The Topeka state journal., 1900-08-24
People Went Wild to Grasp Can
didate's Hand.
FOUGHT HIS WAY OUT.
Col. Bryan Then Sank Down
Pale and Exhausted.
Was Afterward Driven to the
Hotel.


this Jam; stand back; stand back; don
crowd; hold on there"
These were the utterances of William
J. Bryan, fusion candidate for president,
who was besieged by hand-shakers at
the close of the notification meeting
Mr. Bryan was pale and trembling and
streams of perspiration rolled down his
cheeks while he pleaded with the crowd
to desist in its madness
There was no decrease in the jamming
and crowding; women were knocked
over; children were squeezed in the
crowd until they screamed; old men suf-
fered and the young men swore while the
rush was on
Bryan was growing exhausted and his
face was a picture of despair.
He made rush, got out of the crowd
and leaning on the arm of his private
secretary and David Overmyer hurried
across the grounds to the west entrance
of the state house. The crowd rushed
up the steps in which direction Bryan
was going, but he disappointed them by
suddenly turning into the entrance be-
meath the steps He hurried, almost
running, to the state house doors. rushed
into the building, turned into hallway
at the bottom of a stairs then sank to
the steps breathless and exhausted.
A large door had been closed after the
three men found this resting place so
that the crowd which followed could not
find the candidate. The people who had
not shaken hands with Bryan muttered
among themselves while making a per-
sistent search for Bryan but Mr.. Over
Inyer had concealed the party success
fully. After ten or fifteen minutes the
crowd dispersed Then Bryan emerged
from his hiding place and escorted by
Col E. c. Little. who had been waiting
in carriage, the three men found their
way through the cavernous gloom of the
ground floor of the capitol, entered the
carriage waiting east of the south en-
trance to the building and went to the
hotel.
When Mr.. Bryan had concluded the
reading of his speech from the top of
dry goods box which had been put on
the stand to elevate him so more people
could see and hear, Jerry Simpson an
nOunced an informal reception.
The members of the reception COM
mfttee who occupied the stand and had
been shaking hands and greeting Bryan
since his arrival, pressed forward, de-
spite the fact that Chairman Simpson
had pointed out the way they could leave
the stand.
People climbed over the side of the
stand and surged forward with such
force that Mr. Bryan was pushed from
the center of the stand which he had
occupied towards the side rail. The
crowd was augmented and so was the
pressure. Col Bryan was crowded
against the rail which creaked alarming
ly.
The candidate threw his hands over
MS head and admonished the crowd to
become quiet No attention was paid to
him. The people had been standing three
hours in the boiling sun and seemed to
hands with Mr. Bryan and get out of the
crowd. An effort was made to quiet the
crowd but it was useless.
Il will not meet another man until this
crush is stopped said Col. Bryan in a
voice that could be heard above the con-
fusion.
Turning to a State Journal reporter
who was hanging desperat tely to the side
stand. Said
People are never cautious until they
are injured in these crowds
At this moment "a six-footer was
showed against the candidate with such
force that he staggered, saving himself
from fall by grasping one OF the up
right pieces which supported the avn
ing over the platform. Mr.. Bryan was
angry, but recovered his self -coTnposure
before speaking, refusing in the mean
time to give his hand to any one.
i viii not shake hands with another
man here" he exclaimed. st am going
to get out of this
Bryan started towards the edge Of the
stand where there was an exit but
stopped and yelling to Jerry Simpson,
said:
Jerry, you must stop this; this crowd
as dangerous; the stand might give
way Mr.. Bryan turned and tested the
strength of the rails and supports with
both hands.
It's substantial enough but this crush
might break it down"
Jerry; Jerry" called Bryan over the
heads of the people standing before
nim' this crush must be stopped"
You must though replied BRYAN.
Ihen Simpson got up on Bryan's dry
goods box and explained the danger
Then came a fresh attack against
Good people," he said kindly, you
are counting danger by this scramble.
crowd becomes orderly
I have seen seventeen stands coll
lapse" said Col Bryan turning to the
newspaper men who We're watching the
incidents, and it's no kindness to these
people for me to stand here to shake
hands while all Of US are in more or less
danger"
Then the solution of the problem was
offered. The crowd did not quiet itself.
but If any change were perceptibIe it
was IN more aggravated form. Then
Bryan gave each of his hands to two
men and made his way of the platform
to the ground Thirty feet south of
the stand the handshaking was resumed
IN two minutes, as the crowd surged
around the corner of the stand. like a
human wheel around a hub, Mr.. Bryan
was forty feet away. Two minutes more
and he was fifty feet distant This gave
the crowd a better chance at him He
was the center and around that point
the crowd revolved like a huge cylinder.
yanking the candidate here and there
with great force.
Col Bryan was limp and perspiring
and his arms dangled by his side, his
hands being caught up by the people as
they rushed past him. He nodded his
head and smiled painfully. One instant
he was facing the east; the next he
was whirIed around in the opposite di-
rection; then on a quarter, back to the
center and OF again like an eccentric.
The mad fury of the curious crowd was
appalling. There was a general demand
Tor order but no one paid attention to
the requests The policemen were not
in sight, SO Bryan was absolutely at the
mercy of his would-be friends
An aged woman was knocked down In
the midst Of the crowd. she was car