Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-21
M'LUCKIE'S HOMECOMING.

| M'LUCKIE'S HOMECOMING.
The Workers With Band Turn Out to
From the County Jail-The Burgess Is
Warmly Welcomed.
At noon yesterday certain sun-burned
| citizen of Homestead received this tele-
gram:
Am out on bail. VIII be home on first
train this afternoon. JOHN McLUoKIE.
Directly he had read this message the
citizen made his way through the streets
and lanes of the borough, spreading the
news of the Burgess Homecoming. The
effect of his industry was SIM
ply tremendous. In less than
an hour after the receipt of the telegram a
crowd of magnificent proportions had
gathered about the little railway station.
There were men of all sorts and conditions,
from the leading citizen type down to the
corner lounger. There were women with
babies in their arms, and there were others
who were young and fair to look
upon. Then there were swarms
of bare-tooted urchins who gave
the few soldiers on duty at the station
deal Of trouble. But all things considered,
it was an exceedingly mild-mannered and
well-behaved throng. For fully half an
hour this swarm of jubilant humanity stood
on the rocky road bed of the track in the
broiling heat of a July sun and patiently
awaited the advent OF the train. Twenty
minutes after o'clock the familiar strain
of Comrades" foated up the dusty avenue,
and a momhnt later the biggest and best
brass band in the borough turned the corner
OF Amity street and marched down on the
crowd.
Burgess McLuckie's Homecoming.
The shrill whistle of locomotive was
heard. The hoarse voice of the coming
train seemed to awaken all the latent enthu-
siasm of the crowd. 1t was transformed as
If by magic from a gathering of compara-
lively silent people into bedlam of noise
and jubilation In the last three weeks
Homestead has seen many strange and
marvellous things, but never before had she
been treated to such unique spectacle.
In the midst of all this confusion the
train moved in. It was composed Of eight
cars, and in stopping at Homestead Nc
Luckie, in the second car, passed away
above the station unnoticed. The crowd
evidently expected to find him in the rear
the forward part, but as McLuckie and his
friends alighted first one saw him, saluted
and Joined him; then another and another
until the whole crowd made rush in the
direction he was going, and the air was
thick with flying hats and white with wav-
ing handkerchiefs and aprons. Cheer fol-
lowed cheer, and some cried "Hoist him
shoulder high" and one woman actually
tainted from sheer exhaustion.
In the melee the Burgess straw hat fell
in. the dirt and a dozen middle-aged men
tile to its owner. IT there existed in John
McLuckis any lingering doubts as to the
extent and nature of his personal popularity
with. his people it was shattered on the in
slant.
Everybody Glad to See Him.
Men slapped him on the back, the ever
present small boy tugged at the skirts o.
his long black coat and countless women
favored him with their smiles. He had a
half consumed cigar between his teeth.
Some one noticed that it was not lighted
signal for those around to offer him cigars
and tobes by the Dozen. And all this time
the energetic band was wrestling with
''Home, Sweet Home" and doing its level
best to be heard.
1t took good deal of diplomatic lodging
and an even 20 minutes of time to get Nc
Luckie to the outskirts of the crowd and
enter the Amity Hotel, where he took
rest. The crowd in waiting cheered and
called for the Burgess for some minutes,
when their efforts were rewarded by the
appearance of McLuckie with Owen
Murphy, o. c. Coon, J. L. Schmitt, P. A
Schuchman, John Lowry and Tom Will
hanson, who entered two carriages which
were in waiting.
This done man got up on adrygoods box
and in loud voice ordered everybody to
fall in and follow the band. This command
was obeyed with commendable alacrity and
soon the band was leading this impromptu
procession through the streets of the town.
Next to the Burgess himself, who by this
time had rearranged his white cravat and
when all things considered, was looking
very pert and chipper for man just out of
Jail, the band was the feature of the parade.
Didn't Make Any Speeches.
After escorting their recovered Burgess
took him to his home on Seventh avenue
Here they were met by Company G of the
Eighth Regiment. The officer in command,
Captain Gerting, notified the Burgess that
under the circumstances it would be best to
have no speechmaking. McLuckie promptly
agreed, and with wave of his
hand and a nod of his head hur-
ried into his house. where his wife
awaited him on the porch. After embrac-
ing and kissing her affectionately he waved
a goodby to the crowd and the same man
who had given the orders to fall in shouted
out in loud voice: "Now, boy please dis
perse for we must be orderly"
The boys obeyed and soon everything
was quiet. This ended one of the most re-
markable receptions ever rendered to
mortal man in this or any other country.
No MODE ARQlSTS MAINE