The Helena independent., 1889-05-08
CENTENNIAL HIGH JlNk
SHAMEFUL SCENES AT THE sA
The Affair Which McAllister's ?
Hundred Wished TO Attend Prove
Disreputable RoUt.

opening hours OF the centennial ball "
In accord with the high character Of the
cAsion, and the scene In the Metropol
opera house was, as already described
the Herald. truly brilliant, the affair. 80
the tine the sun was getting up, beca
nothing less than disgusting, and the
spectacle minority who remained al
that hour declared il was a disgrace 20
occasion, the management and the city.
After the presidents departure
while the ballroom was still crowded "
dancers, bands OF men and ealiow you
made their way 70 the supper room.
which they had previously paid many
its. and deliberately set 10 work 10 sh
the level 10 which human nature can Il
The scene ia the upper room. as l 1
YeTsed Il shortly before / O'Clock, v a
powerful argument IN IaV0f OI proul0tld7
Groups of drunken lads with vacant -
unsteady f,et HEd reckless gayety
speech were scattered about tue pla
holding IN their trembling hands 0TimWi
wine glasses. Naturally enough, the nt
was soon m terrible Snppery and Shop
condition. The noise WAS deaieuing. M
were shouting to the walters, some OF
most inebriaied were singing, and eve
now ana then a WOmhn's shTlll .aU
would rise above the general din.
There were ladies present, In many cas
escorted by Sobs men, who behaved "
perfect pruprirty anu were evidently Sc
ing 10 satisfy legitimate hunger. but % W
far otherwise with several OF thr gent
sex. Two females Oi uuuistakablc cl
acter attracted general attention by th.
bold and indecorOus behavior, " Ailr utI.s
there were who, although eNideuuy unt
longing 10 the same class, were cNclu
equal comment by their uusteadtuess
speech and gesture
Nearly al the women present VIII u
not lost their SENSE OF FrupfiCt4 uH' nLA
dulgence in strong drink hAst-utd tl q
the scene. where, indeed, Iur5 W'rs
more than one instance suuJccud O. iust
but n few still fingered Al tlr upper END
the nom, possibly uneuusclOu, ut be- q
gusting scenes which WcTe enacted 90
little distance trom them.
Many OF The walters added 90 tae grLst
confusion which prevailed pl tktlT nrs
Rence and inS0lencc. " hile llry rugt
handed out bottle after bottle of cbampay
% those who Tipped them it WIS aluii
impossible, except IA few INSTANCES,
procure anything 20 eaf OF drink without
compliance with their eXactiul.s. fuuu "
strewn upon The huur. the appearance
the buffet and the space behind u rapid
became unlnYItlng and The noise H1
drunkenness increased 80 much that
about twenty minutes past one SeTgea
SchmittberEer entered the room at the he
Of some twenty policemen and anDOunc
that the sale Of wine must cease.
The walters, who had been drinking fTt
ly, clamOTOusly protested that they had
ready ceased 10 serve wine, but sever
struggles for the possession Of smugSl
bottles ensued. Two walters engaged iI
sight which resulted ia the contents of
wine glass being spilled down , lad
neck, maudlln guests argued witt the blu
coats as 10 the propriety of their interfe
ence and pande mOnium Teigned.
Finally orders were given 10 clear
room. This proved a difficult matter. i
sober folks endcHVored 10 haul their drum
en- friends out of the way, but with Ind
feTent success. Some of them Buccrcde
however, with the result that one or tW
"scenes" occurred In the corridors "A p
liceman seized one particularly disorder /
individual that was httired. as were near
Gil the dTunkATds at this stage, IN q dreI
suit, and upon a determined attempt
rescue being made by his ''AIistOcTatic
friends, pushed him into closet AT
guarded the door, with the assistance Of
fireman, until Inspector Steers arrived an
succeeded in restoring peace. What b
came OF the prisoner later on ] could nt
learn.
