The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-10-30
MR.. DEPEW is HOWLED DOWN
Disturbing Element in Crowd at
CObbleskill Denies Free Speech.
Cheers for Bryan and Kisses for Mckinley
Renewed When the Senator said
the Sh0uIers Reminded Him
of the COpperheads.
j, ". Y. Oct. 2s.-Five hundred

Cobbleskill, " Y, Oct 2s-Five hundred
men undertook TO break up Senator De-
pew's meeting here this afternoon and
partially succeeded. The town committee
attempted to restore order and failed Mr..
Bryan had spoken here in the morning at
the fair grounds. The town was full of
people from the surrounding country.
When Senator Depew arrived he was
conducted TO a platform in the main
street He faced 5000 people. The dis
turbing element manifested its intentions
before the meeting began. One drunken
man was hustled out of the crowd 9th
ers in like condition resented the action.
Then there was fight. This occasioned
shouts. the nature of which was not cal
culated to allay the tumult.
Senator Krum, whose home is IN this
district and who is candidate for re-
election. tried to speak and was howled
down. Then he appealed to the disturbers
to respect Senator Depew, personally, If
they did not respect his party. The ugly
element jeered at this. Senator Depew
started to talk, but hundreds of members
hurrahed for Bryan. hissed Mckinley s
name, and cat-called Senator Depew.
Three clergymen OF the town stood be-
fore the crowd in which the disturbers
were and begged and asked for fair play.
Senator Depew got started again and at
last made himself heard His voice was
so distinct that the crowd became quiet
for a moment did Bryan leave orders
to-day to break up this meeting?" he ask
ed Following this, he continued:
mo Republican crowd ever broke up a
Democratic meeting; no Republican IS
afraid of free speech. Are the Democrats
who are engaged in this effort TO break
up this meeting afraid Of truth? Is your
| leader, Bryan, afraid of free speech?"
This was followed by a renewal of the
disturbances. There were hurrahs for
| Bryan and car-calls for Mckinley. SEN
ator Depew began his speech on the ac-
/ QUESTION Of the Philippines, but the up-
roar continued. You remind me-" said
/ the speaker. "Of the cOpperheads who
used TO come 10 Union meetings during
/ the civil war" More noise and hurrahs
1 for Bryan greeted this statement.
/ Senator Depew cut his speech short. aft
er compIimenting the citizens' committee.
and left the platform. Other speakers
were 10 follow the Senator, but declined
( TO make the effort. Senator Depew walk
/ ed from the platform TO his train. Ue
was followed by nearly a thousand peo-
I pie. who gathered about the tail-end Of
: the car and cheered him. He spoke y
I this crowd for a half hour. II gave him
/ respectful attention. speaking Of the scene
I al the meeting which he had tried 10 ad-
dress he said:
"Tammany Hall. my friends, would
never permit what you witnessed in thi ;
meeting. Tammany Hall IS the rock
I rooted Democratic organization OF iris
country. but it has always insisted upon
free speech. and il has always accorded
to the party which opposes Il the same
privilege. If Mr.. Bryan himself had W.T.
messed what you saw al that meeting. he
would have been ashamed CT IL. And We,
that disturbance is the result OF the doc
1 trine Of class hatred preached by Mr..
+ Bryan"
After Senator Depew went into the car
he was waited upon by . committee II
citizens composed Of all parties. The
committee assured Senator Depew that
/ the element which had created the trouble
E did not represent the town. and that rnozt
of the disturbers did not belong there.