The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-15
WOMEN MOB mrs. LONGWORTH
1HOlStVDS EIGHT ron CHINtE
TO err NEAR HER.
N,chInlr, Monument InNriiIng ENrrclses
sropprd -GiompFiird 10 Take s"fnEe
ia once IInlldHy -RIIbOn souvenir
Vorn From Her G.OWn-Many Faint.

~, Io~ire to see and get near to Mrs.
Alec Roosevelt Loag worth to-day at the
,nyeiling Of the $50. OOO bronze and granite
,,e,,crial to the late President william
Mckinley that 80. 900 persons became packed
,,,o an uncomfortable mass before the
.rcskers' stand in the state House grounds.
end 10 prevent women and children from
re;ng crushed to death the speaking exer-
O;sos were postponed until evening.
Mrs Tongworth was here with her hus-
hand TO unveil the memorial. When the
pav DR.. Washington GLADDEN. attempted
n deliver the invocation the throng broke
su restraint and became involved in a
dangerous struggle for points Of vantage.
DR.. GLADDEN., realizing the danger, ceased
rravinC after a few sentences and joined
with Gov. A. l.. Harris and members OF the
memorial commission. including State otf-
c,s,s and prominent citizens. in exhorting
the crowds to stand back and relieve the
strain upon those in front, who were
crowded about the stand.
Their endeavors were all in vain. For
more than half an hour those in the speakers
stand sought to calm thu great crowd, OF
whom a majority were women. They
alternately begged, pleaded, threatened
snd commanded the or ovid to separate.
They shouted and waved their inns but
to no avail.
Then it was that Mrs. ~Longworth. without
CEREMONY, stepped to the front Of the
sneakers stand and took hold Of the ribbon
that was suspended by rings to a wire that
led to the monument a hundred feet distant.
The crowd paused as she was recogni zed
and a mighty shout OF greeting went up.
The band stru OK up the strains OF Presi-
cent McKinley's ~favorite hymn, lead,
Kindly Light" as Mr.. Roosevelt's daughter
.ugsed at the ribbon and the flags that
yelled the statue OF the late President fell
slowly to the pedestal, revealing the bronze
figure above. Another cheer went mp,
and Mrs. Longworth stood smiling and
lowing TO the great throng.
1t was thought that her part in the pro-
rramme being over order would be re-
stored. Instead the crowd made a wild
rush for the ribbon with which she had
drawn the veil. 1t was torn into shreds
and then a dash was made for the wire
which had held the ribbon in place.
The brass rings were tori from it and
many people were in danger Of being in
jured by the wire, which the mob was trying
to break into pieces for souvenirs.
Gov. Harris, going to the front OF the
stand. waved his hands to the crowd to
push back. Keep back" he shouted,
you are crushing the breath out Of the
people in front" Sheriff George Karb,
Mayor Badger and others pleaded with the
mob, telling them that people would he
killed il they did not desist.
Even when the police finally cleared an
aisle through the human mass, those in
front refused to take the opportunity
Afforded them for escape. Some women
in the front line crept beneath the stand.
Mrs. Longworth, in an endeavOr to quiet
the ,rowd. again went to the sides OF the
stand and bowed to the people. But the
crowd would not 20. Painting women were
lifted into the speakers stand. One m
, thus rescued was weeping Historically and
when she passed Mrs, Longworth she sObbed
dramatically: -Good-by, Alice
Mrs. LonEworth went to the front a third
time. Another great cheer went up. Hats,
4alQkeTCnltIs anu uduuS WdNCN III NHO oA
The heroine OF the occasion waved her
hand in return, and then the people In
front and on either side shouted Good
by; good-by, Alice"
Mrs. Longworth left the stand, going Ia
The Governors Office. An attempt was
made to go on with the programme but the
audience neither saw nor listened and "a
end It all the announcement was made
hat the speeches would be delivered al
night in Memorial Hall.
40 sooner were the troubles OF those In
charge Of the meeting over than Mrs. Long
worth's really began. As the crowd slowly
retired from the Capitol grounds carriages
we're observed to drive to the State street
entrance and it was supposed that one Of
them was for Congressman and Mrs. Long
worth.
The people swarmed toward them just
az the Presidents daughter with her bus
band and Acknowledgement and Mrs. Eli
left the State House. There was a ma
rush toward them. Women bent on touch
Ing Mrs. Longvorth surrounded her. anC
no football rush was more st renuou than
that che got into.
Most Of the women appeared as II they
cared only to touchthe Presidents daughter
but one man pulled a ribbon from her gowI
and instantly there was q scramble, Whicl
resulted in the ribbon being torn TO pieces.
Policemen tried TO guard Mrs. Long
worth by forming a wedge and forcing
away TO the street. Mr.. Ellis's automobile
however, was not at the gate to receive
the party. The greater portion Of the mol
was behind and there was no turning back
So great did the crush become that Mr.
and Mrs. Longworth sought refuge in al
once building. The crowd followed int
the building. Mr.. and Mrs. LongwortI
were whisked into the Ofloe Of a news
paper correspondent. and most OF tn
crowd lost sight Of them.
Within five minutes more h a thousan
people were rushing about In the differen
floors seeking a glimpse OF the couple
Some Of those who finally located ther
would have forced their way into the ONCE
had not the doors been kept locked.
1t did not take Mrs. LongwOrth long I
regain the breath she had lost in the rus
and she seemed to enjoy the experience.
H. IL