The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1894-05-04
COXEY / STOPPED.
Washington Police Refuse to Let the
Commonwealers Into the Capitol
Grounds.
Story Of the March Up Pennsylvani.
Avenue and Its Very Sudden
Termination.
Police Have an Exciting Chase After
eoxey and Browne on the Capitol
Grounds.

WASHINGTON. May 2.-The common.
veal army was astir early upon Bright
wood heights, with preparations for the
great procession to the Capitol. There
was an early breakfast of eggs. coffee
aad bread; tents were struck and packed
into wagons and the whole army was
aligned before o'clock. All the men
carried slaves on which futtered white
figs with the motto peace on earth;
good will toward mon, but death to in
terest on tonds.''
There was much marching and
countermarching on the grounds, pranc-
ing of stations and hauling of the COM
missary wagons into line, The men had
4 passed u cold night, most of them Sleep
ing on the ground. Before the start,
] Carl Browne formed the men into IA hol-
low square, and put them through
most remarkable drill.
The slaves were handled like guns
and when Browne shouted gloria and
peace" they cheered three times. shyilly,
and wavel t.:rir sticks i'll the air. These
evolutions We're performed by the main
body of the army.
Browne haranguell the men in his
customary s,reeJ falSir strain, telling
them that they had received permission
to march to the capitol grounds, where
they must dispanl and enter as indi-
vidual citizens.
Whether Or not we will be per-
mitted to speak, cannot say" ne
added, ..but you must be careful to pre-
serve the peaca. Tnen we will re- orm
and march to our new camp ne .ruy,
which mas been provided. Tai, d III "a
stration will be more powerfui ,uan
force, than guns, or than bombs," and
the ragged army at this cheerel wildly.
Then Browne went on: '',lns people
said that we would not march up Penn
sylvania avenue when we reached here.
Yet the police department informed
Brother Coxey that we could march.
[ Meanwhile down in the city there
/ was nothing to indicate that the city oi
professions was eager to view thequeer-
est parade that had ever tralnped the
asphalt of Pennsylvania avenue. It
takes brass buttons an bands and many
of them TO stir a Washington crowd.
and Coxeys dissonant t.ers and urum-
mers could Eot cause even the yagrant
negro population to get down town Ee,
tore hand. When the army was ready
! and out Of Brightwood driving p.rk it
started for town. As the caravan
wound its way down through the nile
stretch of woods to the city it was
The Most Fantastic Array
ever conceived in dream. Nine
mounted police rode on ahead. Gle ring
the Way Then came Carl Browne in
his buckskin suit, mounted Oh his big
gray Percheron stallion and waving a
small flag. Next was ,reamy white,
prancing circus steed. the feature of the
whole parade, bearing Miss Mamie
Coxey, in the role of the Goddess of
Peace. She WIS slender, really hand
some girl OF u years. with long golden
hair drifting down her back. she Wore
pure white riding habit, which
streamed after her as the tall horse on
which she had been psrrhed pranced to
the music Of the and. Her he.d was
covered i.y little ri,nless. blue cap,
and she shaded her fase ty tiny para.
sol. Altogether she was a picture OF
such unusual beauty that
"A spont aneous Cheer
greeted the unexpected appearance all
along the line. The Goddess of Peace
was followed ~ Or ahoma Sam, the
cowboy, on another big stallion. then
came Roy Kirk and three other mar
shals. Thatcher the bugler .rcde next,
emitting frequent blasts from his COR
net, and followed by the big litpmng
American flag. carried by stalwart
wealer. Next the eolnmonweal army
band of SIX pieces, mostly as, drums
and cymbals. pounding determnedly in
an attempt at "Marching Through
Georgia"
In light buggy decorated vita flags,
drawn by TWO black horses. sat General
Coxey himself, beside Mrs. Coxey, Il
rather handsome young woman in tan
colored tailor made gown, shading win
a parasol the white robed infant,
..Lega, Tender Coxey, aged 2 years.
Then marching two by two, came the
regular comlnunes of the army. Besort.
each commune was q colnmisary wagon
drawn by two percherons, the wagon
daul ed on its white canvas cover with
wierd allegorical illustrations of the
Curse of National Banks"
There was little of actual interest iii
the march up Pennsylvania avenue.
When the he d OF theprocession reached
The east front of the capitol solid
front OF policemen was encountered.
They stretched from curb to curb, max
ing progress toward the capitol i'm
possible.
There was nothing to do but NOV
down the officers or go ahead. The
squad Of police ahead of Coxey's car
riage went straight ahead. It was q
ruse'to carry the procession past the
Capitol. Coxsy and his people showed