1900 - THE LAST PRESIDENT - Chapter 1 - That was a terrible night for the great City of New York

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Rhys

1900: The Last President recounts the tense night of Tuesday, November 3rd, 1896 in New York City, following election news that shifts national power and inflames local unrest. The narrative describes public panic, mounted police orders, and escalating mob violence led by anarchists and socialists, including threats against the rich and attacks on infrastructure. It then follows the attempted defense as regiments form in Union Square and firearms cut through chaos.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages48

Reading Time1 h 14 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

Chapter 1

1900The Last President Ingersoll Lockwood https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781796587913 1900:THELASTPRESIDENT 1900THELAST PRESIDENT 1900:THELAST PRESIDENT 1900THELAST PRESIDENT byINGERSOLLLOCKWOOD editedbyKASEYJAMESELLIOTT IndependentPublishing 2019 COPYRIGHT The original version of this work is in the public domain,dating to1896.This edition,with its format and cover design,is all rightsreserved and may not be stored,replicated,or retrieved without theexpress written consent of the editor. Independent Publishing 2019Printed in the United States of America First Published by The American News Company 1896 Cover designed by the editor ISBN:9781796587913 CONTENTS Chapter ……………………………………………………………………………………………………1 Chapter 2……………………………………………………………………………………………………4 Chapter ……………………………………………………………………………………………………7 Chapter 4……………………………………………………………………………………………………………10 Chapter 5……………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………13 Chapter 6……………………………………………………………………………………………………………17 Chapter 7…………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………20 Chapter ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………23 Chapter 9……………………………………………………………………………………………………………26 Chapter 10……………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………29 1900:THELAST PRESIDENT "The Chicago Platform assumes,in fact,the form of arevolutionary propaganda.It embodies a menace of nationaldisintegration and destruction."—Garret A.Hobart 1900:THELASTPRESIDENT CHAPTER 1 That was a terrible night for the great City of New York—thenight of Tuesday,November 3rd,1896.The city staggered under theblow like a huge ocean liner which plunges,full speed,with terrificcrash into a mighty iceberg,and recoils shattered and trembling like anaspen. The people were gathered,light-hearted and confident,at theevening meal,when the news burst upon them.It was like a thunderbolt out of an azure sky:“Altgeld holds Illinois hard and fast in theDemocratic line.This elects Bryan President of the United States!” Strange to say,the people in the upper portion of the city madeno movement to rush out of their houses and collect in the publicsquares,although the night was clear and beautiful.They sat as ifparalyzed with a nameless dread,and when they conversed it was withbated breath and throbbing hearts. In less than half an hour,mounted policemen dashed throughthe streets calling out:“Keep within your houses;close your doors andbarricade them.The entire East side is in a state of uproar.Mobs ofvast size are organizing under the lead of Anarchists and Socialists,andthreaten to plunder and despoil the houses of the rich who havewronged and oppressed them for so many years.Keep within doorsExtinguish all lights.” Happily,Governor Morton was in town,and although adeeper pallor overcame the ashen hue of age as he spoke,yet there wasno tremor in his voice:"Let the Seventh,Twenty-second,and Seventy-first regiments be ordered under arms."In a few moments hundreds ofmessengers could be heard racing through the silent streets,summoning the members of these regiments to their Armories. Slowly,but with astonishing nerve and steadiness,the mobspushed the police northward,and although the force stood the onslaught with magnificent courage,yet beaten back,the dark massesof infuriated beings surged up again with renewed fury and strengthWill the troops be in time to save the city?Was the whispered inquiryamong the knots ofpolice officials who were directing the movementsof their men. 1 1900:THELASTPRESIDENT About nine o'clock,with deafening outcries,the mob,like afour-headed monster breathing fire and flame,raced,tore,burst,ragedinto Union Square. The police force was exhausted,but their front was still like awall of stone,save that it was movable.The mob crowded it steadily tothe north,while the air quivered and was rent with mad vociferations ofthe victors:"Bryan is elected!Bryan is elected!Our day has come atlast.Down with our oppressors!Death to the rich man!Death to

FAQs

What event triggers the unrest described in Chapter 1?

Election news on Tuesday, November 3rd, 1896 spreads quickly, and the city reacts with fear and dread, followed by public violence and threats.

How do authorities respond at first?

Mounted policemen direct people to stay indoors, close doors, barricade, and extinguish lights, while Governor Morton orders specific regiments under arms.

What happens when troops are deployed in Union Square?

Two regiments stretch across the square; the mob attacks, and a deafening discharge of firearms produces a wall of fire that halts and scatters the crowd.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Rhys