The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-27

in making election night noises, The
cheerfulnt rs of the defeated is indicative
OF .American character.
One of the greatest crowds OF moder
times assembled on the Hodynsky Plain.
Moscow, on May 30, 1898. to participate
in the popular fetes incident TO the present
Cars coronation. II numbered half q mil
lion. and when it was dispersed by, soldiers
n few hours after 1t had collected 1t left
dead behind variously estimated from LOO
to $500 and seriously wounded to the num-
Der Of l 200.
horde Of people. mostly peasants from MOS
COW and the provinces. streamed to the
vast plain on which Napoleon had massed
his army before marching into MOSCOW. BY
8 O'Clock in the morning they we're packed
about the 500 booths from which free food'
drink and souvenir mugs were to be DIS
tributed to one and all. Barriers had been
erected in front Of each booth to prevent
undue CrowdinR.
There are various explanations as to why
the fete was turned into a day OF mourning
One is hat the crowd was greater than an.
those in the van against the barriers, when
finally gave a and the people. finding
themselves free. swept forward in a great
wave, trampling under foot all who we're not
strong enough to keep their feet;
This wat the first story. Later 1t was
said that there had been much stealing
of the funds set, aside by the Gar for gifts
to the populace, and with the idea OF Gov.
ering their guilt the officials In charge OF
the food distribution instructed the 200
Then, when. complaints were received
that the packages did not go around, the
reply would be that every effort was made
to serve the crowd. but it was much larger
thar any one had planned for. j,
1t Is a fact that packages OF food and
- -uaro tbroyyp Of tho f1aOnla nv man
in the booths, but this may have been done
in the hope that under such a lombard
ment the fearless press would cease. How
ever, 1t served onlyto increase the horror,
those in the rear leaping forward all the
more eagerly to get their share OF the food
flying about.
There was a hollow in the ground at the,
point OF the greatest crush, and this proved
a veritable death trap for scores OF moujiks,
Sc furious was the rush OF feet that In places
turned with ploughs, Hundreds OF the
dead were never identified. The Car de-
frnyed the funeral expenses Of, the victims,
and to each family that lost a member a
substantial sum OF money was paid by
his direction.
colony OF Madagascar the capital Of that
island was the point Of assemble &c for a
great crowd whenever the grand haoary
was held.
The last ruler TO Issue her commands 10
and receive the homage of the chiefs at
this ceremonial was Queen R~anovalona III.
Swarming around the dais on which she
sat with her chief councillors, and the
secondary platform holding the echie fs
was the great CROWD filling the spacious
sacred enclosure, a half mile distant from
the royal palace. To swell the crowd on
these occasions thousands Of natives trav-
elled from all parts Of the island, and the
capital turned out en- masse.
The grand Kabary crowd was one OF the
most interesting that ever collected; 80
was the multitude that witnessed the
Durbar; while In this country the crowds
that took part In the peace celebrations in
our large cities following the close Of the
war with Spain will be remembered for
many years for their size and patriotic en-
thusiasm. The crowd that assembled In
New York to celebrate the centennial OF
the adoption Of the Constitution was enor-
nous for that day.
Excepting the two inaugural crowds that
have assembled since then, the Dewey
parade in New York. in 1900, brought to-
gether our latest famous crowd. II was
sven greater than the n that collected
to take part in the celebration OF Columbus
Day, seven years before. And that was a
record breaker for the metropolis, tens OF
thousands coming from near and far ITO
gaze and cheer in unison with the natives.