91
Herald May 22
TROUBLE AT THE GATE
ATTEMPT TO INCITE A BIG CROWD.
Suggestion to Storm the World's Fair and Force the Gates Applauded by Disappointed Thousands - Effect of Temporary Supremacy of Sunday Closers.
Chicago and the World's Columbian Exposition were near being disgraced yesterday through the rashness of a mob. But for the prompt action of the police the Fifty-ninth street entrance to Jackson park might have been torn down and the great enterprise besmirched by the cry of anarchy.
About 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon a well dressed young man climbed on a barrel near the entrance and begane to address the crowd gathered at the gates. When he called upon his hearers to enter the park by force the sentiment met with a responsive cheer from the five thousand people who had surrounded him. The speaker had no more than uttered the words when a police officer in plain clothes pushed his way to the young man's side and ordered him to cease at once. At the same time several blus-coats, re-enforced by a dozen detectives, ordered the crowd to disperse. There was a moment of sullen hesitation and then the throng slowly broke in pieces and moved on, up and down the thoroughfare. Another scene similar to the foregoing took place at Fifty-seventh street entrance. The crowd was small as compared with that at the Fifty-ninth street entrance and the police were easily able to prevent any riotous action.
It was a perfect spring day. The sun hung in a dome of purest blue and from the east came a tempering wind. From the budding trees came the songs of the birds and from the smiling earth arose the fragrance of flowers. Inside the high fence that held back hundreds of thousands of people the magnificent columns, spires and roofs of the white city glistened in the mellow sunshine, but from the mighty interiors came no sound. It was indeed a deserted city.
Not for the Eyes of the People.
The beauty of the peerless landscaoe, with its bright green tapestry dotted with a million fair blossoms, was not for the eyes of the people. The lagoons and canals, unfretted by th wind, lay shining in the light, but no trim craft cut the water or glistening blade cast shimmering ropes of pearls above the placid waters. Within the vast structures, the storehouses of the wealth of many nations, wherein are shown the products of man's genius, a few workmen hammered away. The splendid exhibits were covered with canvas and no moreal eye gazed upon them. Two thousand guards patrolled the park under orders to use force if necessary to keep safely hid the treasures from many lands. And so throughout the livelonig day all these beauties lay, as much buried from the sight of the people, whose brains and money made them possible, as though the earth had opened and swallowed them up.
Outside the guarded barricade there was another picture in strange contrast to the peaceful one within the forbidden grounds. From early morning until the sun went down the great thoroughfare leading by the western limits of the park and spanning the Midway plaisance was thronged with well dressed and law-respecting men and women. Hundreds of thousands of people gazed during the day from the dusty roadway and ugly viaducts into the glittering city over against the blue of the rolling lake. On one side of them was an enchanted city given over to solitude. On the other was a horde of noisy and vulgar mountebanks shouting their worthless wares or urging the people to patronize their worse than bad entertainments. From the west came the shouts of drunken men and the clink of glasses. The saloons that line Lake avenue as well as those near to Stony Island avenue did a thriving trade all day long. The people had money to spend and they gave it to the fakir and the groggery keeper because they could not spend it within the gates of the fair. Every fakir reaped a harvest, while the only entertainment worth all that is paid to see it was unable to accommodate one-half the people who desired to witness it. The one exception was Buffalo Bill's splendid exhibition. At both the afternoon and evening performance the great grand stands were packed to their utmost limit. When the shows began standing room could not be secured at any price.
92
Record May 22
Saw the Wild West Show.
Buffalo Bill's amphitheater was packed the eaves. Among some of the distinguished people in the boxes were Gen. Nelson A. Miles, Senator Don Cameron, ex-Senator John Creighton of Omaha, Gov. Cosio and Signor Don Francisco Gallastegui of the state of Queretaro, Mexico, Miss Pauncefote, daughter of Sir Julian Pauncefote. When it came time for the ponies to buck they bucked so earnestly that the cowboys themselves became interested. Lee Martin was riding Blue Dog when the crazy broncho reared straight up on his hind legs and fell backward. The wiry cowboy managed to squirm out of the way unhurt, although half the people thought he was killed. A little later George Johnson mounted Badger. The latter stood on his head a few times and then dashed wildly into the little platform raised in the center of the arena, smashing in one side of it. Johnson leaped just before the horse struck the boards and landed safely on top the platform, a feat not down in the bills. Then the crowd cheered for a full minute. Mr. Johnson was asked if it scared him. "Not on your life," he replied."But if you give Badger six weeks of bunch grass this place wouldn't him."
93
Post May 22
ROBBED BUFFALO BILL'S SHOW
John J. Laden Arrested for Stealing Tickets from the Manager's Office.
