About 45 people came to the sidewalk across the street from the Ft. Harrison Hotel at 6:30pm to remember Lisa McPherson, who died 2 years earlier in room 174 of the hotel. We lit candles, and a bagpiper played some songs, including "McPherson's Farewell." The hotel was empty and dark. A sign in front of the front door said "We are not here. We are out doing good in the world." There were signs on either side of the entrance that said "deadbeat dads and child molesters go home." The Winter Wonderland in the lot across from the Ft. Harrison was advertised as having a grand opening at the same time as our vigil, but the Wonderland was dark and closed.
There was quite a bit of media presence, including CBS' Public Eye which aired a program January 7 1998 about Lisa.
After about 1/2 hour we walked across the street to the front of the Ft. Harrison Hotel. Two mourners placed a wreath next to the front door. A sign on the tripod said "We remember Lisa McPherson, 1959-1995." Some people put flowers on the wreath. As we walked past the wreath we blew out our candles and left. I told a church security man that we would pick up the wreath when we came back in the morning to picket.
In the time it took for us to get to our cars and drive by the front of the hotel, the wreath was already gone.