The Washington herald., 1912-06-23
Tomorrow Is Ninety-ninth Anniversary of Birth
of Henry Ward Beecher, Preacher, Lecturer,
Religious Writer, and Spectacular Figure
in American History.
in American History.

The belboys IN the Motel sneereo al MIN
and refused to wait upon him. An in
formal vote was taken by the Legislature
to the effect that the members should
not attend the meeting The tobacco
board took similar. action.
The hour for the lecture approached,
and no one would volunteer to tend the
door, so threatening became the mob OUT
side the theater. Mr.. Pond at last was
compelled 10 perform the duty. A dozen
policemen were detailed to preserve or
der, but they were in sympathy with
the mob and took no steps to quell the
impending disorder. Despite the action
OF the Legislature and the tobacco board,
the members Of both bodies attended out
Of curiosity. The crowds were bolster
Gus and dlsrespectful. When Beecher
arrived in a carriage, the mob began
an incessant yelling and hooting.
Theater Is Crowded.
The theater was crowded TO the doors.
Friends OF Beecher pleaded with the lee
tureE not to enter the stage. explaining
that large supplies Of eggs had been
taken into the galleries. When the hour
for the lecture arrived, Beecher was
promptly introduced to the audience.
Immediately there was general disturb
ance. Canes were welded in the air
and fists were brandished. Beecher was
calm, and after waiting for the noise to
subside, finally started to speak amid a
din Of shouts and disrespectful yells. The
voice Of the lecturer could be heard
ringing out in sonorous tones over the
entire theater, and suddenly the PAN
demonium ceased and a dead hush fell
upon the assemblage. For two hours
and a half Beecher addressed that aud
ience on THE Ministry OF Wealth" At
the conclusion those who had hooted
him earlier in the evening came for
ward to shake his hand and congratulate
him.
well. guess we've captured Rich
mond." said Beecher TO Pond as they
started from the theater for their hotel.
Another exciting incident in Beech
er's life occurred while the lecturer,
accompanied by Mr. Pond, was travel
ing from Bloomington, Ill, to Decatur,
where a lecture was to be given. The
regular train was several hours late,
and, in order to reach Decatur in time
for the engagement, a special train,
consisting Of an engine and a caboose'
was run over the Illinois Central Rail-
road. About half way between the
two towns the train entered a siding
to allow an express to pass. Looking
through one of the windows Of the ca
boose, Beecher saw a large crowd run
ming toward the train.
Mob of Ruhians.
The crowd proved to be a furious
mob of rufians. At this time the feel
ing against Beecher was intense, and
it was feared that injury would be
done him. The mob threw stones at
the caboose and pounded on the doors.
Realizing that danger was ahead, Pond
seized a poker and thrust it into the
small stove in the caboose. The crowd
continued TO hammer on the door and
finally succeeded in forcing 1t open.
Immediately a rush was made to enter
the caboOse. Several husky men were
preparing to make an attack on Beech
er, when Pond seized the red hot
poker and charged them without mer-
cy. There was the nauseating odor of
burning flesh. and the mob quickly re-
treated to return no more. One of the
men, who is living to-day, bears an
ugly scar across his arms, where Pond
applied the hot poker in his mad
charge.
Like all great geniuses, Beecher had
many ecCentricities. While at Spring
field, Ill, in 1874 he married a very rich
couple-C. P. Huntington and Mrs. A D.
Warsham. Of New York. Upon the con-
clusiOn OF the wedding ceremonies, the
groom slipped a small envelope into
Beecher's hand. The eminent clergyman,
in the hurry which chara cterized his
whole life, placed the envelope in his
fob pocket, and thought no more OF IT
until several days later while on a rail-
road train. He opened the little packet
and discovered four S1OOO bills. Upon
reaching New York he went direct to an
Oriental rug shop and invested the great
er portion OF the $4,000 in costly rugs,
which he presented to his friends. He
spent the remainder Of the money for
magnificent bric-a-brac. The last Of the