ELECTION NIGHT IN NEW YORK.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3074, 19 December 1908, Page 4

ELECTION NIGHT IN NEW YORK.

Election night in America is the merriest and wildest election night in the world. Accounts

of the behaviour of the crowds in New York on the night of November 3rd show that the scenes were the most riotous on record. The correspondent of a London paper with experience of European capitals, three previous Presidential elections in the States, and New York and San Francisco on New Year's Eve, declares that the. disgraceful and senseless rowdyism in New York that night surpassed anything he had ever seen. In one quarter of the town a , man was shot and killed, and a gang of young ruffians fired revolvers at people in the houses, breaking many windows. This was in the Jiiast side, but the conditions in the centre of the city were little better. Out side the office of the "New York Times" early in the morning the streets were in the possession of brutes who insulted every girl they saw, robbed persons who were unfortunate enough to get caught amongst them, and assaulted many citizens. The lsss dangerous features of the orgy were indescribable. Every device for creating noise was employed, until at midnight the effect was maddening. Young men and women marched up and 'down yelling, singing, blowing horns, swinging rattles, and beating drums. In more fashionable circles the excitement was just as intense, but was kept under control. Hotels and restaurants were crowded to their utmost capacity with supper parties. Everybody was "out for a good time," and the merry-making w?s kept up all night. It was estimated that 15,000 dinner parties were given in New York that night, and the display of luxury and extravagance is described as amazing.