The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-08-13
IN MADISON SQUARE
The Garden Filled With TOuSandS of Men
and Women Mad With Excitement.
UNPARALLELED OVATION TO Mr.. BRYAN
70 WINS Almost Impossible for Him TO
Begin His Speech ana He Ere.
quentIy Had to Pause Till the Ap.
plnuse Had Subsided Splendid
Reception Given to Mrs. Bryan.

Madison Square Garden, N. Y, Aug.
12-William Jennings Bryan and Ar
thur Sewall were formally notified to-
night that they were the choice of the
Democratic party for the highest offices
in the gift of the people of the United
States. The occasion was one to which
the entire country had been looking
forward for many weeks. and interest
had risen to the boiling point through
reoeated promises and hints that the
speech the young NebraSkan would de-
liver would exceed in eloquence, vigor
and magnetism his great effort before
the Chicago Convention. Mr.. Bryan
himself had been partly responsible for
the feverish feeling generated among
the people.
Only the other day when a crowd Of
enthusiasts gathered at q station along
the route of his journey from Lincoln
to Now York, and importuned him for
Il few words he had answered: Read
the newspapers Thursday morning and
YOU will have something worth read
ing" Whatever might be the political
inclinations of any person who attend
ed this grand ratification of the Demo-
cracY at the spacious Madison Square
Garden he must have been permeated
with the blindeSt prejudice not to have
been thrilled by the excitement and the
enthusiasm which prevailed during the
entire time the notification ceremonies
n crowd of human beings was in itself
an eloquent tribute TO the Importance
attached TO the occasion.
And such a crowd as 1t was! Men and
women poured into the vast auditorium
through many inlets. They came in
droves. in sections and in orderly
marching step. The opening of the doors
was followed by hurrying, scurrying
rush of feet. and in they came, shout
ing. jumping, showing, pushing, all in
tent on reaching the places best availa-
BILE to see and hear all that was to be
seen and heard After while the in
gress became more orderly and the en-
trance of the audience settled down Into
constant inflow.
Outside the garden the widest eX-
element had prevailed. a perfect cor
don of police had been formed on the
four sides of the building, and no one
was permitted to cross the line until the
time advertised for opening Over 1000
policemen were stationed in and about
the hall. The crowd began to assemble
shortly after o'clock and an hour
later the avenues leading to the garden
was literally thronged with the waiting
multitude. The extreme heat of the day
had by no means spent its fury ana
manv of those who had arrived early
to secure good positions in the line
Were oblidged to drop out and retire to
more favored places.
At O'Clock the doors We're thrown
open. and despite the efforts of the police
to restrain them the crowds on every
side made desperate rushes for the en-
. frances. In the struggles many women
tainted and had TO be carried away
The police finally began TO use their
clubs in an effort to restore order.
AT the main entrance men, women and
policemen were jumbled together in an
indiscriminate mass. Then the police
rallied and with vigorous use of their
clubs soon formed line and thereafter
there was a semblancc of order.
The heat was not so intense within as
might have been expected. But II was
hot enough and perspiring humanity
brought fans into play. Overheated
men took off their coats and unloosed
collars. The women had prepared for
the torridity by dressing in cool, light
froclis
There was little decoration in the hall
The speakers rostrum was simply cover
ed with the drape!y OF an American
standard. while the gallery spaces, i'm
mediately behind 1t. were decorated
more elaborately, but with the same ma
teral. That was all. with the exception
Of two gigantic portraits of Bryan and
Sewall, one on each side OF the stand.
Seats on the platform Immediately in
the rear of the rostrum had been re-
served for members OF the Notification
Committee and distinguished Demo-
Gratis.
In the boxes surrounding the platform
were seated Mrs. Bryan, cX-Congress-
man and Mrs. Bland, Senator Black
burn, Congressmen Sulzer and Walsh,
OF New York, General Bond, OF Mary
land, ana many others.
Representative Bland entered the gar
den at 1870. With him was Mrs Bland.
but they came in so quietly and unos-
tentatiously that no one noticed their
entrance The members of the Notifica-
tion committee entered without exciting
any demonstration
Then came the National Committee
and with them Arthur Sewan who occu-
pied place second only to the Nebras
kan In to-nights proceedings. He was
recognized by only a few and the vast
majority of the audience did not under
stand the sporadic cheering in the All
dience. and the hand clapping on the
stand
But 1t was when the young wife of the
Nebraskan entered the box with her
friends that the assenfblage LET ITSELF
loose for the first time. All men were
anxious to do honor TO a woman and tho
fan-waving beings who thronged The
garden were only too willing TO follow
precedent. Cheer after cheer went nm
from floor and gallery and platform.
and the dark-skInned ls.tle woman