USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > History of Cuyahoga County soldiers' and sailors' monument. Scenes and incidents from its inception to its completion.--Description of the memorial structure, and roll of honor > Part 15
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" Resolved, That a committee of five members of this meeting be appointed by the chair to consult with the Monument Commis- sioners upon the propriety of selecting a new site for the Soldiers' Monument.
" Chairman Edwards appointed J. H. McBride, Hon. M. A. Hanna, Hon. George H. Ely, Col. R. C. Parsons, and S. M. Strong as the Committee on Conference. It was then moved and seconded that the Commission be requested to suspend operations until the Conference Committee could meet with them. The motion was carried. There were cries of 'we wont,' in which James Hayr's voice was recognized."
The result of the Board of Trade fiasco added fuel to the flame. The mouthings and writings of the cranks began to assume a threatening attitude. A few misguided people were worked up to take sides with the opposition. The effect of their work is republished from the Leader of September 3d :
" The first attempt to tear down the fence which en- closes the southeast section of the Public Square was made shortly after 1 o'clock on Friday afternoon. At that hour quite a large crowd of men assembled at the gate which opens on Superior Street diagonally across from the postoffice. There was some talk, and then the gate was forced open, and the crowd rushed inside the en- closure, where a force of men were at work excavating for the Soldiers' Monument. They hooted at the work- men, and then marched toward the gate at the Ontario
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Street entrance. They threatened to tear down that gate also, and the excitement for the time being ran high. The leader of the crowd who was inciting them on to action was John R. McGrevey, who lives at No. 24 Lyons Street. The police were notified, and Mc- Grevey was placed under arrest. The crowd was then driven out of the enclosure by the police, and the gate was again placed in position. McGrevey is about thirty years of age. A warrant was secured in the Police Prosecutor's office charging him with malicious destruc- tion of property.
" Just previous to the storming of the gate there was a speech to the crowd outside by a large man, well dressed, and who was somewhat excited. He said that he honored the Soldiers for their deeds of valor, and that a Monument should be erected to their memory. He thought that Commodore Perry was entitled to credit also, for he was the only American who ever whipped a British fleet. The Commodore had a dear spot in their affections, he said, and the Monument erected to his memory should not be disturbed. He added that the Square was public property, and that the public had a right to it.
"Somebody said something about tearing down the fence. The crowd, which was composed to a large ex- tent of bootblacks, newsboys, and loiterers, needed no further incentive. Voluntarily a rush was made for the big pine gate, and down it went in a few seconds. The crowd pressed inside. Men came running from every direction. Passengers on street cars left their seats and ran to the scene. It was the hour when the streets were full of people returning from luncheon. Business and professional men ran to see the fun and in a few moments' time the enclosure was nearly filled with people.
"The only member of the Monument Commission
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who was on the scene was Gen. Elwell, who arrived soon after the fence was stormed. He was very much agitated. He had just been discussing the subject with a citizen, and had been asking why it was that so many people were opposed to placing the Monument in the Square when those who knew what it was to be knew that it was the finest work of art of the kind in the world, and that there was nothing in all Europe which compared with it. The General's indignation got the better of him for a moment, and he shouted to Patrol- man Dangler to arrest the men. Several bystanders pointed to young McGrevey, who was in custody of Pa- trolman Dangler, and said that he was the leader of the mob. There was intense excitement as the patrolmnan started to the Central Police Station with the young man. The crowd followed and jeered. McGrevey de- nied that he led the crowd, and said that the gate was down when he appeared on the scene. The crowd had been persuaded to leave the enclosure and stood on the outside. When Patrolman Dangler appeared through the Ontario Street gate with young McGrevey the crowd followed them to the station-house.
"In the meantime the crowd talked about renewing the work of destroying the fence. Two stalwart men were placed on guard at the gate to keep intruders out, and to open it for the workmen who passed out and in with their wheelbarrows. There was considerable angry talk and several excited men besought every pa- triotic citizen to turn out at 10 o'clock at night and tear down the fence. Several persons wrote on the fence in big black letters, 'Wanted, 10,000 men to assemble in the Square at 10 o'clock to-night, to tear down the stockade.'
" The workmen were not molested after the first rush, and the crowd soon dispersed.
