Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1910-08-06
ROOSEVELT OFF
FOR new YORK
Ends Inquiry Into Living Con-
dltiOnS Of Miners,
WAS VICTIM OF A JOKE
Wilkes-sarre Priest Spirits Away His
Shoes So Colonel Would sleep an
Extra Hour-Enjoyed His Trip.

Extra Hour-Enjoyed His Trip.
After a busy day among the miners
of the anthracite region. including one
short speech he could not resist max
ing Colonel Roosevelt left Tor New
York He expressed himself as par
tioulariy pleased with his jaunt. even
II Il was not as secret as he had
planned
Colonel Roosevelts start from
Wilkes Barre was delayed By practi-
cal joke played on him at the home OF
Rev J J CWtan pastor OF the Holy
Saviour Catholic Church. where he
spent The night
lie did not get to bed until
after I o'clock in the morning. but he
said hat he was going TO get up early.
That meant $50 or o'clock. which. in
the opinion OF his hosts. was a good
deal too early considering the fact
that the colonel had had long. hard
day with another one ahead OF him.
so Rev. Father John a. Lawrence.
personal friend OF the colonel's. tip.
ioed into his bedroom. appropriated
his shoes and hid them Father Lew
renee got up early and awaited devel.
opments when he heard the colonel
stirring he told him that his shoes
had Decn spirited away and that they
positively mot be returned until s
o'clock so that the colonel might as
well take a nap. Colonel Roosevelt
resigned himself TO conditions and
slept another hour.
With John Mitchell and Father Cur
ran. Colonel Roosevelt left here and
drove up the Wyoming valley. headed
for pittston. ten miles away The
days itinerary included stops at Pitts.
ton. Kingston. Plymouth and Nanti.
coke. all mining towns.
The first stop on his trip up the val
ley was made on the outskirts OF
Wilkes-Barre. In the foreign section
a crowd of foreigners gathered around
his car and cheered wildly when they
saw John Mitchell. the ex-president of
the miners organization.
There is a public school in the for.
eign settlement named the Roosevelt
school. The ex-president stopped and
looked when his attention was called
TO il. A whlte-haired woman. who said
Sc was a grandmother and Republic
can. stepped up and seized Colonel
Roosevelts hand with a fervent grip.
God bless you" she said. You must
be our next president"
The colonel smiled. but refused to
be interviewed on the subject of his
political future.
The ex-president's reception at Ed
wardsyille was hardly in accordance
with his desire to mingle with the peo.
pie as private citizen and talk quiet
~ with j. b. Zerby, manager of the
mines at Edwardsville, decided that
the town would celebrate. whatever
Colonel Roosevelt's plans were To
that end he shut down the mines for
the rest Of the day. and everybody in
town, except the postmaster. knocked
OF work and went to the public square.
WheI Colonel Roosevelt arrived he
found the crowd ready for him. His
automobile was surrounded and the |
town orator delivered an address of
welcome. Then they set OFF two charges
OF dynamite, such as the miners use,
as a salute 10 their visitor
Although the colonel had determined
that he would not make single
speech on this trip, he could not re-
slst the demonstration. and standing
in his automobile he gave a little talk
TO the crowd. Then he started of once
more up along the valley
From Edwardsville. Colonel Roose.
welt motored to Plttston. where he
spent more than an hour among the
foreigners who work in the mines.
Thence he drove to Kingston Duryea
and Wyoming The barracks of the
state constabulary are in Wyoming.
and the colonel went inside and in
spected them.
The party returned 10 the rectory.
and with the forty priests who had
been invited by Father Curran. took
luncheon
Colonel Roosevelt visited Nanticoke
and Plymouth. returning here only a
short time before catching his train
for New York.
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