The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-06
AT THE INAUGURAL BALL.

the harrison Iauliy were cOmpeleu 10
AT THE INAUGURAL BALL.
The Afability of the Presidential Mysterious
Young Man Who Fell Under Suspicion.
special TO the indianapolis J ournaI-
WASHINGTON, March 5.-There were some
interesting incidents at the inaugural ball,
last night, which escxped attention at that
late hour. When is was announced that
the President had arrived. three cheers rang
from one end to the other of the great hall
and echoed in the arches three times more.
When the President got on the first step he
turned his head slightly to look upon the
sssemblage, and this movement was greeted
with more cheering and beating of fans
against small gloved hands. Buffalo Bill
was a member of the reception committee,
and he led the way through the
crowd His broad shoulders were as
effective as half a dozen policemen.
Just as the President entered the throng,
an old man pressed forward and seized him
by the hand. saying, Here he is! here is
the mani" Harrison shook the hand cor
daily and acknowledged the compliment
with a pleasant smile. He was in the best
of good humor and treated the occasion
as one of pleasant social meeting. Nothing
seemed to bore him. AS he walked on
through the throng he bowed to the right
and to the left. Every now and then he
met some one he knew, and spoke cordially.
Some, as he moved slowly along,
asked after his family in a famil-
lar way, and he responded with
an extension of polite compliments in
return, never being too stiff or formal, and
never showing over-anxiety to Please, al
ways natural and agreeable. One lady
handed him a handsome bunch of half a
dozen large white roses on long stems. He
thanked her for them and carried
them without any indication in his
manner hat they were a burden, or
that their presentation was not ap-
preciated. Presently he saw a lady he
knew, and with very polite bow. presented
them to her. 1t was so gracefully done
that the ladies near by clapped their hands,
and MANY looked with envy on the
recipient of this delicate attention.
After the party had made about half the
tour of the hall, two policemen came rush
ing and elbowing their way through the
crowd of ladies and gentlemen as they
m: ght through a mob at a street parade,
and forced their way up to the head of the
line. General Harrison tried to discourage
their efforts by declaring them entirely I'M
necessary, but they had got their orders
from their superior, and did not appear to
appreciate the situation. When they first
appeared he looked up at them with a little
suTgTise;iy ..;a b. .w. ; c...;nn on
well; very nicely. "He repeated this two or
threetimes, but the police thought they could
make them get along better. Then he made
a whispered suggestion that if the police
must be there, they might be a1ittle further
In advance and tell the people to make
room. He was a little annoyed at their un-
sought services. At this point attention
was attracted to a tall young fellow, with
short-cropped, dark brown beard, oddly
dressed for the occasion in a jacket of some
ing the line for some time trying to
get near to the President. and doing
so, too, ina way not. to indicate
curiosity. First he broke into the
the Pr~esident-elect. He was pressed back
into the crowd by some members of the
committee, but as soon as relieved from
the pressure he sprang right back in the
place and began to move along as If he be-
longed there. He did not say anything,
but kept siding closer and closer to the
President, without even looking at him.
He was so systematic and persistent in his
efforts that be at once fell under suspicion,
and, after a third or fourth repulse, Dins-
more took him by the shoulders and
showed him away back in the crowd.
This stopped the promenade for an
instant and General Harrison stepped for
ward to see what was the matter, but with
out any sort of uneasiness. After the mys-
terious young man had disappeared, and it
was thought he had gone for good. he sud-
denly appeared after the President had
gone clear around the hall, and was about
entering the supper-room. This time he
was cautiously working his way through
the crowd, and was within a few feet of
General Harrison when discovered. His
manner on this occasion was particularly
suspicious, and when he saw he
was being watched he got back
in the crowd. and tried to
approach from another direction. Again
he got almost up to the President, when
Dinsmore started for him and hurried him
of along the ~colonnade, Dinsmore follow
ing him until some one else got him in
charge. His conduct was extremely odd,
and there was a general cry to put him out.
He was probably put out by some one, for
he did not appear again.
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