"After the crowd was excluded, Capt. Scofield re-
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mained inside the stockade and directed the workmen. The crowd peered through the cracks in the fence, and occasionally hooted at the workinen, and uttered de- risive cries.
" When Patrolman Dangler and McGrevey entered the station, they were followed by a number of the lat- ter's sympathizers and a good deal of loud talking was indulged in on all sides. McGrevey became eloquent in defending himself and made use of strong language in maintaining his position. He said: 'This placing ine under arrest does not injure the cause in the least. The whole city is behind my back, and there are enough others to carry on the work. Let them build up the fence, it will be all torn down before long.'
" There was some indecision among the officials as to what course to pursue in regard to the arrest. Lient. Burns refused to have the arrest entered on the blotter until the charge upon which McGrevey should be tried was decided upon. Gen. Elwell then went up stairs to the Prosecutor's office and a warrant was issued by Prosecutor Fiedler charging McGrevey with malic- iously injuring property. Gen. Elwell put up $10 for costs. The warrant was served upon McGrevey and his name was then entered upon the books. He was regis- tered as John R. McGrevey, a riveter, thirty years of age, living at No. 24 Lyons Street. After his first dis- play of anger, the prisoner relapsed into moody silence, and refused to speak at all. Attorney F. E. Dellen- banglı entered the station with a number of other inen at about the time the registry was made. He at once caused a bail bond to be made out for $100, and as lie affixed his name to it he remarked that nothing he had done in a year made him feel any better. The bond was also signed by L. B. Whitney, F. V. Faul- haber, S. M. Wolcott, Jr., and A. J. Scribner.
" Mr. Dellenbaugh remarked to a party of gentlemen
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who stood with him discussing the assault that he would like to bail out a man every minute who was ar- rested upon such a charge. Gen. Elwell said to him :
"' What ! do you mean that you would countenance such conduct as that ?'
"'Yes, I would like to bail a inan out every minute. The people are speaking, and I have always recognized the voice of the people as the voice of God.' Mr. Del- lenbaugh said later that he hoped there would be a large attendance at the taxpayers' meeting in the Square Saturday night to discuss the question as to where the Soldiers' Monument should be placed.
"'Will they tear down the fence?' asked a bystander.
"'You can't control a lot of angry inen,' he replied. ' You can't tell what will happen.'
"A meeting of the Monument Commissioners and the Board of Trade Committee, appointed to confer with them, will be held at the rooms of the Board of Control at II o'clock this morning. There were all sorts of rumors last night that a compromise site for the Monument would be agreed upon, but there was nothing authentic to give rise to the hope that the war- fare is closed.
"A meeting will be held in the Public Square, north- east section, to-night. Conservative citizens who have spoken at all on the subject deplore the attempt to hold a meeting, believing that no good can come if a mnis- cellaneous crowd assembles in the Square, as most likely will be the case, for the purpose of witnessing excitement.
"One week from to-day will be the seventy-ninth an- niversary of Commodore Perry's victory, near Put-in- Bay, over the British naval fleet, under Commodore Barclay. It was after this battle that the following fa- mous letter was sent to Gen. William Henry Harrison :
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" U. S. Brig Niagara, off Western Sisters, September 10th, 1813, 4 P. M.
" We have met the enemy, and they are ours.
"GEN. WILLIAM H. HARRISON."
"OLIVER H. PERRY.
"It has been suggested, and was a current topic of conversation on the streets yesterday, that all demnon- strations in honor of the anniversary should be post- poned until next Saturday. At that time, it was stated, the proper thing to do would be to have a celebration that would be fitting to the occasion. The fact that this is the Columbian year; that an interest is being taken in American history such as has never been taken before, and that Commodore Perry's name is a household word at present, were all used in arguments in favor of appropriate exercises in honor of his mem- ory. From the tenor of the suggestions made by a number of citizens who talked about the matter, it is safe to say that a call will be issued soon, from some place, that such a meeting be held.
"'It is our duty to prevent disturbance, and we must of course insist on an observance of the law," said Mayor Rose when informed of the arrest of the fence breaker yesterday. 'While nearly all citizens object to the fence in the Square, we can not allow them to tear it down in violation of law. If a mob of four or five thousand undertook the task they would probably have the fence down before the police could be mus- tered, but it will not be done if we can prevent it.' [Rather suggestive that, coming from the Mayor of the city. But the cowardly mob did not act on the hint .- W. J. G.]
