The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-15
GEN. LIE At washington
Rousing Reception by
the People.
The HERO OF THE HOUR

hmm 1nSe CROWDS Meet hin d 'hC
Station-Cheered Along the Streets
and by Officials in State Depart
ment-Ovation at Night-Refore the
Senate Committee Says Spanish
Authorities Wrecked the Maine.
washington, April 12.-ConEul Gen.
eral FItzhugh LIE arrived here from
Havana at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon.
A large crowd of enthusiastic admirers
had gathered at the Pennsylvania sta
ton and when tine general stepped from
the train he was greeted with a tire
mendous outburst of applause. Women
waved their handkerchief and men
their hats and altogether tine demon
stration was a notable one. Washing
ton crowds as a rule are not demon
straltive, but this occasion was a con-
~SpicuOuS exception.
Long before the hour set for the ar
rival of the train, the crowd began
to gather. 1T completely filled h sta
tiOn, Sixth street adjacent on the east
and extended far out into Pennsylvania
avenue. lie SbIleIdI OCCupEGu UIIC Id5L
car in his train and when lit was known
that it had reached the station there
was a tremendous lush to get a look
at him. BY the time he was ready to
alight the crowd was so dense about
the train that even with the assistance
oil a. platoon of police it was with diff
Guilty he reached the platform. Several
personal friends of the general, among
them a number of ladies. pressed for
ward and finally succeeded in graSping
him by the hand. One of the ladies
presented him with a bouquet of roses
tiled together by ribbons of the nation
al colors and bearing a tiny confede-
rate battle flag. Immediately the crowd
began to cheer, and round after round
of applause greeted him as he walked
SLOWLY and uncovered down the long
platform OF the station. On reaching
the Il street entrance General Lee en-
tered a state department carriage and
was driven rapidly UP the avenue to
the state department..
The general had not ~perceptIbly
changed in appearance since he was
last i'm Washington. His eye was as
bright and his step ais elastic as ever,
and nothing in his manner indicated
that there had been anything unusual
i'm his experience during the last sew
eral months. How long he will remain
i'm Washington is not known, but ut Is
assumed that he will make his Wishes
conform to those of the president as
ITO the length of hills stay.
News that General Lee was on his
way to the state department. spread
rapidly and when the carriage drew UP
at the south front of the building a
big crowd was assembled ON the pOrtl-
co. "A rOusing cheer went UP as Cen
teral Lee stepped from the vehicle and
bowling right and left, hurried into the
Ibuilding. The cheers had appraised the
clerks and other employees of the big
building of his coming and There was
a wild rush for the state department
corridor. Clerks left their desks with
out leave; officers of the army and
navy Joined the rush, and for the time
being the discipline of The building was
relaxed. The crowd lined UP in front
of THE elevator shaft, leaving a lame
from the door to the secretary's office.
AS the elevator came to a stop and the
consul general stepped out a scene Oc-
CURED unprecedented in the history of
the great building. Hat in hand, Gem
eral Lee passed into the corridor and
some one said: NOW, boys!" and three
TOuaing cheers went echoing down the
long halls. Then there was another
o%utburst and people poured forth from
every room. The cheering caused i'm
tense excitement and it was some mo-
ments before quiet could be restored
General Lee bowed to the crowd and as
he reached the door to Secretary SHEER
mans Office turned and bowed again.
Then the door closed ON him and the
thrOng dispersed.
After a few minutes the consul gem
eral emerged, accompanied by Secre-
tary Sherman and Assistant Secretary
Day. The three entered a carriage and
were driven to the White house, Gen
era1 Lee getting another ovation or
his way over.
Mrs. Lee did not come to Washington
with the general, leaving him at Guam
tico.
AT the White house the party wa.
shown at mice to the library, wher,
the chief executive accorded a heart.
reception TO the consul general. TIL
only persons present at the meetin;
were the president, Secretary Sherman
Assistant Secretary Day and Genera
Lee. Secretary Sherman emlain
with the Others for about half an hou
and then returned to the state depart
ment. AFTER being with the presiden
fully am hour, Judge Day and Genera
Lee took their departure, the latter go
ing to his hotel. An immense CROWD
augmented by a number of aides VIII
attended Mrs. McKinley's reception
was on the portico when the two cam
O. dCN II StdlIS. dlIu Gilt d1 Lee WAS xiv
en- a tremendous ovation. las the car
riage was being driven away some ON
fastened a Cuban flag to THE front c
the ehicle and this was the cause c
additional enthusiasm.
LEE BEFORE THE SENATE COM
N-TTEE.
Consul General Lee was before til
senate committee ON foreign latio
for an hour late today. He talked free
ly with the committee with regard
the conditions in Cub and eSpeciall
with reference to the destruction
The aim He said hat in his opil
ion there was no room to dOubt ths
the destruction of the vessel was due
Spanish agencies.
DO you mean the Spanish author
ties i'm Cuba" he was asked by
member of the committee.
Il mean the Spanish officials" O
replied, "'but not General Blanoo.
hin some Of the officials We're co:
,,i,a,o+ Of tho nl9nS to DESTROY the we