New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-18
WHAT "W. j. BRYAN" is THIS
A HOTEL. GUEST MYsTTFlEs cl'EhN AM
CAUSES MILD sENsATIoN-A RELATIVE
or j, JOKER 1T is BEIIENED

r,pple OF excitement swept over an uptown
hotel on Thursday evening. Along about O'CLOCK
when there lull after the rush d' ''pP' "
tall man. with waving locks and carrying " '""'e
entered the hotel. He strobe up to the desk anu
Registered When the clerk--who. TO his credit DE
u said pays more attention to the hotel business
than 10 the movements OF the politicians-sa" inc
SIGNATURE he was dazed, and became so opseduiou'
chat every one around noted his cringing manner.
The stranger took this difference as MS ha'uia'
dine and was assigned TO room lie 'e'ieN a"
,.o.
,s tho guest disappeared within the eie'atoi
shaft the clerk recovered from his surprise anu
backoned n the proprietor OF the house and pointer
with dumb insstence at the register Inc pro-
pretor looked and gave a gasp OF surpiss "
eral others were called up hurriediy ana aiso eN
messed surprise at the Signature whch hdu oee"
written in a fourishing hand
"W J. Bryan, Nebraska.
Tha, was the bomb that had startled the cle'H'
Nov, that the man had disappeared. the CLERK re-
men bered that he looked exactly IKE the poS
Orator Of the Platte" and wildly insisted 'ha' ''e
horse was entertaining the Democratic NOMINEE
FOR TIE Presidency. His enthusiasm was ihiec'ou''
and for a moment 1t was believed that ne was 'is'
unit, a cold-b.ocded iconoclast Informed the gam
ing that Mr. Bryan, surrounded by d c'o"u "
friend. who might no. be in their right MINDS a.
far az pol,tical truths went. but who were ap'e
to distinguish his personality ana "ouiu "o. ~
taken In nv ar impostor was having a triumphant
tourney across the Mississippi Valley on MS way
home and that each day he was exhibiting NM
self to hundreds Of men who want TO d de' receive
nrniuct Az one-ha.t the usual price arf iecenne
In naym mi for IL money that had onehali lts pui
chasing power Topped Off with these iactS u,
view il was plainly proven ina the sttdnsei
not Mr. Bryan. the Popul!s;. Then the question:
arose as TO who he was - o,, ., tho
The card of newspaper man Was SUI =, ~ ,,or1
room hut tho mysterious individual sent back Wori
that he was much fatigued by the excitemem "a
the last two weeks. and begged TO De eAcu 80
This was even more mystifying. but hothihs iu'
ther could be gained. BY this TINE a mar WI
more enthusiasm than tact brought forth a new NV.
name that has a FAD FOR getting slghe" inter
pisws and produced a sheet showing an lhterNlsIw
with Mr. Bryan signed by himself and iacslnliI.
~ Tho signature given. With GREATNESS lnteiesl
Exactly alike The plot thickened Inc man, n,,
yond a doubt did resemble MI Bryan; aiu "auo ,
ccUrIosity was manifested TO know VINO ne wa,
hrt he said that he must positively uecHlis ~ w
;o,erviewed or TO see any callers. the JOKE was
dactous and he acted ike bona-iide Pres.defitdi
ea When he came downstairs yesterday morning ne
w nc" go With curiosity. He seemed obvious to
me Interest that he was causing ne psld nis Dill
and 10 the clerk IN leaving he vouchsaen the IN
Torr, alton that he was going to trenton 10 sec
sone ~ the Democratic legislators, ana mat ne
bad taken personal supervision or MS canvass y
n,,rrber ~ persons who were struck ny MS ike
nesa m Mr. BRYAN and the similarity IN the writ
ins tried to find out who he was. but without aVal
II was thought that ne was some telaukte Oh ths
~ a,Idate hui It was further said that ne was a
,,aa,rniisnD man from the West, who had taken MS
reaembiance TO Mr. Bryan as the opportunity Tor a