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THE STARS AND STRIPES LOWERED

The Queer Story of an Illinois Employee Regarding the American Exhibitions

NEW YORK. July 27.- Charles Cooden Illinois who was employed ar the American Exhibition in London was at Castle Garden today. Trying to obtain transportation to his western home. He tells a queer story of his experiences at the exhibition which he pronounces a complete failure, excepting Buffalo Bill a wild west feature. The work he says was all done by English Contractors, who paid starvation wages and invariably kept the men waiting an indefinite length of time for their pay.

"We would knock off work at noon on Saturday and the contractors would keep us waiting until 9 or 10 oclock at night and often later for our money." said he "Th English working people laid the blame for this on the American Management. Whereas the English contractors alone were responsible. Several riots were the result of this treatment and on one occasion the mob tore down a large American flag which floated from one of the scaffoldings and proceeded to burn it on the bonfire. I seized the flag and saved it from destruction but I came near getting laid out myself for it. The police, however, appeared on the scene just in time and drove the mob away"

This indignity according to Cooden was witnessed by Consulting Engineer O Drincoll, but the matter was hushed up.