The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1916-11-03
WILSON MEETING
DISORDERS WORST
EVER SEEN IN CITY
Mayor Mitchell Calls on Com
missioner Woods to Make
= Apologies.
SHIFTING THE BLAME.
Police Lay 1t to Managers of
Meeting, Who Respond :
in Kind.
SHIFTING THE BLAME.

Police Commissioner Woods put in
one Of the busiest days OF his admin
istration to-day listening TO tele-
phonic and written criticisms of the
manner In which his subordinates
bungied tho arrangements for the
Wilson meeting In Madison Square
Garden last night.
The $1,000 mon and women-includ-
Ing many OF New York's post prom
inent c!tixens-who were buffeted
about in the riotous scenes about the
big building went home last night
with revised opinion OF the Depart
ment's ability. To-day large per-
centage of them transferred their
kicks to Commissioner Woods.
THE reports have received" said
the Commissioner. angry clear
through. have convinced me that the
affair was badly mismanaged. I have
started an investigation to place the
responsibility where 1t belongs"
Those who were around tho Garden
last night are unanimously OF us
opinion-that from a police stand
point 1t was the worst managed af-
fair ever stage / in this city.
Deputy Commissioner Dunham,
Chief Inspector Schmittberger and In
spector Morris. who were In charge
OF the police arrangements, INSIST
that the great disorder rampant out
side OF the Garden was due to the
failure OF the Democratic managers
to open the doors at the time sched-
uled. The managers OF the meeting.
on the other hand, assert that the
doors were opened at the appoin. ed
hour. but that the police failed to
hold their lines and were swamped
when the doors were opened.
Mayor Mitchell. who. with his party,
had difficult time In gaining admis-
sion to the building. is evidently con-
Yinced that the fault lay with the
police. for to-day he directed Police
Commissioner Woods TO send letters
Of apology to many distinguished ed
citizens and out-of-town visitors who
were unable to get to the places re-
served for them.
SEEMED TO BE PLENTY POLICE.
MEN ABoNT.
Ono thing was apparent to any OBJ
server last night-there was no lack
OF policemen atput the building. An
other thing was equally apparent
there never was tiyD when It was
easier TO get through The police lines.
This applies to each Of tho four bar
ricades OF bluecoats that were es.
tablished between tho Garden and
the surrounding streets.
Police cards. such as reporters
carry, or tickets calling for reserva
tons In some part Of the building
wero supposed to be necessary to en-.
able one to get through these lines
| Those who had these credentials wer,
surprised TO see others exchange q
whisper for admission through tn,
lines. At no point did It appear thai
tho usual rigid police restrictions
were being enforced.
The result was that when the door,
were opened at 6 o'clock the thou
sand4 that had poured through tn,
! lines rushed into the arena an,
helped themselves to the places tina
had been reserved for others. Whel
the seatholders came along-an,
hundreds of them were on hand be
fore 7 o'clock. res-quarters Of a
hour before the time specified Of
their tickets-they had to conten
themselves with watching thousand
of determined men and women hurl
ing themselves against every open
ing in an effort to get inside. Ever
one In that $4,000 made at least on
effort TO get into the building. On
experience In the Jam was quit
enough. But others were alway
coming through the police lines
take their places In the crush.
) "PREsERvERs OF ORDER" Tool
1T AS A JOKE.
While all this was going on tn
hundreds of policemen seeped
In shouting get back!" at frequer
Intervals. Indeed. one saw them I
, groups of ten or fifteen. moving mel
, and there through the crowd an
. Laughing as u they thought the con
> fusion a good Joke. The only cxplant
ton of their apparent inability
, realize what they were there for wa
that they figured II was a free sho