New-York tribune., 1918-12-14
Rain Postpones
Central Park
RedMillenniul1l
''Downtrodden" Populace
Too Busy 10 Attend Much
Advertised ''Crepe-Walk'
Ellis o. Jones Is There
Mild Mannered Poet Taken
to Cell by the Police as
Their Whole Days Bag

Ellis G. Joness personally conducted
millennium was postponed yesterday on
account of the rain and the police
Instead of inaugurating a new work
less. debtlcss. mayorless world Of
Arcandian JOY, Black Friday, the 18th,
found Mr.. Jones drying his wet shoes
N jail at its drab and drizzlng close.
lie million who were to have met him
cn the Mall in Central ark and help
upheavc the settled order of things
dwindled in number to q dozen shiver-
ing factory girls. They were too cold
and damp even TO protest wher they
saw their leader led away by the police.
BY the proclamation of the nameless
society which Mn. Jones said he repre-
sents the workers were to take charge
Of the world at high noon Yesterday.
Debts were to be cancelled, leases and
contracts nullifed and all public offices
declared vacant. The idea sounded so
god that Mr.. Jones looked for a stam-
pede to the park of every one in town
save creditors and city officials.
Fifty!-Count 'Em-Fifty,
Only about fifty people actually
showed up at the appointed hour, how
ever HcSe were lOOSely CldSSIlSU dS
follows: Newspaper reporters, 10;
photographers and movie men, 13;
secret service operatives, A. city de-
tectives disguised as Bolsheviki g. BY
a process of elimination the remaining
FIVE were cata logued as "terrorists." p"
They paraded around under dripping
umbrellas, looking for Mr.. Jones.
Unfortunately for their plans none
Of the small group was personally &C
J 1. +l.1,, Nv,
did not wear the mourning band which
was to have formed the outward SYM
boil of his grief over lige in general
He did have on a flaming red necktie.
but as Captain ourke, of the old arse nal
police station, was huttoned up be-
meath his fatigue coat in sweater
of the same color, the distinguishing
touch Of red only served to cause CON
fusion.
Some of the faithful gathered around
Captain Bourke's sweater. while others
Then the respective parties began
promenading the Mall, each waiting
apparently to see if the other was
going to start something first.
After an hour the nineteen reporters
identified Mr. Jones and asked for an
interview. He was willing.
81 am personally in favor of dis
banding the army and navy he said.
This was the nearest approach, so
far, to public speaking or unlawful pub
lie gathering. Captain Bourke tapped
Mr.. Jones on the shoulder. you're
under arrest" he said.
Mr.. Jones looked in astonishment at
the captain. BY his own proclamation
all public Offices were vacant, and here
was uniformed official venturing to
assert authority in supposedly police
less era.
"Well. all right" said Mr.. Jones; eff
you insist
The solitary "revolutionist" was
taken to the arsenal station and his
name entered on the blotter under the
tentative charge of giving vonct to a
seditious utterance. Captain Bourke
personally charged his prisoner. The
inventory brought out a handful of red
lapel buttons, several onedollar bills
and a quantity of literature.
"This is all the peoples propaganda
explained Mr.. Jones, fishing handbills
and circulars out of every pocket.
This one is very Important; here's
cne that's even better. Don't miss any.
They'll help you make your case
MIR. Jones Is Suspicious
Mr.. Jones asked the privilege Of
counting his money in the presence
Ct witnesses before delivering it to the
police.
"No offence, captain" he said. But
I'd like to count it"
With three reporters as witnesses,
Mr. Jones was escorted to the West
Fifty fourth Street Court and ar
lainged before Magistrate Ten Eyck.
On the drive across town the charge
underwent a gradual modification and
finally became plain "disorderly con-
tiictn ,rhon 40 rour{ rom, yyac raachod
he hearing was set over until this
morning.
At the time Of Jones' arrest six or
eight uniformed policemen were patrol
Ing the Mall. A provost guard Of six
men and an equal number of patrol
men constituted the mobile reserve
held in the arsenal. None was needed.
When their leader was marched away
his half dozen followers vanished into
the mist.
Ma arm bands or red flags were ex-
hibited, and aside from the attempted
interview with the reporters, but one
speech was made. This was delivered
by one Of the policemen.
Sane AS Reporter
These fellows amt nuts he said.
addressing small group who gathered
with him under the lee of the band
stand. "They're sane, just the same
rs me and you The only thing is that
they find they've got little freedom
and then decide to go out and grab
some more OF it, That's not Bolshc-
wiki. It's just human nature"
Ellis o. Jones admitted that he has
been active as a Socialist for several
Years, but had never been arrested
before. He is graduate of Yale,
class Of '99. For some years he made
living selling articles and short
verses to humorous publications. Cap
tain Beurke also writes poetry. Each
seemed to recognize a common quality
IN the other and carried off an un-
pleasant situation with friendly per
siftage as literary gentlemen will.
Mr.. Jones was one of the prominent
members of Henry Ford's European
neace party.