The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-29
A CURIOkJS ORATOR.
He FurnishessMuch Fun to Pr
oneer Pace Crowd.
CAME NEAR EEiNG WEAvEREr
Howled Down Because He Helps Sc
attle's EnemiEs-various Cranks
Make5Speeches.

One OF the most amusing incidents OF the
campaign took place N Pioneer place last even
ing. large crow. of men OF all shades OF
political beliefs. unh1liefs and crankiness was
gathered around the -sfand put up for Junlus
Rochesters TRADE 1snight, discussing every
conceivable question rom the fall of the Roman
Empire down to thc Peoples party iand-ioan
scheme
They were all taIkisg and nobody was listen
ing, when one man, determined to get hear
Ing, mounted the platform. His appearance
was enough to fastesi attention on him. He
was so long and thin chat he looked like hop
pole split endways. sand his long bony arms
waved and his long sony legs swung so that ne
resembled a cross k~tween a scarecrow and
windmill. Such :being would be cur
iosity when sober, @but whisky in copious
draughts had ensanced the oddly OF
this one. With i harsh grating voice,
which occasionally gssw shrill as that OF an old
scoid, he shouted far attention, but the crowd
saw at a glance that &c was 'too full for utter
ance" and set up ye.l. He was not to be put
down. and deman deS attention sin the name of
the great American r.ople," but every time the
noise subsidized and hss attempted to talk an
other yell went uir One instant he would
shout:
I'll tell you why II going to vote. for John
McGraw.
Then portion of tie crowd would cheer. and
the disciples of the Psope's party would groan.
Again the tall fellow would shout:
Well. then, I'll tesl you why you should not
vote for McGraw.
This brought cheers from the Peoples party
men and groans fronithe balance of the crowd.
Meanwhile the wotd had been passed among
the crowd that this VAS the man who had hired
himself out to the enemies of Seattle, to
write letters to the Tacoma Ledger and Spo-
kane Rerie,C, slander1ng his home and abusing
those who have be:riended him. Then the
crowd grew angry and the cry went up:
"Pull him down."
big husky fellow reached up his hand, the
tall man grasped il, thinking the fellow below
wanted to ascend to the platform, and the next
instant he tumbled heels over head to the
ground. 1t looked az though there was going
to De troub c. but the crowd was all too good
uatured for any disturbance.
Robert Bridges then mounted the platform
and challenged any man III the crowd to ten
minute debate state issues No one re-
sponded so Mr.. Bridges went on and talked
few minutes, arraigning Lieut.. Gov. Laughton
Tor vetoing various bills passed in the interest
of woraingmen by the last legislature While
he was speaking cheers for McGraw were heard
in all directions and he evidently concluded
there was but little saow for speechmaking.
silver miner followed in an attempt to tell
what he knew abo4t free silver. but he, too.
was soon forced To th3 conclusion that he could
not command muCE attention and stopped
short.
Then came a Snveiy man who was suffering
from an overdose OF rye juice, but further than
getting "Hurrah for McGraw" his attempt to
command atten ton was failure.
An old Peoples party man was given a chance
to speak few minutes. and when he referred to
the charges against onively everybody yelled
and cheercd.
The crowd had now grown into quite mass
meeting, and every nav and then some young
ster would mount ths platform and assume the
role of an orator, goiag through the gesticula
tions and motions OF = speaker. Once the crowd
became so large aud s.isorderly on the platform
that Officer Kelly clis<bed up and cleared ii of
oil but one or two. rho crowd then sent up
shout, calling on Kelly for speech, but young
fellow who was on the platform responded:
You know this man cannot make a speech.
He looks like great orator and believe he is,
but II he would say what he thinks he d lose his
job.
The fun was finalls beginning to wane when
the anti-seattie corrs spondent, who had gone
around the corner fog another drink, returned
refreshed and mounted the platform. The
crowd began shouting:
How's the Ledgers Hows Nelson Bennett?
Go back to Tacoma!
basket OF decayeg. eggs was secured to deco
rate his angular teatI-res, but Officer Kelly pre-
vented their use. WAile he was gestculating
big, humorous fellow got up on the platform
with him and went tsrough series of panto-
mimic motions Ike Punch and Judy show
that set the crowd w5Jd with laughter.
1t was after IL o'cl;srS before the crowd dis
rersed. Som, one <roposed three cheers for
MeGraw, and large. number OF those present
Joined in hearty hu.,ah.