John J. Laden, until a week ago employed as bill poster for the Wild West Show, was in the Harrison Street Police Court to-day charged with burglary. Laden lost his position last Monday. Tuesday morning the manager of the show, on entering his office, found his desk broken open and 1,050 tickets of admission gone. The desk had been broken into by means of a screwdriver, which was found on the floor. Laden was suspected and arrested. It was found he had purchased two screw drivers Monday evening. A number of the stolen tickets had been given another man as security for $2 loaned the alleged burglar. These were also produced in court. The prisoner claimed to be able to prove his whereabouts the night of the robbery.
94
Mail May 25
A queer incident took place yesterday in the rotunda of the administration building. Col. Cody Sioux chieftains, headed by Col. Burke, had halted for a few minutes to admire the beauties of its great inner dome. They were gaudily dressed up, their faces besmeared with ochre and red paint; eagle feathers stuck out from their head dress, and beads covered up half of their naked shoulders. Although themselves observing the beauties of that place, they were without doubt the observed of all observers.
Two middle-aged men who stood off in a corner of one of the pavilions, and whose general appearance confessed the Briton in them, had been observing the redskins intently for some minutes, Indeed one of them had made a move as if to go to the group of dusky bravos. Suddenly, as if impelled by some unknown force which ho could not resist, he rushed forward and, touching one of the painted Indians on the shoulder, remarked in a voice loud enough for any one to hear.
"Pon me word, but this is me hold friend, Rain-in-the-Face."
The Indian thus addressed turned half- way round and gave ejaculation to a robust, if somewhat guttural, "Ugh."
"I soy, hold fellow, you surely must remember me. Hi'm Musgrove-hold Mussie, 'im as took you fox 'unting in hold Cheshire, don't you know."
The Indian's eyes dilated, a flash of recognition shot through them, he showed his white teeth, and with many satisfactory grunts threw his arms around the Briton's waist and actually danced him a measure there on the mosaic floor. Then he took him to Col. Burke, introduced him, and when the little band started to go out the Englishman and American Indian went away arm in arm.
"I have seen many strange sights out west," remarked the commissioner from North Dakota, who happened to be present when this little incident took place, “but this is certainly more than I had ever anticipated, and the Columbian exposition is the only place where such a thing was possible."
95
People's Press May 27/93. DULUTH
THE WILD WEST.
Rarely in the history of entertainments, says the Chicago Inter Ocean, has so distinguished an audience been gathered as that which attended the Wild West show yesterday afternoon. There was the American public--prevented by a caprice of Congress from entering the gates of the adjoining World's Fair--and as the guests of Colonel Cody there were present the Duke and Duchess of Veragua, with the members of their party of naval officers who are now Chicago's guests.
It was at their own volition that these ladies and gentlemen were present. They had expressed a desire to see the performance, and when it was intimated to Colonel Cody and his associates that the ducal party and the officers of the navy would like to see the show arrangements were a once made to entertain them in a fitting manner. Seven vehicles formed the procession to the grounds. Three of these were carriages, in which the Duke and Duchess of Veragua, with their party, made the tour of the boulevards leading to the show grounds adjoining Jackson park. Behind these came four tally-ho coaches, by means of which the naval officers were navigated to the grounds. All of the boxes had been reserved for the party, not because they needed all of the space contained in this section, but because Colonel Cody desired to shield his guests as much as possible from any intrusion that might be made on them by occupants of adjoining boxes.
The opening act of the performance was delayed for a few minutes, awaiting the arrival of the guests, but Colonel Cody ordered it to proceed after waiting a few minutes. It was not until after the grand entree that the foreigners arrived.
While little Annie Oakley was doing her marvelous work with pistols, rifle and shotgun, there was a murmur of recognition as the ducal party entered. Major John M. Burke acted as master of ceremonies, and handed the duchess into her box quite as gracefully as if he had descended from the Castilians instead of the Corkonians.
An attache of the show ran out into the arena and told Miss Oakley that the guests had arrived. The pretty little Ohio girl at once ceased her wonderful destruction of glass balls and, facing the grand stand, held her rifle at a "present arms" until the guests were seated, when she resumed her part of the programme.
The duke was greeted with a genuine American welcome when he entered the grand stand, and after taking his seat he arose in response to the applause of the people and bowed to the enthusiastic audience. While he was making his acknowledgments a remarkable scene took place. Bearing an enormous bunch of roses, little Johnny Burke No-Heck, accompanied by Chief No-Neck's squaw, came to the box and presented the flowers to the duke and duchess. Here was a tribute from the original inhabitant of America to the lineal descendants of the man who discovered the country.