“A great man, sir, known in New York as Charles Waldron. The Emperor in command of the forces of United Europe has been informed already by wireless that America is in his hands. Tomorrow morning this leader’s name will be Prince Karl von Waldron, Governor-General of the Imperial Provinces of North America.”
“I advise you, Captain, to make the best terms you can with your new master.”
The Captain dispatched a launch to Governor’s Island reporting to General Hood the remarkable information he had received. His guns had already roused the garrison. The launch met General Hood’s at the mouth of the basin.
The two men clasped hands in silence on the deck of the _Pennsylvania_.
“The first blow, a thunderbolt from the blue, General--without a declaration--”
“A blow below the belt too--a slave insurrection is honorable war compared to the treachery that would thus abuse our hospitality!”
They tried the telephones and telegraph stations in vain. A council of war was called and through the grim hours from two A. M. until dawn they sat in solemn session.
Vassar’s Committee of Public Safety in the rear room of Schultz’ store grew rapidly into a recruiting stand for volunteers.
Before twelve o’clock the old Armory across the way was packed with hundreds of excited followers eager to fight. A bare hundred of them had permits to carry revolvers. A few had secured sticks of dynamite from builders. A hundred old muskets Vassar’s East Side Guard had used were there--but not a shell.
While they talked and raged in stunned amazement over the situation, a newsboy’s hoarse cry of extra startled the meeting. The morning papers had all gone to press before the blow had been struck.
“Get a paper--quick!” Vassar cried to Brodski, his district leader.
The familiar call of the two newsboys yelling from each side of the street could now be heard. This time their words were clearly heard above the din.
“Proclamation of Prince Karl von Waldron!”
Brodski returned with copies of the _Herald_, _Tribune_, _Times_, _World_, _Sun_, and _Press._
On the front page, in double-leaded black-faced type, surmounted by an imperial coat-of-arms supporting a crown, the proclamation of the new Governor-General was printed: