The age-herald., 1900-10-17
It Was Nothing Short of an
 Ovation.
THOUSANDS CHEER HIS SPEECHES
The Home State of Hill and Croker Pays Tribute to the Brilliant Leader of the Demo-
 cratic Hosts

New York; October 16.-The greatest polit- teal demonstration in the history of New York City was occasionSd today and tonight by the presence of William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic nominee for the highest of- flee in the gift of the American people
 For hours before the time set for the op- ening of the doors, at 5;30 o'clock, Madison Square Garden was beseged by crowds. The throngs massed before the two main en- frances as early as o'clock, hoping to get in when the doors were first opened. At o'clock 1000 people were in the ampitheatre, having gained admission on tickets which had been distributed and which were given precedence even over box seat tickets. Two hundred men from the city departments acted as ushers, and at o'clock the police details arrived. Deputy Chief Cortright, with nearly a score of captains and cor responding number of Sergeants ana roundsrnen, were in charge.
 At 5:30 o'clock exploding bombs outside the garden announced the opening of the doors. Instantly there was great rush from the Madison avenue hallway, and from the Twenty-sixth street entrance, which, according to police arrangements were to be kept clear for ticket holders. In the first rush few women got seats near the speak CTS stand. In less than ten minutes every seat on the floor was taken and the crowd which had begun to pour in from all sides, attacked the galleries. Five minutes later the balcony and part of the galleries were black with people,
 The Garden was decorated with national colors. The big semi-circular electrical dis play over the speakers stand bore the DOT traits of the two Democratic candidates, the Democratic emblem and the Democratic watchword, credited to MT. Croker, I've wish to remain free people, in great let ters of light.
 The band struck up Yankee Doodle" and the people got up in their seats, with un- covered heads, and they waved thou sands of small American flags, shouted out the words of the song.
 Grt4 sation
 Colonel Bryan entered the Garden at 7:15 o'clock. As the face of MT. Croker, behind which appeared Colonel Bryan's, vNs seen, the crowd burst forth in one great pro- longed yell Every one stood tiptoe on his seat and the Garden was sea Of waving flags As Colonel Bryan, escorted by MT. Croker mounted the speakers stand, the cheering was continuous. The two climbed the stairs and made their way to the front, followed by the reception committee. Col onel Bryan and Mr Croker frequently re- sponded to the cheering by lowing to the vast audience and the faces of both were wreathed with smiles.
 Just behind the two as they mounted the platform was MayOr Ydn Nych, escorted Dy Edward M. Sheppard, who acted as chair man of the meeting. The cheering continued for five minutes, not abatng when Colonel Bryan rose to hIs feet antkr2ised his hand. MT. Croker pulled him back into his seat. The cheering went on. Then MT. Croker arose, hesitated a moment then raised his hand for silence. Instead of ceasing the crowd broke forth louder than ever. Do what he could MT. Croker could not silence the crowd. After nearly fifteen minutes of cheering the crowd came to order. The min gled cheers and hsses-the latter for si- lence-asted a minute longer. Three cheers for "our next President brought out a final cheer, but an effort to repeat it was drowned In cries of put him out"
 The enthusiasm nearly carried the crowd away. The throng at the Madison avenue end of the Garden jammed down the aisles and the sixty-odd policemen at that point had to do battle with the crowd to keep 1t under control.
 When quiet was restored MT. Croker in- troduced MT. Shepherd to the audience as chairman of the meeting.
 Before MT. Shepherd could get into the subject of Imperialism to which most of his address was devoted, the crowd got so impatient to hear Colonel Bryan that MT Shepherd could not proceed He sud- denly stopped and introduced President Guggenheimer of the Council who offered the formal resolutions of the evening. These welcomed MT Bryan and MT. Stew enson to New York, approved the Kansas City platform. opposed imperialism, pro tested against an enormous standing army as a menace to the Republic; pictured the volunteer army as being sufficient in emer- gency; sympatnized with the Beers: de- nounced trusts: pledged the party to bring back to the people constitutional govern rnent and charged the Republicans with having raised a gigantic corruption fund to debauch the suffrage.
 The resolutions were cheered, though they could not be heard for the shouts for MT. Bryan, and MT Shepherd at once intro duced the latter in few short sentences.
 Another OuiLr ak
 Colonel Bryan stepped to the railing about the stand as the throng broke afresh into cheers He raised his hand for silence, but the cheers did not subside. Colonel Bryan was dressed in sblack suit, with short sack coat. s
 ''Three cheers for our next President" came up from the vast audience, Colonel Bryan raising his hand in deprecation. The crowd was about to become quiet when with a boom and flash of fire fiashlight bomb went off in the center of the room. Women shrieked and the crowd yelled, not knowing what 1t all was. There was great excitement and disorder for a mornent and calls for the police. A dozen policemen rushed to the spot where the man sat who had fired the bomb, grabbed him and hus- tied him and his camera out of the Gar den
 C,olopal Rryan had stood uuietly at the