Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-10-20

hlled ranks We're a long time in passing
Its brilliant marching and well-worn uni
| forms only added to the enthusiasm, and
Colonel Kavanagh and his men were greet
ed in a manner that none of them will
ever forget.
Cheers All but n Death Signal.
| Directly the Seventh infantry had passed
the president left the reviewing stand, GO
| ing into the clubhouse. Three cheers were
given him as he left, and three cheers
were near to being the death signal for
many people. All day long the pressure
of the crowd on the police lines at the two
ends of the square, in the center of which
! the Union League clubhouse is situated,
| had been enormous. Time after time the
utmost efforts of the officers had been un-
| able to withstand the weight of the crowd.
| Their lines had been frequently broken,
and the officers were we'll nigh exhausted
with their long hours of hard work
! They opened their lines just as the crowd
in front of the clubhouse was cheering the
president ard the crowd, thinking some
new excitement was on. hastened from
| both ends of the square toward the center
Seeing the awful crush that must inevi-
| tably ensue, the police made a desperate
effort to push the crowd back toward the
ends of the square, but without avail. De-
| tachments of soldiers and marines were
| hurried to their assistance. but in a short
4. time they. too, We're powerless. Finally,
after desperate pushing, the marines man
1 aged to clear a small space and, forming
in line, they fixed bayonets and, standing
shoulder TO shoulder, they tried to hold
| back the crowd.
Bayonets Were Useless.
| The thing was, however, beyond the pow
| er of mortal man, and seeing that the
bayonets must fnfallibiy result in loss of
| life If kept on the level, the marines
| snatched them off, and then it was all over.
Marines, soldiers and policemen were mixed
In the crowd, utterly helpless. and lacking
even the ability to raise their hands to
| their shoulders, SO close was the crowd
packed Tighter and tighter the crowd be-
came, and then came from women and men
cries or distress and calls for help A large
stand had been erected on the north side
OF the square, opposite the clubhouse on
vacant ground upon which the new post.
once is in course of erection. All along the
eage OF this stand hands were reached to
the struggling crowd below, and hundreds
OF men, women and children were dragged
ahyhoW. every how, by the arms and legs
anu coiiars, onto the stand above Cloaks
oNefcoats and dress skirts were torn IN
shreds. and in numerous instances torn
completely from the body of the yearer as
the Fescuers above dragged them hastily
over the ratings. In many Instances some
oI those VINO were being hauled from the
| Jam would be half way up to safety pben
those below would attach themselves with
frantic clutch to the up-going man or
woman, and then. between the pulling
ABOVE ana the pulling below, the person in
the middle would have a sorry minnie nv
two. vi
Relief Comes at Last,
After nearly half an hour of tbis cor. ~
thihg, the crowd was thinned so tha, a lonp
preath was possible and comparative ouiat
was restored. No lives were lost but there
never was a more narrow escape from a
iohs hst OF fatalities. The crowds stfII lin.
gered IN front of the clubhouse and o.IIaa
Tor the president.
ne was al luncheon. but the crowd youId
not De denied, and the president stenna5
] onee more upon the reviewing stand ac-
,C,t. roiipatiteu ny President Revel, of the
Union League Club As soon as ouia+ bad
been restored, he spoke as foIIoTs.
4 witness with pride and s.tfsr,oti,,
the cheers OF the multitudes as veterans
| Oh lne clNll war on both sides of the con-
! test nave peen reviewed. (Great appIausel
Mitiess with increasing pride the wild
acclaim of TIE people as Won watch +ba
volunteers and regulars and our naval re-
Serves-the guardians of the people of land
and sea-pass before your ewes. The darnon-
stration of to-day is worth everything
everything to our country, for read in the
races and hearts of my countrymen the
purpose 10 see to it that this great gov
ernment, with its free institutions. shall
never perish from the surface of the earth.
(Great applause) I wish 1 might take the
nand OF every patriot-man, woman and
chlid-here to-day. (Applause) But L can
not do that yoice from the crowd: But
you've got our heart Prolonged cheering),
and so leave with you not only nv
thanks but the thanks of the great nation
for your patriotism and devotion 70 the
flag" Great cheeringD
After the conclusion of the presidents
remarks there We're loud calls for General
Miles and General Shafter. but neither of
those gentlemen would make his appear
ance, and the crowd. after cheering the
president as he left the clubhouse for the
home of Captain McWiIliams. slowly dis
persed.