New-York tribune., 1896-10-18
ALTGELD TALKS ALTGELD.
A 1,ONG.w1NDED DEFENCE OF HIMSELF
AT COOPER U,-IoN.
, DREARY EXPLANATION OF HIS COURSE DUR
ING THE CHICAGO STRIKE-LITTLE ATTEN-
TION PAID TO BRYAN--A GOOD
SIZED CROWD TO
HEAR HIM.

SIZED CROWD TO
HEAR HIM.
Various statements have been made regarding
the purnose of Governor John p. Altgeld or
Illinois I'm coming to New-York to make a speech
II Is now known what that purpose was. lie
came here to make an explanation on MS own
account-not to help the Presidential candi-
date OF the PopOcratic party. not to ala the
cause of free silver but simply and soeiy 10
state his own before the people OF ths
| city or that portion who might have sufhcient
| curiosity to go and hear him. He maze MS
explanation last night at Cooper Union. he
had another explanation on completed prooi-
sheets for the use OF the newspapers which wou'd
have filled about two pages OF The Tribune That
printed explanation may have contained ora
torlcal possibilities; but there were none IN the
| Governors delivery.
Cooper Union was filed with people by I:lo
o'clock. At 7:4j the police had TO lock the
doors, for the hal! contained one OF the largest
| assemblies ever gathered there. Certainly
| there was not room for any more.
| Great stress had been laid upon the item OF
decorations. and the flag was used in various
fashions of artistic grouping. but there were
seven portraits Of Alleged and only three OF
| Bryan. However. Bryans picture occupied the
|
The audience orderly to a degree. although
there was a tendency to rebel over the infliction
of the first three speakers. The first was Fred
| erck C.. Schraub candidate for Lieutenant
| Governor The second was Frederick II. Ernst
| and the third was Congressman Sulzer, who
| talked about this great "metropulus Mr..
Schraub was presented to the meeting by Will
| liam +: Grell in German. and the introduction
took place just at y o'clock. so that there was
no chance to complain of lack of promptitude.
The audience. too. had entertained itself prior to
that with the usual exchanges of question ana
answer regarding the popularity OF stated IN
! dividuaIs There were Kisses for Perry Bel
mont sepulchral and grewsome grcans for Mr..
| Cleveland and the added remark from dis
, tant corner. Hes a heavyweight now. The
| band interrupted the pleasant by-play now and
again, and vociferously applauded Tor It's
| efforts. So the entertainment waxed and wahed
until 7:j6 O'Clock, when Henry George entered.
! Amid the cheers there were loud calls for
speech and the demand was in process of being
| complied with when the band struck up.
ALTGEID's APPEARANCE.
When Governor Altged appeared at the en-
J trance back Of the stage he was tumultuously
| welcomed The small flag that has become such
/ fashionable addition to political gatherings OF
| every kind In this campaign was In generai
| evidence The visitor looked trine pale as he
stood in the centre of the stage waiting for the
noise to subside. and then sat down. While the
| people about him we're shaking hands he was
almost hidden from view. for he is small Of
stature and slender OF frame But once he rose
! and made a funny little bow. and waved his
! hand in a gesture OF quiet appreciation. He
| did not smile Rather his face seemed 10 grow
! in seriousness as the applause continued. and
! the furrows in his brow deepencd into an ex-
| preston OF absolute worriment. The preliml-
! nary speakers succeed ID each other without at
| tracing particular attention and IL was only In
| the middle OF Mr.. Ernst's address that there
| appeared signs of an outbreak There w"r"
| muttcrings from the rear OF the hall for Aiged.
which met with a silent and heartfelt response
| from the more stad persons in the front rows.
| Then came an interruption. Mrs. Mary Ellen
| Lease flashed in from the curtains AT the rear.
! and the cheers began for her. She smiled and
bowed and smiled again. and then sat down.
! A MESSAGE FROM BRYAN.
Mr. Ernst concluded his address at $40 o'clock
and the secretary then read the following tee-
gram from Mr. Bryan written from Big Rapids
Mich:
Please deliver the following message; cordial
Gi,o'i"g 10 ~, ws,nr for n,her nations viii fsn.h
| n sonnicr currency than Is possible under a god
STANDARD. and Will in the language OF bismarck
| exert the most salu,ary Influence In restoring BIZ
me;asm throughout the world
! The chairman next announced the illness OF
| the Rev. Anthony Schwcninger. who was to have
been one Of the speakers % the meeting. and
presented Congressman Sulzer one notable
! incident marked the COngrcssmans effort. He
was delivering himself upon the quality of Gov
ernor Altgeld's character. and had just reached
the timc-honored declaration that he does not
believe in special privileges when n voice rolled
up from the pillared depths Of the hall with the
astounding declarations Yes: and he'll he the
next Attorney General and don't you forget IT,"
This was one for the auditors. and they
grasped at ii with hystcric clutch. and sioated
over IL for about forty seconds.
THE GOVERNOR INTRODUCED
Soon thereafter the end came. and Governor
| Altgcld stood before his audience. His att-
tude was that OF the who has been ac-
rustomed to addressing public asscmblages and
he carefully picks his words. He began quietly
and preserved his air Of quiet throughout.
Those who had gone to the Cooper Union with
| any idea Of hearing fine speaker were In
stantly undecevcd. He Is not rantlng orator.
Ii Is a question, though whether his method is
| not more effective, for. as he went on in his
| remarks. he took the air OF becoming con-
versationnlly confidential with those before him.
| The voice Is rather a pleasant one and. al
though it was an effort for him to raise 1t to a
| high pitch, yet he was heard at all times dis
! tinctly
As has been indicated. he departed widely
from the text Of his prepared address While
| waiting for the storm his rising had created
to he still. he stood with his right hand resting
lightly on the speakers desk before him. lie was
dressed plainly. His eyes, which have kindly
look pointed straight ahead OF him. The
descriptions which have likened him facially TO
Guiteau are not far out as human rosemblances
go. He wears his hair In a peculiar fashion.
brushed straight forward. 1t is thinning trifle
at the temples, but 1t is still dark. and has no
| odu,ixturo of gray His heard was closely