The record-union., 1896-09-23
One of Which He Addresses at Length
on the Silver Question,
His Voice Too Hoarse to Take a
Second Speech, and the Demo-
cratic Nominee RetireS to His
Hotel After Acknowledging the
Greetings of the Second Assem-
blage He Was Billed to Address.

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. %. Five
thousand people packed closely in the
Academy of Music, with seating ca
pacity of 300, heard William j. Bryan
deliver the first of three addresses he
was to make to Philadelphia audiences
tonight. Many thousands more
sWarmed in the streets outside the
building. An enormous crowd remained
for hours outside the Hotel Lafayette
waiting to get a glimpse of the candi-
date. Equally great was the assem-
blage that thronged Broad and Whar-
ton streets in front of the Southwestern
Democratic Club to hear the last ad-
dress of the evening. In all Mr.. Bry-
ans campaigning he never drew crowds
OF greater magnitude, and the Academy
of Music was entirely inadequate for the
principal demonstration. 1t was packed
from floor to gallery. The doors had to
be closed early in the evening, for the
building would hold no more, and those
inside We're pressed together as tightly
as could be.
But the throng inside the academy
was as nothing in point of numbers
compared to the packed masses in the
streets. On Broad street, outside the
Hotel Lafayette, a great crowd choked
passage for more than an hour before
Mr.. Bryan left the hotel for the acad-
eny.
When Mr.. Bryan left his rooms to en-
ter his carriage several hundred men
who had been held in check broke
through the line of guards and rushed
after him pell nell. The candidate was
sent flying along the corridors without
regard to dignity, pushed through a
narrow doorway and raced to his carri-
age by way of the SansOme-street en-
trance, thus eluding the crowd on
Broad street.
There was another crush at the acad-
emy, but Mr.. Bryan was finally landed
on the stage, looking very much like the
center rush in a football game after at
tempting the flying wedge. Outside the
academy was another mass of human
ity, packed deep in Broad street and lop-
ping over into the adjoining thorough
fares. 1t was a good-natured crowd,
and seemed willing enough to be enter
tanned by campaign orators, who spoke
from trucks and other conspicuous
places.
Mr. Bryan left Wilmington. Del, at
1905 o'clock this morning and reached
Chester, Pa, at 1923. He made the
ular train provided by the Chester Re-
ception Committee. Senator Gray Of
Delaware, one of Mr.. Cleveland's main
supporters in the Senate, was On the
train, and at ClaymOnt came into Mr..
Bryan's car The candidate and Sen
ator chatted together until Chester was
reached. a large crowd received Mr..
Bryan at the station. At Turner and
Woodrow's Park Mr.. Bryan was
cheered by good sized audience and
made a brief speech. From the stand
Mr.. Bryan went to the Colonnade H0-
tel, where he held a reception, leaving
afterward for Philadelphia.
A large crowd was waiting for Mr..
Bryan's arrival in this city. AS the
candidate came down the platform with
Chairman Curley and the City Commit
tee the crowd cheered heartily, and Mr..
Bryan bowed his thanks as he hurried
toward his carriage. Mr.. Bryan was
driven to the Lafayette Hotel, which
Will be his headquarters while here.
AT the hotel was a delegation of about
thirty from the New Jersey State Com
mittee. Mr.. Bryan was introduced to
the delegation and then went to lunch
con.
At 1:30 Mr. Bryan was taken by boat
to Washington Park, a summer resort
on the New Jersey side of the Delaware
River, where he spoke this afternoon.