Meanwhile policemen. firemen and Sc
eral queerly dressed, tough" looking NE
were eating their MI in The supper ROOT
and three OF four bluecOats al the dOc
were repelling the attempts of half dOzc
more OF less Intoxicated walters % fOTC
an entrance Having left the room the.
lEAAuAn hAulE1LE4 AnhL LlAEA must DE- EH-Af
mitted, but the police refused 70 dist
gulsh between walters and guests, and
one was allowed 70 enter. Several frt
nights were going on the supper room, ha
a dozen men we're spraWling on the VIII
soaked door, and finally StuyVesAnt FIs
and Inspector steers arrived on the sceI
and endeaVOred tO accelerate the cirurunc
OF the room. This WAS finally accpt
plished amid crashing Of glass and croc
cry. which eviDced the fall of many u
an an ind nal
by dlnt Of pushing aud rough handling
elected the last brawler and locked 90
doors.
l then turned my attention to the men
cloak rooms, where q scarcely less di.
graceful scene was being enacted. A lin
was formed extending across the cOTrid0i
but very slow progress was made, and th
antics and remarks Of the fngitives fu1I
the supper rOOmtprOvOked many quarrel
Decent men got disgustrd, but they lad
wait for over an hour before they c0ul
reach the cloak room Several articles
were missing. and an unluck
newspaper man who had left his apuar.
In the press room had 10 depart Wii1uu
bis OVeTcOat which some ilUh
fingered visitor had appropriate
The scene In the ballroom was not ed
lying a. The hours went on. Women Wef
dancing there, and were even seated
some OF the boxes, who we're evidently,
say the least, affected by their visits o. on
~
cited comment BY beT obvious lack
steadlness, while her escort was the su
Iect OF considerable Indignation as
itr0lled across the floor az the conclusion
. dance with his arm Still around her walls
/ he strains Of Hone Sweet Home eTfc
Ially cleared The ballroom at a few min
ties past O'Clock, but half an hour late
he staiTs from the corridors were occuuie
y several persons, Of whom two men ant
me woman were cOnsDiruOus bV tfti
kirH had % fr.T
az fast asleep in anything but cOnvention
] attitudes.
A miscsllane0u. throng of all sorts sus
oudluOns Ol people had entered the OpeTa
louse after half past ] O'Clock. / was told
hat tickets were offered for sale ON tht
treet al fifty cents piece. IL was SAID
hat some OF the dOOTkeepers had sold
iskets received earlier IN the evening ft
peculatOrs, who sold them outside Tod
Vbat they could get This, If true, would
ccount for the appearance uf many dtsrrul
table women and curious looking men AZ
red IN ordinary street gaTb; but il was
oi these people who originated the scene
. the supper room, although they may
ave Joined in them.
A last disgraceful feature OF the affair
vas the way In which the floral decorations
gefe stolen. Huge punches VI flower
7ere piuCked Dy guests-hmOnR whom b
Fere ladies' In decOllete tOllets-aud By The
iHtTUdeTs, until At last the
Dmpelled 70 fOrcibly Interfere and in one
ase % eject well dressed thief who Der
sted in his misconduct
When / asked Sergeant SchmIttberueT
hat he thought Of The scene he remarked
lat Il was about on q par with the French
all while Captain Reilly remarked tnai
2 bad never before seen 50 many drunken
zen at any ball Il suppose" said he
that the free wine was too much for sucl
cry young men a. were many Of THE
uests" F."
As for Mr.. Stuyyesant Fish, y HON 70
lunttred near the supper room while ths
lection scene was W full progress he
laid the blame On q "fep
runken walters"
Agony j. Courted
y persons Who, attacked by mild foTn
rheumatism, neglect 20 seek promp
slieL Subsequent torture is prevented b
q immediate resort ~ HOstetter's Stomaci
itters. Slight exposure. an occasional
raught, will beRet this painful malady
here there is predispOsitl0n 10 IL in th
lOOd- IL is not dIfhcult 10 arrest the trou
le AZ the outset, but we'll nigh impossible
} eradicate IL when matuTed- No evideDc9
] relation 70 this superb blood depu=ent
lore positive than that which establlshe
z efficacy as a preventive and remed