Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1906-09-21
Huge Crowd in Frightful Jam.


Huge Crowd in Frightful jam.
Tiers of seats had been constructed
across the entire west front of the cap
itol, with the speakers stand in the cen
ter Four thousand tickets were issued
for these seats to invited guests, and
all were occupied. The monument stands
at the west entrance to the grounds,
facing the street, and crowd of So
900 persons was packed into this space
between the speakers stand and the
monument. Seventy-fve per cent. of
the crowd was composed of women and
children.
While band was playing the over
ture the danger of panic first became
apparent. Women in the crowd near the
speakers stand began TO scream and
cry for help. Then several tainted and
We're carried up to the stand.
Rev. DR.. Washington GLADDEN. rose to
deliver the invocation, but he spoke only
a few sentences when the roar of voices
forced him to stop. Gov. Harris then
attempted to quiet the crowd Keep
back" he shouted, you are crushing
these people in front to DEATH"
Statue Unveiled with a Rush
The governors voice could not be
heard twenty feet away. The commo-
ton then became so alarming that those
on the stand asked Mrs. LongwOrth to
step forward in the hope that glimpse
of her might satisfy the crowd She
came to the front of the stand, but her
presence only made the pressure around
the stand greater.
1t was seen at once that something
must De done and it was decided to UNI
veil the statue at once and Mrs. Long
worth was asked to pull the cord at
tached to the wires which uncovered the
statue.
Crush Renewed Again.
The crush was stopped for a few mo-
ments, but it was soon renewed, though
the greatest danger was over. Mrs. Long
worth again came to the front of the
platform and bowed to the throng. Those
who were to have spoken arose and left
the stand and the people struggling for
their lives in the crowd around the stand
cheered, but n storm of Kisses came from
people on the outskirts of the crowd who
did not understand the situation.
Throughout the exciting Ocenes Mrs.
Longworth remained cool and self-pos-
sessed, but afterward she said:
1T was the worst crush | ever wit
MESSED. | have seen nothing like it in
my trip around the world"
Mr.. and Mrs. Longworth Mobbed.
Mr.. and Mrs. Longworth had another
exciting experience in escaping from the
crowd at the capitol. From the speak
ers' stand they went through a window
overlooking the platform into the gov
ernor's office, but they were scarcely in
side when the people began to surge
through the doors from the corridors, and
the office was quickly filled They then
attempted to reach an automobile which
wac waiting for them in the street, but
once outside, they we're caught in surg
ing crowd.
Finding no immediate avenue of es-
cape, they fought their way out of the
capitol grounds and across Broad street
II Il.
manned until carriage was secured, and
the police cleared a way to it, and they
were driven to the Hotel Hartman. Lat
er they took train for Cincinnati.
Programme Carried Out.
The unwilling programme was carried
out in the evening in Memorial hall.
The immens+, hall was filled with people.
Gov. Harris presided. The speakers were
William r. Day, associate justice of the
John w. Daniel, United States senator
from Virginia; Gen. Joseph Mckay of
Brooklyn n. Y, national commander of
the Union Veteran legion; and Gen. r.
3. Brown, commander in chief of the
Grand Army of the Republic. Mrs. Nc
Kinley, the widow of the late president,
was unable to attend the dedicatory ex-
ercises, but she was represented by her
niece Mrs. Ida Mckinley Day.
Judge Days Address.
Judge Day spoke of William McKin-
ley as a type of the best possibilities of
American life of his exalted character
and his services to the country, conclud-
ing an eloquent address as follows:
In the fullness of life, with message of good
will and kindness yet fresh on his lips, meeting
the people who delighted to testify that affection
and appreciation which his highest reward
for faithful and unremitting service, he was
felled to earth for other ofense than that in
his person he represented the head of the ma
ton, and stood for liberty, regulated by law,
and not for that unbrided license which knows
no respect for the laws Of God or man.
RRI0AI n0iIPl FFTFD.