Birmingham state herald., 1896-08-21
AS 10 THE OUTRAGE AT COMO
Beautiful Pavilion a Scene of
 De5oIation Yesterday.
SIGNS OF VANDALISM THICK
The Affair the Subject of Indignant Comment Two Cards-Dancing at the Lake
 Last Night as Usual.


 East Lake yesterday morning for the purpose of ascertaining the amount of damage done by the men and boys who so far forgot themselves Wednesday night as to destroy property of the Bir- mingham Railway and Electric company, acting more like fiends than civilized peo- pie.
 The acts of vandalism were in a man. ner described in yesterdays State Her aid, but from what was learned by the writer from eye witnesses yesterday morning the half had not been told.
 Notwithstanding the fact that ladies and small children were in and around the building, their presence seemed to be ignored by the vandals, and 1t Is more than miraculous that long list of casu- alties were not reported. Not satisfied with hurling heavy oak chairs and benches from the promenade to the danc- ing fiooH some 2S feet below, and knock ing off electric light globes as though they were fennel flowers in a meadow, some of them went so far as to hurl rocks and other missiles through the win dows, crashing them to pieces and scat tering the shiVered fragments over the heads and shoulders of those on the in- side.
 The like of their conduct has never be- fore been seen in Jones valley and it is to be hoped that a repetition will never be had. The Birmingham Railway and Electric company has announced its de- termination to ferret out the guilty par ties and have them prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
 Two Cards.
 The following are cards from the Bir- mlngham Railway and Electric com pany and MT. Charlie l. Smith in refer ence to the cake walk which was ad- vertised to take place Wednesday night: To the Public:
 The management of the East Lake Land company and the Birmingham Railway and Electric company regret exceedingly that disorderly visitors ere ated considerable disturbance at East Lake and marred the pleasure of the genteel audience present by their almost unheard of bad behavior. This is the first time in the history of East Lake that any such disorderly conduct has taken place. and the management beg to assure the public that no pains or ex- pense will be spared to see that the per petrators of this disorderly conduct are brought before the grand jury and pros ecuted to the full extent of the law.
 Their conduct was wholly unwarrant- ed, and the delay of the cake walkers in being on hand was unavoidable, and was occasioned by circumstances over which we had no control, as we had contracted with a thoroughly responsible party to give the entertainment. Why he failed to do his part is explained in his card below. Respectfully,
 EAST LAKE LAND COMPANY, BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY AND ELEC- TRIC COMPANY.
 MT. Smith writes as follows:
 To the Public: ....."-l
 The undersigned was the originator and manager of the proposed cake walk which was to have been given at East Lake last night. I had rented hall and trained my walkers for a. week and had undergone considerable expense. as 1t was my purpose to give the pubic one of the most unique entertainments ever given in the state, for which was to re- ceive pay from the Birmingham Railway and Electric company. The opposition of the colored churches kept me from hav- ing proper command of my forces, and up until 8:15 last night l had difficulty in getting my people to go. While wait ing for a car the opposition came and took away two couples. This, together with the crowded condition of the cars, prevented my leaving the city for the lake at the proper time. beg to assure the public that there was no intention on my part to perpetrate fake" because it would have been unbusiness-like and damaging to my reputation to have done such a thing, and all who know me will bear me out in this.
 The railway company, by whom was employed to give this entertainment, was in no manner to blame for the dis appointment of the crowd. I further beg to state that if the people at the pavilion last night had let me alone would have given first-class entertainment with the fourteen couples which I took out with me. No one regrets the failure to give the entertainment more than do, and ask the public not to indulge in unjust criticism, in view of the facts above
 CHAs. I. SMITH.
 Scene at the Lake.
 The scene inside the pavilion yesterday morning was one of desolation. In the center of the hall and here and there against the walls were piles of broken chairs, benches and tlmberS, on the floor were pieces of broken glass, frag ments of the rope which was used to des- ignate the space reserved for the partic- ipants in the cake walk and great grease spots indicate where large lamps had been knocked to the floor, allowing the oil to flow in all directions. Along the lake were overturned benches, and the shrubbery was filled with broken chairs and benches. The estimate of the dam age could not be made, but 1t will un- doubtedly prove considerable.
 Comments on the Matter.
 Here, there and everywhere in the city, early and late yesterday, the disgraceful act was discussed by white and black, and but few were heard to uphold the acts of vandalism and lawlessness.
 Some few blamed the company and man.
  participants in the affair on hand in time. This is fully explained in the above cards.
 Some were narrow-m minded enough to say that MT. T. c. Mcdonald transcend ed his authority in acting as he did. On the other hand, there were many who up- held that gentleman in his action, and said twere a pity there were not more men like him present, who would refuse to see innocent women obi ramnlp1 like so many dogs by men who are little more than flends incarnate. For tunately there were few present who tried, in manner, to render him assist ance as private citizens, but, like him, they found their efforts futile and gave up in despair.
 There were many people at the pa- yilion yesterday morning viewing the sight, and not one was heard to uphold the lawlessness.
 The wreck was cleared away yester- day by Manager Morton of the pavilion, and last night dancing was in order as