New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-05
BURNED ASTOR IN EFFlGY.
GROVE DEFIED THE POL1CE-WhEN
THEY WEREN'T THERE.
WHEN THEY GOT NEAR HE FLED AM
THE FEELINGS OF HIS HIRED AD-
HERENTs UNDERWENT A
MARKED CHANGE.

MARKED CHANGE.
Surrounded by A hootine jeering crowd OF severai
hundred persons William Waldorf Astor was
burned in efigy last night in Longacre square
There were no policemen In sight until the "o'N
wa well advanced and when one finally ala ai'Ire
there was little left Of the image DR.. r W,
Grove. an elderly physician. who lives at Nc 20
West Forty-ninth-st was the prime mover IN t"e
affair.
DR. Grove has been much interested in the re-
ports Of Mr. Astor's allegiance TO Queen victoria
and the more he read the more indignant ne sie".
For some DAYS he has talked OF little else. ana MS
act Of last night was no surprise 20 his neghoois'
Grove went through the Tenderloin early IN tue
evening and. selecting about thirty "citzens o".s
them appear al his home at o'clock. lie 'o'u
each nc had a little work 20 DO. that X was tas'
work and each would get s. bill. He had HtlIe
difficulty in getting all the recruits he wanted ne
then bargalned with Anthony Kemner OF no w
West For:y-seventh-st a truckman. 10 call nj the
appointed hour with his truck. and promised him
liberal reward.
When the crowd assembled ant the truck arrived
Or. Grove had the with him INTO MS odSe
ment where he had a complete effgy Of Mt Astor
p-epsred The figure tied in n rocking chal'.
II was holsted into the wagon. An oil saturated
barrel was put WITH II and several quarts OF Kero
sene. High on a pole in the wagon was sign, =
feet In size bearing the inscription In great D'a'H
letters: "Astor the traitor"
Everything fixed. the doctor cllmUe1 UP O4 ''~
seat and ordered the driver to 60 about through
the Tenderloin. The driver at first demurred. ana
said he was afraid Of gettin plnched"
Never mind. my man" said the doctor. earnest.
w. This thing must he done. III stand by you II
the police dare 10 touch US. The thirty retal"e''
cheered the doctor and the driver thus encouraged
and with the prospect O, s. bill IN sight drove
toward Broadway
The doctors desire 10 attract attention was more
than fulfilled His nucleus OF thirty men soon at
tracte1 several hundred. and down Broadway went
the shouting. cheering crowd The wagon stopped
in front Of the principal hotels and Or Grove mace
effort to make a speech a. each place. but the
police ordered him n move on
Grove ordered the driver 10 proceed 70 Greeley
Square. where he said the burning would take
place. This done but the police again DIS
persed the crowd The doctor then thought Of
Longacre Square ard thIther went the crowd OF
patriots" The spot was IDEAL for such a per-
formance The crowd vas not too LARGE and there
was not a policeman in sight II WAS out ~ Cap
tain Prices precinct and in the territory ruled over
by the West -seventh-st. station police
TIE barrel quickly placed In position The
eficy I'm the chair tied on top Of H. the sign
placed AZ the foot where all who walked by might
read. The whole literally dosed with Kerosene
and then the doctor applied the match. The pile
haze7 aercey and the crowd cheered. Yet not a
policeman appeared. The cheering Of his men and
the failure OF the police N made the doctor
enthusiastic ana mounting we TUCK re maze n
speech.
Let up: here comes the cops. Docr' called one
Of the doctors friends the speaker was getting
warmed UP to his subject.
Il defy the police" cried the doctor. Let them
come II they want. II they want To arrest me FOR
being an American let them do No man has
right 10 much money az Astor. Let every man
have 80 c0 a year and give the rest 70 the poor.
Give me aooo year and RI be satished .,-,,
~ Na al
cheering.
Look out Doc here comes r copper" cried
other as a policeman seen running toward
the crowd.
I defy but the doctor evidently changed his
mind Just then. CHANGING about he saw Policeman
Walsh Of the West Forty-seventh-s 81 station. com
ing on the run Although sixty years old and gray.
the doctor got down on the wagon IN less time
than many younger men would have done. Re
when Policeman walsh reached the wagon there
was nobody there but the driver. kemner. The
policeman surveyed the wreck. and seeing large
hole burned in the asphalt he took kemner IN
custody and told him 70 drive 20 the West Forty
seventn-st. station.
Ry This time the sympathie Of the crowd had
changed. and all began 70 hiss the doctor, VINO
was accused Of cowardice. The crowd followed
the luckiess driver 10 the station. Sergeant Burns
heard the mans explanation. and decided that the
man could not be held. as ne had merely acted as
"a common carrier.
He sent several policemen out with orders n
place DR. Grove under arrest on sight. The police
went 10 the doctors home but were Informed that
ne out attending patient Ihey mounted
home. He had not done 50 up 10 late hour. me
most indignant in the entire assemblage was
the driver. Kemner . ~
prctty near pnched beside Oh yes the doctor IF
a brave American. l don't think.