The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-10-13
Though the Crowd Was Somewhat Retter Pro-
iected from the PickpOckeis. Shsll-Work-
ers and Operators Of "0ld Hy."
BigCrowd ofPeople Who Had to Scram.
bic for What They Got TO Eat
ldlai Was Not There, Though Advertised 10
the Last Ninate-Horde Of Detectives
Necsssary-isaac Plssy There.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

PERU, Ind, Oct. 12-The barbecue Is q
heritance of the State OF Indiana Many,
many years ago-as early as lSz0-the old
Wing party held barbecues. and dur,rg
each political campaign they iourished
like green bay tree IN almost every ooun-
ty in the State. The crowds were not large
then. the facilities for transporting people
being crude and limited A political ner-
becue in those days was made the occasion
for the country people TO gather in tAe
county-scat towns, enjoy q feast of beet
seasoned with genuine social intercourse.
and in the evening listen 10 addresses by
one or more prominent men in politics.
The barbecue of the early days of Indiana
was an eminently respectable affair.
But Great Caesar. how the mighty
have fallen. The barbecue OF the
present day (probably because The Demo-
dictcd to it, has degenerated, until it
could with much propriety be called the
pickpocket's paradise.
There are two towns in Indiana that
stand out with great distInctness as tho
home of the barbecue. They are Shelby
vile and Peru. At certain periods for
several years these towns have been che
holding-places of widely dvertised bar
becues. and their uncertain fame has gone
abroad In the land-yea, percolated even
to Its uttermost parts. The barbec ues
feme Is or an uncertain nature. because it
Is a business enterprise which all good
citizens look upon as menace TO society
and q stigma on the town which
nothing can eradicate The modern barbe-
enc IS not believed TO be. by thinking peo-
pie. political venture of vote-making
qualities. lis business venture that has
the Endorsement OF the saloon keepers par
ticularly, and the hotel and restaurant
men In u general way. Everybody remem-
bers the last Sbeibyville barbecue. and
there are few good citizens but will agree
that it lctiered against the fair name of In
diana the word 'disgrace." A great many
people recall the last barbecue held here in
Peru. Great crowds OF people had come IN
from the surrounding country and from all
over the State. and early in the
day il was estimated that from
thirty thousand TO forty thousand people
weTe in town. The weather was most dis
agreeable. from early morning until late
at night the rain poured down in torrents
go exceptional IN their character that TO
this day in Miami county two or three
days OF excessive precipitation are called
barbecue weather" Willis every body
who came to Peru On that occasion TO st-
-
pick pockets and "con' men who had taken
the town. and they piled their nefarious
trades with yoracious greed. During the
day and evening several encounters took
place between the crooks and the special
police and along toward evening re-
yolvers were drawn and y small-sized riot
was inaugurated. Several fatalities were
only prevented by disinisrested outsiders.
who interfered successfully 20 avert blood
shed.
LEFT THEIR vALUABLEs At HOME.
With such incidents as this attendant
upon past barbocues, it is not wonderful
that many people coming here to-day
should leave their valuables at home. 1t
is not intended to convey the idea that
the Indiana barbecue has lost all of its
pristine glory while ringing down the ages
of Democratic degeneracy. for IL is still
looked upon with favor by Glasses ot peo-
pie who expect 10 reap a monetary bene-
fit. but as vote-maker and political edu-
Gator on party issues and polit-
sa he's oss aOncs ,s scaer psdne outside iRs
State now look upon the widely heralded
Indiana barbecues IS events where politi-
cal allegiance is made snbservient to fDan-
cial gain. And as is generally the case
the people are right. 1t matters not to the
saloon keepers of Peru which party gives a
barbecue, drawing together crowd OF
thirty or forty thousand people. SO their
own Golfers are filed TO overfiowing.
This campaign the Democrats have been
fortunate in each time having beautiful
weather for their most pronounced demon-
stratlons. This morning dawned bright.
beautiful and clear. The most sanguine
sandwich-vender could not have hoped for
better weather. All night long the incom-
ing trains dumped their weary hundreds
into the town, aud at midnight every hotel
was filled to Its utmost capacity. People
who could not lind beds wandered about
the streets awaiting the dawn. and. as a
nero matter Of coDventionalIty. bands
footed and drnm-corps contributed TO the
general DIN The saloons did not close last
night. and il is a waste of time 10 say that
they did thriving business. The fact
that hundreds could not sleep kept them
well fill-d, and helped 10 make the barbecue
the kind of a success Its projectors antic-
lpated. When morning broke in Its bright,
efiulgent glory the streets were alive with
people, and from that time on until late &C
night they continu ed to pour in from every
quarter OF the State. The railroad faclli-
ties we're inadequate Ia carry thu crowds.
and at o'clock this afternoon O member Of
the executive committee reported that l.2O0
peopis at Upton and ], 500 at kokomo were
unable 10 reach this city on account of
there being no trains 20 carry them. Two
main lines of road pass through Peru-tbe
L. T.. & w. and the Wabash-and a branch
OF the latter. During the day twenty-six
trains. special and regular. car
TylDE IrOm tcH 10 nltccl CCL(lts
each, reached here. The management OF
the barbecue is very bitter against the rail-
roads for not having made arrangements
10 pnt on more trains Asit was. member
OF the committee on reception estimated
tho crowd at forty Thousand. There were.
In fact. probably twenty thousand siran-
gerg IN town this afternoon. There Is no
ga.nsayirg the fact that the crowd wss
immense but that the barhecne. as such.
fell far short of its advertised mark
is certain Not q single spark of poiit-
ical enthusiasm sbone forth from the
vast crowd. lt was as IL thousands
had gathered Mt certain point 10 pay
homage 10 parsonage and had then
decided 20 crncify him. Pictures Of the
Stuffed Prophet and his runniDg-mate
were flnttering IN the sun every where
but aside from the Eurrahs Of children in
floats there was 40 wellington chosen can
di6atcs. One uninformed could not have
told the object of the demonstration from
its drportment- The fact Of the business ss.
aud it was o well-kDown fact here IN Peru.
tie great crowds were brought together by
a wiiifui misrepresentation. Although it
was known absolutely by tie management {
two or three days ago that Adlai Steyen-
con. Democratic candidate for Nice-presi-
dent would not be hero, yet the positive o
announcement was made nc late as this
morning on the printed programmes of the
days exercises. that he wonid deliver an
address this afternoon. Thus hundreds OF
innocent people wero imposed npon and
deceived.
The arrangements for the barbecue we're
mado and locked after BY several commit
tees. composed as follows
Executive Committee &C. A. Cole. l.. IL