The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-03
No Military Escort for the President


large crowd had assembled at the Penn
sylvania station long before the train ar
rived, and it required the efforts of "a con-
siderable force Of police to keep clear the
approaches to the station. There was a
good deal of disappointment expressed
among these people over the absence of mil
itary in the escort, but it was by special
request OF the President-elect that such for
malities were dispensed with on this occa-
sion, so the crowd had TO be content with
the sight of the magnificently attired staff
or Governor Bushnell, of Ohio, In place of
'iiS tEApected inlIlaIy parade
only few persons had been admitted
within the inclosure at the station where
the train was 10 stop. There was Chair
man Bell, of the executive committee with
reception committeeman Barrett, Parker
Glover Norris, Lowell and Triton. spe-
celve the presidential party In place O,
the full committee Governor Bushnell and
star were present in uniform. j. Addison
Porter who will be the Presidents secre-
away from the White House for the pur-
pose; He was TO look after the personal
comfort of the Presdent-elect but as he
himself said he had little to do in this
direction, thanks to the Well arranged pro-
gramme OF the executive committee and
the hearty cooperation of the police au-
thorties.
About a minute behind the schedule time
tne special train came rolling into the sta
C
tators who had gathered at the lower end
Oh the big shed TO watch for its appear
ahce- AS soon as the cars came to a stop
eIoNerhor bushnell boarded the train, enter
ing car No. 3S, where the President-elect
with the members of his in mmediate family.
We're , IN waiting. The executive committee
men aiSo paid their reSpectS to the incom-
ING chief magistrate and wttnout DELAY
the party started for the carriages which
were 10 convey them 20 the Ebbitt.
NJ MKINLEY LOOKED WE'LL.
Notwithstanding the long journey and the
broken night. nearly all of the party
looked fresh and bright. The President
elect in particular appeared to be in the
best Of spirits, and those who gazed in his
face for signs of the illness from which he
mas suffered very recently looked in vain
Tor any sign of distress or impaired vital
lty. 1t was generally remarked by the on
lockers that he was certainly stouter and
Oh better complexion than when he was
last seen i'm Washington Mrs McRinIe,,
also appeared to advantage She WIS az
tlreu IN dark travelling garb. and hanni
ness D9amed from her face as she came
platform. ~ 'PS'
After short greeting to some immediate
a. Illus ii VINO stood near. the party formed
Mdans 4 me ana started through the station.
MeSsrs Parker and Barrett tall robust
men, 1ust behind the police who cleared the
way down the platform. The Presidents
SicCt, Will MIS-. Mckinley holding cloS.a tn
ana Mr.. j. Addison Porter on either side 10
protect them from the pressure of the
crowd. Colonel Britton, with the greatest
care; escorted Mrs. Mckinley. sr.. mother
OF the President-elect, and the remainder
ol the party TOOK their places in the line
Just as they alighted from the cars. the
stan OF the Governor OF Ohio bringing up
the rear When he passed the head of the
whinb Iin MAJOR @ Mckinley did graceful thing.
MhIcn was quickly appreciated by the
| crowd. He paused beckoned TO one of the
party, who bore aloft a great bouquet of
| cut howers, and carefully selecting from
| IL some white carnations Of wonderful size
ne handed them TO the engineer all grimy
ana perSpiTifng who sst aloft in his cab.
the nearest passage to the street the party
went straight through the station and were
| seated at once in the carriages provided
Ihere were ten of these. and that occupied
| Dy the PreSident-elect was drawn by a eray
and roam team. His companions were Mrs
MCKINLEY, Chairman Bell and Mr.. Porter
Ine second carriage contained Mother Nc
kinley, Colonel Britton, Mrs. Porter and
| Z: {. Glover. of the executive committee
they emerged from the station T Withonf spes as
| clal arrangement. The people were packed
| SO densely in front of the Pennsylvania sta
| ton and the electric cars made the horses
| so restive that it was not deemed wise TO
| wait TO form the carriages In line, and as
| fast as they were filed with passengers
the reception committee having the matter
| in charge. Consequently the carriage oc-
cupied by the President-eect was nearly
at its destination before the last of the
carriages started from the station.
AS the party drove off the people outside
set up cheer in which the Ohioans. men,
bers OF Troop A, National Guard. who were
to have formed part of the escort, made
/ themselves heard above all else. On Penn
were driven. there were so many vehicles
| and pedestrians and bicycles and street
| fakirs and so much confusion in general
| that the President t-elect passed along as
conditions permitted
| gaining general recognition.
AT THE HOTEL.
At the Ebbitt House the crowd mad been
| gathering since early breakfast time, pre-
| emptng doorways, carriage steps. windows
| and other points of vantage. During the
| hour and half while they waited a strong
detail of police gradually accumulated it
| self in an unostentatious way in and about
| the hotel. The presidential party finally ar
rived about 11:20 o'clock and by clever
| coup the President-elect gained entrance
| 20 his hotel without crowding and incon-
| venience. All the arrangements indicated
| that the entrance would be made on the
| Fourteenth-stree side of the hotel There
was a guard of policemen at the door. and
| the corridor leading in from that point was
kept ostensibly clear. The ladies' entrance
| from street was left comparatively un-
noticed save for policeman or two to keep
| back the street crowd. Women were al
| of them were armed with bouquets. as
| though designing to commit floral assaults
on the incoming administration.
AT 11:20 there was a cry or Here they
come" the first carriage of the presi-
| Dental party drove up Fourteenth street.
| Everybody crowded forward toward the
corridor leading to the Fourteenth-street
| entrance. The line of police and hotel peo-
| pie bent. wavered and broke before the
pressure and let the most impetuous of the
crowd surge down the corridor in wild
| rush to the Fourteenth-street door. But
| IL was only feint. The carriage never
| stopped. but swung briskly around the cor
ne to the Fstreet front. The police re-
formed and pinned the mass of the crowd
down in the cul de sac toward the Four
teenth-street entrance Another body of
policemen emerged from the ladies' parlor
and formed a solid line of bluecoats from
the ladies' entrance TO the elevator: nifty
feet away. In an instant Major and Mrs.
Mckinley were out of the carriage and
inside the hotel under convoy of Chairman
Bell ard Secretary Porter. Mark Hanna.
General Alger, Colonel McCook and Stew
art Woodford. of New York. had been
given hint of the movement and greeted
| the new President before any one else.
Mr. Mckinley once inside the hotel. en-
tered an elevator the gray-clad boy in
| charge grinned comprehensively. pulled the
| rope and sent the car shooting skyward.
| relief. raised a much rufiied silk hat in
| grave salute to his disappearing chief, and
| then elbowed his way over to the entrance
| of the ladies' parlOr 10 receive the gentle
maledictions of a crowd of ladies pinned in
| behind the policemen, the disappointed ones
| admitting that tie flank movement had
been cleverly done but declaring the sec