Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-11-05
Marching Thousands in Wheel
of Flame Yield Brilliant
Ribbons of Light.
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
IN UPROAR 40 MINUTES
Republican Candidate Declares He Is
Confident of Election Result.
Defends American Spirit.
BY the Associated Press.

NEW YORK, November 4.-Charles
E. Hughes closed his campaign for the
presidency in this city tonight with a
big meeting at Madison Square Garden.
The speech he delivered was his fifth
of the day and followed four in the
open air in different parts of the city
during the afternoon.
Before the night meeting Mr.. Hughes
rode at the head of a great torchlight
procession called a wheel of flame. "
the nine "spokes'' of which converged
upon 5th avenue. Many thousands of
men, each carrying a flaming torch.
were in line as the procession came to-
gether, one after another. So long was
the parade that it was split into two
sections, one of which marched up 5th
avenue and the other up Madison ave-
nue. to the garden.
Long Ribbons of Light.
The broad avenues were filled with
long ribbons of light as the republican
cohorts moved onward. Interspersed at
frequent intervals were bands which
played martial and patriotic airs. The
car in which the candidate rode was
the only automobile in line.
Much excitement was caused by an ex-
plosion in Worth street only few feet
from Mr.. Hughes as he sat in his auto
mobile waiting for one of the divisions
of the parade to start. 1t was believed
at first that bomb had been hurled at
the nominee but Inspector Egan of the
bureau of combustibles declared photog-
rapher's f1ashlight powder caused the ex-
plosion. The only persons injured. the
fvn-n no yCrhoY nor O
who were slightly hurt.
With Mr.. Hughes in his car were A.
Bartin Hepburn and two detectives. The
nominee did not seem perturbed by the
the plaudits of the crowds through which
he passed as the paraders moved on. four
teen abreast
March in Drizzling Rain.
/. "A drizzllng rain which began falling
just as the parade began dampened some
what the ardor of the demonstration
which greeted the republican candidate.
but cheering crowds lined 5th avenue from
the time he passed under the Dewey arch
in Washington Square.
More adequate and elaborate police
arrangements at Madison Square and in
that vicinity prevented a repetition of
the crush which greeted President
Wilson Thursday night The big
building was comfortably filled by Z
o'clock, but most of the crowd which
had gathered evidently wanted to see
the parade before seeking admission.
Every seat was taken, however, when
the blare of bands heralded the candi
dates coming.
Mrs. Hughes. accompanied by her
three daughters-Helen. Catherine and
Elizabeth-Mr. and Mrs. Charles f.
Hughes, jr., and several friends were
among the early arrivals. They oc-
cupied a box in the center of the
garden.
The Columbus. Ohio. Republican Glee
crowd inside the garden with patriotic
songs prior to the arrival of the presi-
edntial candidate
Cheers for Roosevelt.
William A. Prendergast. controller of
the city of New York. formally opened
the meeting at 500 o'clock. Speaking
of reunited republican party. he re-
ferred to that wonderful American" I"
Theodore Roosevelt. Instantly the
crowd began to cheer and the demon
stration lasted several minutes.
Mr.. Hughes entered the hall at 9:15
while Gov. Whitman was speaking.
The governors speech was abruptly
ended by roar from the audience.
which kept. up seven minutes. The
crowd then began to shout. Hughes.
Hughes, Hughes" I'VE want Hughes"
The nominee waved small flag.
The crowd settled down after fifteen
minutes to steady rhythm of
Hughes, Hughes, Hughes" The cheer
J ing had been going on twenty-six
| minutes when Mrs. Hughes was es-
corted to the balcony beside her hus-
band. At this the audience redoubled
| its noise. Charles E. Hughes, jr.. and
his wife followed. and then the nom
| inee's daughters, so that the nomi-
| nee's entire family was grouped
! around him.
! At the end of thirty minutes the
| crowd had settled down to a steady
| stamping of feet in unison. A band
played a verse of "Auld Lang Syne."
and when 1t stopped the cheering and
| stamping began again.