The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-09-15
M'KINLEY UNWILLING
 EXERCISES POSTPONED
PANIC THREATENED CROWD OF 5O,OOO STRIVING TO SEE
 MRS. LONG WORTH.

Grounds in Columbus but Ceremonies
 Were Put Over Until Night-Mr. and
 perience in Getting Away-MemOriaI
 Hall Packed in the Evening.
 Columbus, O., Sept. 14.-With panic threatening a crowd of 5O,OOO persons surging about a stand erected in the capitol grounds, frantic to secure a glimpse of Mrs. Nicholas Longworth, the presidents daughter, the oratorieal exercises arranged for the unveiling of a statue of William Mckinley this aft ernoon were suddenly postponed until tonight, after the statue of the mar tyred president had been hurriedly un- yelled by Mrs. Longworth. The speech es of the occasion were delivered to- night in Memorial hall. The crowd was so large and cranped that it got be- yond control, and the shrleking of women and children, who were caught in the crush, rapidly worked the crowd into frenzy. Many women tainted and were carried out of the crowd by the police, Mrs. Eliza Louisa Muhn and negress were trampled on, and had to be removed in an ambulance. Both will recover.
 Throughout the excited scenes Mrs. Longworth remained cool and self-pos- sessed, but afterwards she said that it was the worst crush she had ever seen. Mir. and Mrs, LongWorth had an excit- ing experience in escaping from the ex- cited crowds. From the speakers stand they went through a window overlooking the platform into the gov- ernor's office, but they were scarcely inside when the people began to surge through the doors from the corridors, and the office was quickly filled. The LongWorths then attempted to reach an automobile which was waiting for them in the street, but once inside the build ing they were caught in a surging crowd. Finding no immediate avenue of escape, Congressman Longworth fought a way out for his wife from the capitol and across Broad. street into the outlook building, There they remained until the police cleared a way for a | carriage which took the congressman and his wife to the hotel. Later the Longworths took a train for Cincin- natl.
 The committee on arrangements had expected an enormous crowd, but in view of the solemnity and dignity of the occasion the committee believed that the crowd would be easily kept ill restraint Under ordinary circumstances the police arrangements would have been adequate, but the officers quickly found they were powerless to cope with i the crowd. Tiers of seats had been constructed across the entire west front of the capitol, with the speakers stand in the center. Tickets were issued to these seats to invited guests, and all seats were occupied. The crowd was packed into this space between the speakers stand and the monument. The exercises began at 2.30 o'clock.
 As band was playing an overture women in the crowd next to the speak ers' stand began to scream and cry for help on account of the crush. Several women fainted and were carried to the stand. Rev. Washington Gladden. rose 1 to deliver the invocation, but he had spoken a few sentences when the roar of voices forced him to stop Governor Harris then attempted to quiet the crowd. Keep back, he shouted, you are crushing the people in front to death." The governors voice could not be heard twenty feet away on account of the din The commotion then be- came so alarming that those on the stand asked Mrs. Longworth to come forward in the hope that glimpse of her might satisfy the crowd.
 l She came to the front of the stand, and the crush became almost a stam- pede. It was then decided to unveil the statue at once. Mrs. Longworth then pulled a ribbon which drew aside the flags covering the statue. A man, hoist ed on another's shoulders, grasped the ribbons and they were quickly torn into | fragments by relic seekers.
 The crush was stopped for a few min utes, but as Mrs. Longworth sat down it was renewed and she again went to the front of the platform and bowed to the throng. The committee on arrange ments, having decided to defer the ad- dresses until evening, allowed Mrs. Longworth to retire from the platform and announced the change of pro- gramme. Persons struggling for their lives around the stand eheered this an- nouncement, but @ storm of misses came from people on the outskirts of the crowd, who could not understand the situation. The crowd then dispersed.
 The programme of exercises was car ried out at Memorial hall tonight. The immense hall was filled with people. Governor Harris presided The speak CTS were William R. Day, associate jus tice of the supreme court of the United States; John w. Daniel, United States senator from Virginia; General Joseph Mckay, of Brooklyn, national com mander of the Union Veterans Legion, and General R. B. Brown, commander in-chief of the Grand Army of the Re- public,
 Nlrs. Mckinley was unable to attend the dedicatory exercises, but she was rapresen+ed bv her niece Mrs Ida Mc-