The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-05
ALL WOULD HEAR MARK TWAIN
RESERVES OF TWO STATIONS OUT
TO HANDLE CROWD.

INV "
The West Side branch Of the Y. NJ. G. Al
which has been holding free Sunday after
noon meetings Tor men at the Majestic
Theatre through the winter, invited Mark
Twain to make a talk yesterday afternoon.
When he consented the Y. M. G. A. adver-
tised the fact pretty extensively that Mark
Twain was to speak. They expected a big
crowd, but they didn't bargain for the
number that came or the trouble that fol-
lowed.
The meeting was called for $40 O'Clock,
but two hours before that people began to
flow into Columbus Circle and bank up In
front Of the playhouse. They were a well
dressed, quiet appearing lot, most OF them
having tho Y. NJ. c. A. habit, and it didn't
appear to the two policemen on post that
there was danger OF a rough house.
They kept coming and coming and by
3 o'clock there were perhaps 700 people
solidly messed in front Of the theatre. over
flowing the circle to the car tracks in the
plaza. As the meeting was for men only
there we're no women in the thick OF the
crowd, but many ofthem stood near by and
watched. The men were quiet enough at
first, standing patiently waiting for the
doors to open, but the pressure from behind
got worse and worse and things began TO
happen.
Those nearest the doors OF the theatre
were hammered and jammed and they
began to fight back.
The two bluecoats that had been sent by
Capt. DAILY of the West Forty-seventh street
station on a hint from the Y. NJ. c. A. that
there would be a good sized crowd pushed
and showed and pleaded with the crowd to
g. liz .-l ,n;t So ti1-f1u Thnu yvaHa
bounced around like rubber balls and
finally gave it up and allied for help. About
that time Capt. DAILY came along and after
taking one look at the crowd telephoned
for the reserves of his own precinct and Of
the West sixty-eighth street station. In a
few minutes twenty-five patrolmen showed
up and three mounted men rode into the
crowd.
The foot cops scattered out, trying to
shepherd the people into orderly arrange
ment. They vent mildly enough at first,
and 30 did the mounted men, who tried to
cut the crowd of the sidewalk and keep 1t
clear. The guests Of the Y. M. c. A. were
in a bad temper by then and appeals from
the police had no effect. Then the oops
started in hard, forcing the crowd off the
sidewalk. The mounted men rode straight
through; going slowly but steadily, and
everybody in the way had to get out or be
stepped on by the horses. Two or three
men didn't move fast enough and were
knocked backward by the horses. They
yelled in fright, and that made the crowd
madden thar ever. There was some
language thrown at the police which isn't
common at Sunday afternoon gatherings
and it made the police angry.
1t was about a quarter past 5 o'clock
then, and the police, tired of struggling
with the crowd, thought opening the theatre
doors would lessen the trouble. The doors
were opened and the rush began. The police
tried to form the crowd into a line, but
they were swept aside. Two young men who
were near the front were banged against
the doors. Glass was broken and both got
cut about the hands, They wrapped hand
kerchiefs about their cut hands and went
into the theatre, refusing to give their
names.
Mr.. Clemens got out of a carriage in
Columbus Circle while the rush was on,
walked rapidly around the crowd and slipped
into the stage door without being observed.
In five minutes after the doors were
opened the theatre was packed and jammed.
1t has a seating capacity Of 1000, and every
seat was filed. " The police wouldn't let
people stand at the back or in the aisles,
and when the house was full the doors were
closed again. There were perhaps 1900
people still outside who clamored to get
in. 1t took an o. more for the crowd to
melt away.
Capt. DAILY bossed the police in handling
the crowd and was angry all through.
Some Of the bluecoats said they never had
such a tough time with a crowd.
unzu-. - tka pogt Si1a ~ yyoull houa
been a cinch, said one Of them, "but you
can't handle a bunch OF this kind that way"
As soon an the meeting was opened DR..
Howard Russell, secretary of the Anti
Saloon League, jumped to the front OF the
stage and made a speech to the audience.
He gave it to the police hot and heavy for
the way they hustled the crowd.
They didn't make proper arrangements
for handling the crowd" said DR.. Russell,
"and when they did show up they used
the people, who had already undergone
injury and inconvenience, brutally. Men
were jabbed in the side by the police and
threatened with clubs IL they refused to
give way"
The audience cheered the doctor, and he
had a talk with some Of the Y. M. G. A.
officials to consider the a~dvisability Of offer
ing resolutions ~denouncing the police. A
number of people crowded on the stage
and told how they had been handled by
the police.
The Rev. DR.. Charles P. Fagnani, who
presided, introduced Mr.. Clemens, who
talked IN the general subject Of "Reminis-
cences." Mark threw cold water on the
resolutions proposition after he got started
In his talk
'It's a good thing said he, "to do the
things you resolve to do, but I have heard
DR.. Russell speak about resolutions de-
nouncing the police. Now, l don't believe
in denouncing the whole police force for
what may have been the fault OF one or
two men, do your lApplause.l 1t is evil
dent that the fault lay with a few
Somebody in the gallery yelled, DAILY
'Daly," and others in the auditorium took
W the cry.
Mark Twain paid no further attention
TO the matter, but vent on with his talk,
calmly and easily, in a soothing drawl.
Ha silcceaded in ouietino the crow d md