" Mr. J. H. McBride, Hon. M. A. Hanna, Hon. R. C. Parsons, Hon. Geo. H. Ely and Mr. S. M. Strong, the Committee appointed at the Citizens' meeting in the Board of Trade rooms on Thursday to confer with the Soldiers' Monument Commission, met yesterday at the
Abr
"THE END OF THE WAR; OR, THE PEACE - MAKERS AT CITY POINT."
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office of Mr. M. A. Hanna, in the Perry-Payne building. A communication was sent to Major Gleason, President of the Monument Commission, asking when and where they could meet the Commission. The Major replied that a conference might be held in the Board of Control room in the City Hall at II o'clock this morning.
"In speaking of the conference to a reporter, Major Gleason said : 'It will be interesting to see with what sort of a proposition the Committee will come to the conference. As business men, they should not ask.us to abandon the Square without offering us another site just as good. There are plenty of good sites in the city, but I know of no desirable one except the one in the Square that is available for the Monument. I sup- pose that they will take up the subject where the Board of Trade meeting left off, and that there will be a lot of discussion. I understand that they are going to fire at uts the Council resolution giving General Meyer au- thority to bring proceedings to keep us off the Square. That resolution was about twelve years behind the times and should be stowed away with the other an- cient rubbish.' "
A conference of the Board of Trade Committee and the Monument Commissioners was held on Sept. 3d, a report of which we clip from the Leader of the follow- ing date :
"A score of gentlemen gathered in the Board of Con- trol rooms, Saturday morning, to discuss the Soldiers' Monument question. They were members of the Montt- ment Commission and of the Conference Committee appointed at the Board of Trade meeting. Before the meeting was called to order the gentlemen considered the matter in an informal way.
"'Were there a number of competitive designs ?' asked Mr. M. A. Hanna.
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"'No; we took Captain Scofield's design, and added to it from time to time,' responded Major Gleason.
" Mr. Hanna called attention to the fact that every law providing for an increase in the tax levy included the provision that it should be used for the construction of the Monument and the purchase of a site. He took that as an indication that the Commission had some other site than the Square in view as a contingency. It hardly bore out the claim of the Commission that the Monument was designed for the Public Square and could not be placed anywhere else.
"'When was work on the Monument begun?' asked Mr. Hanna.
"'In 1885,' responded Major Gleason.
"'When did you get authority to use the Square ?'
"'In 1888, but from the first we figured on placing it there.'
"'There has been some talk about this being an eleventh-hour 'kick,' said Mr. Hanna. 'I believe that no objection has been made heretofore because people had no conception of the character of the Monument. I, for one, supposed that its base would be two or three times as large as that of the Perry statue, but now I find that it is to be a house. It will fill the entire section of the Square, and will be a serious obstruction there. There is not a person in Cleveland who is opposed to the Monument, but a majority of the people do believe that a better site than the Square can be selected.'
"General James Barnett was made Chairman and Mr. M. A. Hanna Secretary. General Barnett suggested that the discussion should be conducted without acri- mony and ill-feeling. 'The Committee are not here to oppose the Monument,' said Mr. J. H. McBride, 'but to represent a large class of people who do not think it should be placed in the Square.'
"General Barnett-'This Commission have had only
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one site available and the work has gone on with refer- ence to that. If a mistake has been made it should be pointed out and a remedy suggested. Have the Committee a definite proposition to make as to any other site?'
" Mr. Hanna-'I do not understand that we have. We spent a good deal of time yesterday discussing various sites, and we have several men getting information. We hope to impress the Commission with the fact that a large majority of the people are opposed to the Square as a site. If the Square will ever be good for anything it will be to relieve the congested state of affairs that will arise with the increase of population. This Com- inittee were appointed for conference and have not come with any proposition. If a mistake has been made as to the site, another should be selected.'
"General Barnett-' It is to be regretted that nothing was said during the past thirteen years. The Commis- sioners have always been willing to meet any citizen who had a suggestion to make, and it is late now to bring up this subject. But it may not be too late.'
