[MONTEZUMA, INDIANA, MAY 14.]
It was about 3 P.M. Thursday when the train crossed the Indiana line and arrived at Montezuma, where the President was met by a very large and enthusiastic delegation from Indianapolis, headed by Gov. Alvin P. Hovey, Mayor Thomas L. Sullivan, Gen. Lew Wallace, ex-Gov. Isaac P. Gray, Judge William A. Woods, ex-Senator McDonald, and Senator David Turpie. The escort from Indianapolis included representatives from 52 labor organizations, from each G. A. R. post in the city, and delegates from the Hendricks, Gray, Cleveland, Columbia, Marion, Metropolitan, and Tippecanoe clubs. The Montezuma committee consisted of Rev. Thomas Griffith, Joseph Burns, T. A. Welshan, J. E. Johnston, N. S. Wheeler, and H. B. Griffith.
No meeting could have been more cordial. Hon. James T. Johnston, of Rockville, in a few eloquent sentences welcomed the President and Mrs. Harrison on their home-coming.
The greeting overcame the President for a few moments, and he was unable to respond to the demand for a speech at any length. He said:
My Friends—We have had a long journey, and one that has been attended by a great many pleasant incidents. We have had cheers of welcome reaching from our first stop, at Roanoke, Va., stretching across the mountains of Tennessee and Northern Georgia and Alabama, down through Arkansas and Texas, and along the Pacific coast. Everywhere we have had the most cordial and kindly greeting; but as I cross to-day the border line of Indiana and meet again these old friends I find in your welcome a sweetness that exceeds it all.
At this point tears came to the President's eyes, and his utterance became so choked he could say no more.
[INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, MAY 14.]
Promptly on schedule time, at 4:45, the presidential train arrived at Indianapolis. Its approach was heralded by an artillery salute. The stay in the city was limited to forty-five minutes. The Escort and Reception Committee—in addition to the distinguished officials mentioned at Montezuma—consisted in part of the following prominent citizens: Hon. R. B. F. Peirce, Hon. C. W. Fairbanks, Rev. M. L. Haines, Daniel Stewart, Col. Eli Lilly, George L. Knox, George G. Tanner, President of the Board of Trade; W. D. Wiles, John W. Murphy, George E. Townley, Silas T. Bowen, W. B. Holton, John M. Shaw, Albert Gall, I. S. Gordon, John P. Frenzel, D. A. Richardson, W. F. C. Golt, Arthur Gillet, John H. Holliday, Dr. Henry Jameson, Robert Kipp, Thomas C. Moore, V. K. Hendricks, Charles E. Hall, Nathan Morris, E. E. Perry, Smiley N. Chambers, G. B. Thompson, Franklin Landers, and R. K. Syfers.