The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-12
WILSON'S DOUBLE IS
MOBBED AND FILMED
Crowd Refuses to Believe Prof.
McCabe Is Not President
and Rushes Him.
SIMILARITY Is STRIKING
Even Wear Same Kind OF
Eyeglasses and Their
Laughs Are Alike.

There's President Wilson - a woman
exclaimed in awed tones as tall figure
eased his way through the jubilant
crowds at Fifth avenue and Forty-sec-
ond street shortly before noon yesterday.
The cry was caught UP and those
nearest to him rushed forward to shake
hands with the President. He laughed
and denied his Identity. or rather that
he was Woodrow Wilson. The laugh
only confirmed their belief that he was
President Wilson; he even laughed like
the President.
The crowd. now increasing by hun
dreds. proclaimed In shouts. That's the
President :! and he was urgeu along 10
the Public Library steps, where hundreds
fought and climbed over each other TO
shake hands with him.
His denials amounted TO nothing ana
were really drowned In the cheering
reporter for THE Sun, who has reported
, the Presidents dolngs several times was
walking UP the avenue and saw MN.
He wondered for he knew the president
was in Washington at 3 O'Clock In the
morning. but here was the President
before him
And then a movie man spotted him.
The camera began to click and caught
close up with thousands of enthusiast
tic men, women and children for a back
ground flags waving. hats sailing IN the
| air and a snowstorm Of confetti COM
pleting the picture.
He's q Teacher Too.
The man rs James J. McCabe, Dis
trict Superintendent of Schools. or OLA
st. Marks avenue, Brooklyn. lie pro
Tested, but he was overruled oy the
strong arm methods of the director
who treated the professor-double OF the
President in manner outrageous 10 poth.
TRYING to get out Of the crowd MIR. NC
Cabe was seized by others OF the movie
outfit ands lifted high in the air for an
other close up. He kicked and protested'
but they held him firmly.
This Is an outrage" Mr.. McCabe
shouted and fought to escape. I'm not
the President and you know It. fou
wouldn't treat him this way and you
shan't make him appear ridiculous ps
treating me this way!
4 To pacisy his injured feelings the
movie man told him the picture was FOR
patriotic purposes. Mr.. McCabe vas 20
disguised that he demanded that the I'M
dIenihed pastures they had placed MIN
in and filmed be destroyed. The movie
man promised and started beating the
crowd back, reminiscent of strong arm
SQUAD methods and all the time the
camera man was clicking of another
picture, probably THE President Regis
tering Anger
The inner circle OF the crowd pro.
tested at the outrageous treatment OF
Mr.. McCabe and the false light the
movie would put the President In. But
II ayailed nothing. The outer circles OF
the crowd, which extended across the
avenue and banked on the steps to the
Library Building, thought the Presi-
dent was going to make speech from
the comnotion created around him. and
1t cheered.
Mistake at His own Club.
Mr.. McCabe finally made his way
through the admiring crowd. the ma
iority of which had not heard the denial
and got into an automobile. He tool
refuge In his club. the Friars, where
again many who did not know hin
; thought the President was lunchint
!, there. or course the mistake was soor
discovered.
; After lunch he walked down Broad
. way. where he gathered a considerable
|, following, the people accommodating will
every step He rushed for the subwa,
TO escape, firm In his conviction tina
: being President isn't what it's cracked
= up to be, but he was spotted In the uai,
f. and had to deny again that he was TIL
, President. But the crowd didn't wan
= to believe him.
. I'm going home and stay there" h
declared emphatically to the reporte
4 hanging to his arm. "So wonder tn
4 President has to have a guard. Look a
. me! Just look at me-" he invited. H
q | was somewhat the worse for weai
n Probably a thousand or SO enthusiast
!. people had walked on his feet Some,
: seems, had tried to climb UP his LEGS
h for his trousers were soiled TO his knee.
q Altogether Mr.. McCabe had suffere
: considerably for the mistaken identity
q flattering as II was.
1t is coincident that the President an
a Mr.. McCabe not only look alike, bu
h have the same bearing and similar man
" nerlsms to a degree, and that both hay
:. been college professors. Mr. Mccall
d composed an American tune for M
d Country, TITS Of Thee" Mr.. Wilson
u a year older than Mr.. McCabe. but NJ
McCabe Is a few inches taller than III
4 President. Their figures otherwise ar
n alike. Both wear glasses with the sam
h lenses and design.
Mr.. McCabe has been active in wa
,r work, conducting Sings" at the camp
II Often, as yesterday. he had been salute
ie by officers, who stood at attention unit
he had passed. He has a son in ii
aviation service. Lieut.. John Walk,
l..