"Hon. R. C. Parsons asked the Commissioners whether they would be willing to place the Monument at the foot of Ontario Street, at the foot of Erie Street opposite Lakeside Hospital, in Wade Park, at the corner of Euclid and Huron Street, in Lake View Cemetery, or the northeast section of the Public. Square. He praised the Monument from an artistic standpoint, and said that it could not be shown to proper advantage in the Public Square. He said that he had seen all the National Monuments of note in the civilized world, and they all had better sites than was proposed for the Soldiers' Monument. He asked whether the Comunis- sioners would submit the question to a vote of the peo- ple. He believed that nine out of ten people were opposed to the obstruction of the Square. He referred
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to Attorney Frank E. Dellenbaugh. James Hayr inter- rupted with the exclamation :
"'Mr. Dellenbaugh's remarks are not appreciated here; his uncle is President of the East Cleveland Railroad Company.'
"'I would rather have the Monument stand forever on the Square,' said Colonel Parsons, 'than have the street railroad run through the Square. I represent no corporation but the people, and I do represent the people.'
"Mr. Hayr explained that he did not wish to inti- mate that Colonel Parsons represented a corporation.
"Another reference was made to Lake View Ceme- tery, and General Barnett said :
"'I think that site may as well be eliminated from the discussion. I do not believe the people would want the Monument placed in a graveyard.'
"Colonel Parsons-' You remember, General, that it was proposed to place the Garfield Monument in the Public Square. It would have been a monstrosity on that site. If the Commissioners are satisfied that the people favor the Square, why not submit it to a vote ?'
" He also asked the Commission to name some other site than the Square that would meet with their ap- proval, and if its cost was within the bounds of reason it would be purchased for them.
" Major Gleason declared that the Committee had not obtained accurate information concerning the Mon11- ment. He gave figures to prove that it would be less of an obstruction than was claimed by the Committee. Next to the Public Square he favored Wade Park.
"'We will purchase the reserved section in the cen- ter of Wade Park,' said Colonel Parsons.
"'Well, we should like to see in writing any proposi- tion that may be made,' resumed Major Gleason. 'Dur- ing the past thirteen years we have been going ahead
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and the people have been with us. Your Committee represents a very enterprising Board-where were you all these years? The Park Commissioners offered us any quarter of the Square except this southeast section. Mr. Wade said that it might be wanted some day for an extension of Euclid Avenue. The site at the corner of Erie and Summit Streets would cost $200,000.'
"'Why not place it in Lake View Park opposite On- tario Street?' asked Hon. Geo. H. Ely.
"'It would be practically impossible to get a founda- tion there,' answered a Commissioner. 'Besides, Onta- rio Street is laid out through the Park, and cannot be legally diverted from public purposes.'
"Colonel C. C. Dewstoe said the only objection that could be urged against the southeast section of the Square as a site was the fact that it might be needed for an extension of Euclid Avenue. He considered it strange that the Commissioners were offered any other section of the Square. He said that if the Monument were placed in the Square it should be in the southeast section. The Commissioners have no idea of doing any- thing to inconvenience the people.
" 'What is the basis of all this opposition if the peo- ple favor the Square as a site ?' asked Mr. Hanna.
"'There is a false sentiment that is being worked up about Perry,' said Colonel Dewstoe. 'The moving of his statue would not involve any disrespect to his men- ory. No one objected when the statue was moved to its present position. A number of Euclid Avenue prop- erty owners are very anxious now to have the street extended. The attorney of the East Cleveland Railroad Company offered to bail out a hundred disturbers in the Public Square. He offered encouragement to persons who were attempting to coerce us by mob law. The City Administration has acted in a very peculiar man- ner, and the newspapers like to favor the public offi-
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cials. They receive printing and other favors. If you gentlemen know of any better site, I would be very glad to hear it.'
"Major Gleason explained that no member of the Commission, including the designer, received a cent of money. 'Statuary was modeled in this city for $250,' he said, 'that would have cost $1,000 if the work had been done by contract. We handle no money. When com- pleted, it will be the grandest Monument in the country.'
"'General Leggett says that it will be the finest in the world,' said General Elwell.
"'It has been reported that it will cost the City $3,000 per year to care for the Monument,' said Mr. S. M. Strong.
"'It will not cost the city a cent, if the city will let the old Soldiers have charge of the Monument,' said Major Gleason.
