Show < f I TRAILING THE FLAG I I The Stars and Stripes Disgraced on tlieGlQrJQns Fourth Another Declaration of Independence Independ-ence from the Leaders of the Peoples Party But No Insult Is Meant We are Mourning for Liberty The Glorious Fourth made its appearance appear-ance m Salt Lake under rather peculiar demonstrations At 9 oclock the stars and stripes rerc observed to bo drooping halfmast from the City Hal the Coop Co-op President Taylors residence Salt Lake Theatre County Court House and Deseret News Office Knots of citizens soon gathered on the streets to learn the real cause of such a proceeding and a DEMOCRAT reporter telephoned to the City Hall and inquired the reason for so singular a display of the flag on such an occasion but nothing could be learned The excitement grew warmer and a committee of citizens composed of Marshal Ireland Major Wilkes Captain Evans and C L Haines proceeded to the City Hall to learn why the flag was placed at half mast on the Fourth a day of general rejoicing In a few minutes City Marshal Phillips Constable Con-stable Crow and several of the policemen entered the Marshals office and Major Wilkes as speaker of the committee asked of Marshal Phillips the reason why the flag was at half mast Mr Phillips replied that THERE WAS NO REASON Save whim of his Major Wilkes asked if he did not think it a bad whim to have his countrys flag at half mast when the day is treated by fifty millions of American Ameri-can citizens as a day of joy He did and as loyal Americans they demanded that the flag be raised to the masthead or taken down Phillips said that it should not be taken down as it belonged to the City Hall and he would do as he pleased with it Charley Crow said the flag should remain where it was and then Captain Evans rolled up his sleeves and said he would just raise it himself He started to do so when the door was bolted and closed by one of the officers Crow raised his club and felt for a revolver revol-ver and prospects of a fight seemed near at hand After much talk and MANY THREATS OF SHOOTING On the part of Crow who refused to keep quiet a committee was designated to wait upon the Mayor concerning the matter Mr Fred Culmer and his brother broth-er William now came up and the latter became involved in a wrangle with Crow who dared Mr Culmer to touch the flap The crowd had now grown larger and more excited with indignation Marshal Ireland at last gained Marshal Phillips promise to pull down the flag or rise it to the masthead and lie and most of his friends then went up the street Phillips i soon overtook him in his buggy and said he could not interfere with the flag until he had seen Mayor Sharp which he did and THE FLAG WAS LOWERED In a few minutes afterward Sheriff Groesbeck was asked to raise flag on the County Court house and did so within a few minutes following After the City Hal difficulty a committee comprising com-prising G F and William Culmer Phil Klipple Martin Bernhisel Robert MimI hal and J lf Young under the leadership of Dr J 11 Benedict as chairman went to Lindsays Gardens where the Grand Army fraternity were spending the day I and made known the situation of affairs in the city Speeches were made by Dr Benedict J l1 Young Col Sells andRe and-Re Thrall denouncing the treatment of the flag and proposing to maintain it respect re-spect Colonel Sells introduced resolutions resolu-tions denouncing the apparent insult to the flag and asking the matter be looked into at once and the flag be put at the top of the mast from all public buildings The Governor informed General Mc Cook at Camp Douglas or the situation and the news spread rapidly about the city that trouble was likely to ensue After some discussion the committee at the Walker House resolved that the citizens citi-zens go in a body to the City Hall and hoist the flag and then to the other places and request that the flags be floated float-ed at topmast which i denied should be the signal to the crowd to PUT THEM UP BY FORCE This was moderated by Governor Murray Mur-ray who suggested that a committee wait on the Mayor and demand that he order the flag hoisted at the City Hall and that he use his influence in raising those on the Coop Tabernacle Gardo House Church Office Deseret News and Tithing Office The committe headed by Dr Benedict started on their errand On reaching the Mayor Dr Benedict was for carrying out the directions of the i meeting by demanding that the flag be raised while the balance were in favor of making it a request I was in consequence conse-quence of this that Dr Benedict bolted the committee although the Tribune did not so state it A DEMOCRAT reporter called on Mayor Sharp City Marshal Phillips and others this morning t learn the real purpose of J placing Fourth the flag a half mast on the MAYOR SHARPS STATEMENT On meeting Mayor Sharp he was asked i placing the flags at half mast on a half dozen public buildings was not precon certed He replied The city government ment knew nothing of it IOn I-On whose authority was the fag placed at half mast on the City Hall H By Marshal Phillips own volition I I have seen five of the City Councilmen and none of them knew anything about the matter until it was done At half I past 10 oclock Saturday morning my attention at-tention was first directed to the situation and then as now I expressed my sorrow sor-row at such a mistake and it was ordered put up PHILLIPS WILL TAKE THE BLAME Marshal Phillips stated that he knew nothing about any other flags although he had told Mr But the night before to put the flag on the City Hal at half mast What reason have you to assign for so doing Whatever was done in the mater I j am solely responsible for I had no intention I in-tention to hurt the feelings of anyone country nor show disrespect to the flag or the I Was it simply a whim I i Xotexactly I thought e had nothing I to since I rejoice over our best men are imprisoned or out of the country because I they can not get an impartial or fair trial I gt trial I told Marshal Ireland that I would take it down but did not promise to put it up I I had seen Mayor Sharp before the diffi I culty took place Did Chare Crow mouth your sentiments senti-ments m expressing himself sent committee 1 I am 1otc hle for what he said I told him to sifTdown and b quiet but he would talk Seeing clearly that all responsibility was saddled on Marshal Phillips and that he was perfectly willing to carry it no further efforts to = = = = I learn pi the simultaneous hoisting hoist-ing of a dozen flags at half mast from the leading church buildings were made as it looked like labor lost in a I futile kept secret attempt to know what would be I I |