An overflow crowd estimated at 5,000 caused a near-riot last night outside Arnold J. Toynbee's lecture in packed Sanders Theatre.

Lines stretching from Memorial Hall to Littauer Center became restless after waiting for almost an hour. When the lecture started at 8 p.m., the crowd began jeering and booing police surrounding the building until it was difficult for those within Sanders to hear Toynbee.

Some students climbed Memorial Hall fire escapes, broke into the Psychology Laboratory beneath the stage, and attempted to force a trap door leading to the Sanders stage.

Bundy Stops Crowd

Another group of students pried open a basement window and unlocked one of the doors facing the crowd. Police were helpless as the throng surged forward.

Before any could reach the auditorium, however, Dean Bundy managed to check them, shouting, "You people have just succeeded in running this lecture for everybody else." Aided by the police, Bundy added, "May I ask you all to leave. Otherwise, there will be no lecture."

Increasing numbers of police were slowly able to disperse the crowd, and only after about 20 minutes could the 1200 seated in Sanders hear the lecture without difficulty.

Loudspeakers Needed

Police felt they could have prevented the near-riot had authorities placed loudspeakers in Memorial Hall to accommodate the overflow. "This wouldn't have happened if we had told them Sanders was full at 7:20 instead of letting them wait another 40 minutes," added a police spokesman.

Although Toynbee made only the one appearance, the crowds seeking to hear him rivaled those of last spring when Adlai E. Stevenson gave the annual Godkin Lectures. All three of Stevenson's lectures drew capicity audiences.