"Mr. Bauder suggested that the site at Bond, Lake and Summit Streets was a good one if it could be se- cured. If the Commission was to turn back, however, it must be an honorable retreat.
"Mr. Ely proposed the appointment of a joint com- inittee to consider another site. General Barnett ex- plained that a contract for the work had been awarded, and that operations were being prosecuted with vigor.
"Mr. Hanna expressed the opinion that Colonel Mc- Allister, the contractor, would not put in a claim for damages if the work were to be stopped. 'Yes, but he has been called to New Orleans on a great public occa- sion,' explained Colonel Dewstoe, 'and it will be some days before he returns to the city.'
"General Elwell was gratified by the spirit mani- fested by the Committee, but he said he was discour- aged by the bitter and almost vindictive spirit displayed at the Board of Trade meeting.
"Colonel Parsons moved that a joint committee of
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three Commissioners and three members of the Board of Trade Committee be appointed to consider the ques- tion of selecting another site.
"Mr. Hayr said he was willing to do anything that was reasonable. He wondered at the sudden change of sentiment in men who were until recently in favor of the Square.
"General Elwell expressed confidence that the true sentiment of the people was with the Commission.
"Colonel E. W. Force believed that the Monument should be kept on the Square and that $200,000 1110re should not be spent. He did not believe that the tax- payers would be willing to pay $200,000 inore for a site.
" Mr. Henry W. S. Wood insisted that the Monument should go in the Square. 'Throughout Europe,' said he, 'the monuments are placed in the squares and not in the suburbs. The West Side people want the Mon11- ment kept in the central part of the city.'
"The following resolution, offered by Mr Ely, was adopted :
" Resolved, That a committee of five members of the Commis- sion, of whom the Chairman shall be one, be appointed for confer- ence and co-operation with the Committee appointed by the Board of Trade in an endeavor to procure a site other than that selected by the Commission, which shall harmonize the present existing views on the subject.
"The meeting adjourned, subject to the call of Gen- eral Barnett, the Chairman."
ATI.
T 'HE cranks had at last succeeded in carrying out their fond desire. They, too, held a "mass meet- ing," the principal ingredients of which were noise, personal abuse, and fury. It took place on the evening of September 3d, and was reported in the Leader of next day as follows:
"The northeast section of the Public Square was black with people for two hours last night, and the fate of the fence around the opposite section, where Perry still stands in silent majesty, was a matter of conjecture at several stages of the meeting. If some of the speak- ers could have swayed the crowd, an attempt would have been made to demolish the fence. Whether such attempt could have been successful or not is very doubt- ful, for forty guardians of the peace in the form of the mnost stalwart members of the police force kept watch and ward outside the enclosure, and it would not have gone down without an accompaniment of broken heads and bruised bodies. Fortunately, three-fourths of the assembly were law-abiding citizens, and the other fourth had nearly all the fight talked out of them by the time General Meyer and other speakers had said what they wanted to say. The meeting did one thing ; they resolved to hold a celebration of Perry's victory next Saturday, the proposed program involving the decoration of the Commodore's statue. The first ratifi- cation of last night's meeting was given by means of a piece of black chalk in the hand of one of the moving spirits in the Franklin Club. Invitations to gather in the Square were scrawled in black and white on the
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BRIGADIER - GENERAL JAMES BARNETT.
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obnoxious fence in sundry places. Many of those who read the invitation were straightway moved to write something presumably appropriate themselves, and the consequence was that by yesterday afternoon there was a choice aggregation of notices on the outer wall.
" The outside of the big pine fence was literally cov- ered with a large assortment of inscriptions and notices. They were written and printed with lead pencils, chalk of varied colors, and carbon pencils, although the vari- ety in penmanship and lettering was more marked than the assortiment of ideas. The most conspicuous of the inscriptions were notices written in a large hand in many places, reading as follows: 'Mass meeting in the Square to-night to protest against the removal of Perry's Monument. Come, everybody.' Near the big gate which was torn down the other day was written: 'Wanted-10,000 11en to assemble in the Square, at 10 o'clock to-night, to tear down this fence.' In big blue letters on the fence was written: 'Come prepared for action to the inass meeting. Bring axes, crow-bars, picks and sledges.'
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