The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-04-16
vania avenue.

CONSUI.-GENERAL FITZHUGH LEE.
The general occupied the last car il
his train, and when it was known that
it had reached the station there was a
tremendous rush to get a look at him.
BY the time he was ready to alight the
crowd was 80 dense about the
train hat even with the as
sistance of a platoon of police
1t was with difficulty he reached
the platform. Several personal
friends of the general, among them a
number of ladies, pressed forward, and
finally succeeded in grasping him by
the hand. One of the ladies presented
him a bouquet of roses tied together by
ribbon of the national colors and bear
ing a tiny confederate 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 B-street
entrance, Gen. Lee entered a state de-
partment carriage and was rapidly
driven up the venue to the state de-
partment.
News that Gen. Leo was on his way
to the state department spread rapid
ly, anu when the carriage drew up at
the south front of the building a big
crowd was assembled on the portico.
A rousing cheer went up as Gen. Lee
stepped from the vehicle and, bowling
right and left, hurried into the build
ing. 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 in the rush, and for the
time being Il discipline of the build
ing was relaxed. The crowd lined up
in front of the elevator shaft, leaving
Il lane from the door of the s~ecretary's
office.
AS the elevator came to a stop and
the consul general stepped out a scene
occurred unprecedented in the history
of the great building. Hat in hand
Gen. Lee passed into the corridor, and
some one said: Now, boys" and three
rousing cheers went echoing down the
long halls. Then there was another
outburst, and the people poured forth
from every room.
Gen. Lee bowed to the crowd, and as
he reached the door to Secretary Sher-
mans office, turned and bowed again,
Then the door closed on him, and the
throng dispersed.
After a few minutes the consul gen
eral emerge accompanied by Secre-
tary Sherman and Assistant Secretary
Day. The three entered a carriage
and were quickly driven to the White
House, Gen. Lee got another ovation
on his way over.
At the VIII : House the party was
shown at once to the library where the
chief executive accorded a hearty re-
ception to the consul general. The
only persons present at the meeting
were the president, Secretary Sher-
man, Assistan Secretary Day and Gen.
Lee. Mr.. Sherman remained with
the others for about half an hour
and then returned to the state de-
partment. After being with the
president fully an hour, Judge Day and
Gen. Lee took their departure, the lat
ter going to his hotel. An immense
crowd, augmented by a number of
ladies. who attended Mrs. McKinley's
reception vas on the portico when the
two came down stairs, and Gen. Lee
was given a tremendous ovation.
AS their carriage was being driven
away some one fastened a Cuban flag 10 |
the front of the vehicle, and this was
the cause of additional enthusiasm.
The general has not ~perceptibly !
changed in appearance since he was
last in Washington. His eye was as
bright and his step a. elastic as ever,
and nothing in his manner indicated
that there had been anything unusual
in his experience during the last sew
eral months. How long he will re- !
main in Washington is not known, but
is assumed that he will make his
wishes conform to those of the presi.
dent as to the length of his stay.