The San Francisco call., 1895-07-15
Peaceful DenizenS Serenaded
by a Motley Throng OF
Hundreds.
SPEECHES ARE IN DEMAND
WheeImen Sing a Hymn In Spite of
Brawny Policeman's
Threat.

There was on the whole not so much real
fun at the L. a. w. meet OF 30 as is usual
at league affairs, ana this lack is attributed
to the fact that Asbury Park is a more
sedate SPOT than heretofore selected for the
annual round up. The self-aSsertive re-
strictions of Senator Bradley's seaside
town chafed upon the free and easy in
clinations of the visitors, and the sacred
composure and reserve of Ocean Grove
tartalized and annoyed them beyond all
power of description. This sort of thing
naturally worried the worldly wise visitors
intensely and racked the Denverites
especially. They constituted the only
real live, large delegation in attendance.
knowing this to be the case, the Denver
party resolved to shed a little light upon
the settlement south of Wesley Lake, and
they had trump card up their sleeve all
the week ready to play when the time
was ripe. Not content with capturing the
gilded lion at Cookman and Ashbury
avenues and parading it about the streets
in an iron cage, or seiZing big surfboat
from one of the piers and anchoring it in
front of the league headquarters and
making each night resound with the wild
Western yell Down with aristocracy,"
they organized a grand finale last night.
Promptly at half-past II o'clock they as
sembled, a crowd of some 200 chosen spir-
its, at the grand stand near the Asbury-
avenue pavilion, and led by the irrepressi-
BILE Denverites, this motley mob advanced
upon the peaceful Grove, where everything
is run by elders and deacons and where
camp-meetings are as common as sage
10 HOIO do, 1,fo TInr
marched down Goodman avenue to Wesley
Lake, across the long bridge and along the
pilgrims pathway into the very heart and
center of sacred Ocean Grove. The peace
full, slumbering denizens of the quiet town
were rudely aroused from their dreams by
the clamOr of the mob, the singing of ribald
songs and hideous, unholy cat-calls. On
the crowd proceeded, two by two, to the
Holyoke place, the big round auditorium
where worthy brothers and sisters daily
listen to impassioned appeals and testl-
morials OF strong-lunged orators, and
where thousands are annually converted
to new, better lives. And there they were
halted The noise of the march had
awakened even a policeman, and before
the beautiful white marble angel at the
end of the ocean pathway this solitary rep
resentative OF the Ocean Grove Association
faced the immense crowd and ordered
them to 60 back in the way they came as
soon as possible. They hesitated and he
swore most profanely, and drawing fierce
looking revolver threatened to shoot the
first man who should defy him.
1t was obvious, however, that he was
badly scared copper, and the mob, admir-
hrf1 Hl,,cr L
terror and offered to return after singing a
hymn. Accordingly they lined up before
the model of Jerusalem and sang "Nearer,
Ny God, to Thee" singing it as we'll as 200
manly voices could. Then they marched
down the ocean pathway to the shore.
there to be confronted by the same lone
policeman, who had hurried through
side street, and were steered toward Asbury
Park.
Once returned to Asbury Park, tour of
the town was in order, and every promi-
nent hall was visited in turn, the entire
crowd congregating upon each broad
piazza, when some big voice would shout,
"Who is Jim BradleyT" and the crowd
would reply, First in peace, first in war,
and first in the hearts of the L. A. W."
with the regulation accompaniment of
stamping. In each instance every one in
the house, from the front to the fourth
floor rear, was aroused and speeches were
demanded.
A Chinese laundry sign was placed upon
the Hotel Brunswick, where Fred Titus
was asked to make a few remarks, A
bucketful of cold water was poured on the
serenaders at the West End, and at one
house on Fifth avenue a whole party of
the Pennsylvania wheelmen were com
PEELED to appear on the second balcony in
night attire and address the crowd. And
SO it went on.
Asbury Park has never known such
demonstration, and as one of the leaders
said to the gang:
"Boys, this is the only crowd that ever
went through Ocean Grove on Sunday"
1t is not likely that Bradleydom will
ever have the National L. A. W. meet
again.
The sixteenth annual meet of the league
officially ended when the clock struck u
last night but many conditions conspired
to carry the affair until tomorrow and day
after tomorrow. In the beginning there
was the postp0Hement until Monday of
JQ6 1Hdl uedI VI bQe LRO-Iull6 CLASS ID
handicap race, rendered necessary by the
terrific hail. thunder and lightning out
break which struck the town just before
the men were put on their marks. Then
came the announcement that Harry Mad
dox, the pride of Asbury Park. would ride
tomorrow for the tlve-mile record, and on
top of this, the race committee has opened
entry lists for the following prize events
tomorrow:
Glass A, half-mile open; mile open. 2:30
class; mile open. No entrance fee will be
charged. Among the crack riders already
signed are w. F. Sims, Raymond Nc
Donald, E. C. Bald, Charles T. Earl, L. D.
Cabanne, DIR. A. 1. Brown, A. D. Kennedy,
Eddie Goodman and Ray Dawson. It is
probable that o. A. Mcdonald will also
try for the one-third mile record and Fred
Titus for his own hour mark, paced by the
tandem, triplet and quad.
But these races must secure their audi
ences from the summer guests at the vari-
Gus hotels and the local population rather
than from the L. A. w. members who have
been present as delegates to the meet, a
majority of the latter having been COM
HI