The Topeka state journal., 1897-06-26
BRYAN MOBBED
By Enthusiasts Who Wade
Through Water to Shake
His Hand.

Ottawa, June 26.-Ten thousand peo-
pie heard w. j. Bryan speak at the tab
ernacle at Forest park yesterday after
noon. He did not begin his speech un-
til after o'clock. He was introduced
by Governor Leedy as "the next~presi-
dent of the United States
This Introduction was made the occa-
sion for another great storm of yells
and hand clappings, which prevented
Mr.. Bryan from speaking for several
minutes. He had hardly commenced
when he noticed an old woman with
gray hair standing in the jam of people
to his right. He Immediately ceased
speaking and asked the officer in at
tendance to have her escorted to the
seat just vacated by him. He also no
ticed Governor Leedy's boy in the
crowd and had him also brought to the
stage, where he took seat on the floor
with the other boys.
MIR. Bryan spoke for two hours. He
commenced with an explana ton of the
principles of civil government, then
touched upon the inequalities of taxa
tlOn and devoted the last hour of his
speech to a discussion of the financial
question and its relation to the pros
perity of the people. No one left the
immense auditorium during the two
hours that he spoke. and the greatest
attention was paid him Whenever he
made a strong point, which happened
frequently, the applause was abundant
evidence of the popularity of his ideas.
The women were equally as enthusiasts
tic as the men.
At the conclusion of the address it
was announced by Governor LeedY that
as Bryan was man of the people he
would give the people an opportunity to
shake hands with him. This announce
ment caused a stampede for the stage,
the like of which had been seldom seen
The irresistible wave of humanity fore
ed him to the north entrance, a distance
of $50 feet. Men and women reached for
nd rIO
failed to grasp it pushed with all their
power through the crowd in another eff
fort to get at it. He tried to stand at
the north entrance, but in vain. The
Surging crowd forced him around the
corner of the auditorium, and westward
fully 100 feet. Here he jumped into a
cab, after shaking hands with everyone
within reach.
The Marias des Cygnes river. which
runs through the park, had overf1owed
its bank owing to recent rains and ex-
tended within 20 feet of the rear Of the
AUDITORIUM The cab containing Mr.
Bryan stationed itself on the edge of
the water, so that the crowd was forced
to pass between the cab and the build
ing. The idea was a good one but it
did not work. The people in their eag-
erness Waded knee deep in the water
One man crawled under the rear of the
cab and although he was touched twice
by the whip of the driver he would not
leave it until Bryan had turned around
and grasped his hand In the meantime
the crowd between the cab and the
building had become so dense as to be
suffocating. Two men stood tanning
Mr.. Bryan, from whose face the per-
spiration was rolling down in torrents
Women lost their hats and had their
gowns torn in the terrible jam He was
almost exha usted when, at last the rap
idly rising water came to his rescue It
had raised eight inches inside of thirty
minutes and completely overfowed eve
ry inch of ground between the river
proper and the auditorium. Logs and
brush We're being washed away. The
carriage started UP and dashed toward
the depot