licemen were stationed at the
southwest entrance, where the great
est onslaught was, and these Jared
badly, They were alternately tossed
about III the melee and squeezed
against the oaken portals, hooted
at, laughed at, and howled at. The
steps were occupied by an angry,
helpless mass of people, wild with
q desire TO get either in or out, but
held fast where they were by the
main body Of their fellows on the
pavement and in the roadway, every
man and woman of whom pushed
and showed toward them, Actual
violence was done TO many, and one
old fellow to whom years might
hGye been supposed to have brought
a sense Of deRepfy that would have
kept him away, had his cqat torn
off. 1t seemed as though half the
population of Chicago were there,
and that sll OF them bad gone mad,
At 1889 O'clock, and appaTeRtIy
because the cries of the mob inter
fered With the services" inside,
one Of the usherS made his appear.
ance and a speech. He opened the
siding doors just wide enough to
let out his heal aHa enc arm, and
for a moment there vas ipAiHent
danger that in the squeezing which
the sight of the crevice melted both
would be piuched off.
" Ladies and gentlemen !" Shrek
ed he -
HAyrg,W-W,Yl" The mob replied.
"Ladies and gentlemenl" he per-
sisted, there is no use in your try
ing to get in." The mob howled. !
"The lives of those inside would
he endangered if another single
person were admitted "a
Z" Let me inl I'm married !"
shouted a man. The interjection
elected a loud gufIaw.
By and by some people will
want 70 get oHE--P