National Republican., 1885-05-23
THE FUNERAL OF oDLUM.
A Large Crowd OF Friends Present
Father Ahcrn's Address,

Father Ahern's Address.
Robert Emmett Odlum, the dead athlete,
had n great many friends in this city, and
his funeral at o'clock yesterday after
noon caused moro than 800 of thom to
Wow the remains and crowd the house,
and over thousand more to block up the
street in front. The funeral took place
from No 5Ol Thirteenth street, just above
the avenue, and long before the time fixed
for the ceremonies people began coming,
aud came until the body was removed
from the house. During the day large
number of floral tributes were taken into
the house, there being some very hand
some pieces among them. The Washing
ton Light Infantry Corps sent fac
similc Of the Brooklyn bridge, of roses
and immortellog, with tho letters NV. l..
l. c." worked on the side. This piece
was very handsome. IL represented the
full length Of tho bridge, with the towers
on either side, and just at the spot whore
the dead swimmer made his leap was one
violot.
From New York came floral anchor
OF pure whito roses, with tho inscription
"Rest" worked on the bod in immortclles.
Personal friends scnt heart, and cross
and plain bouquet OF pink rose6uds
camo from young lady to whom tho de-
ceased was very much attached.
At o'clock Rev. Father Ahcrn, of ST.
Matthew's Church, arrived, attircd In his
priostly garments, and the doors were
shut. The crowd on the outside grew
thicker, and who all could push into the
parlors aud hail did so In tho parlors,
sitting around the coffin, wero tho dead
swimmers mother, sister, and nephew,
and number Of intimate friends, includ-
ing Gen. r. j. Brady, q. d. Scott and
wife, c. w. Herbert, the representative Of
Capt. Paul Boyton, who did not come;
Samuel q. Kinsloy, mombors of the the
atrical profession now in the city, Robert
Bruce, Z. w. Campbell, Of Chicago, and
some old associates of the deceased.
Father Ahern delivered the Catholic
burial service aud then made some eu-
logistic remarks about the deceased.
what the world will think of this man."
he said, for his failure to escape tho con-
sequences of violating the physical and
moral laws Of man, by placing his life in
tho stream of lifo that flows ever outward
to the great ocean Of death and is swal-
lowed, will bo that he believed that ho
could accomplish the feat of jumping from
the Brooklyn bridge without danger and
even with safety. Man cannot violate the
moral law without spiritual injury, nor
physical law without fatal conseq quenCes.
His act was RASH q reckless, n
foolish, and foolhardy one.
and the result was fatal, but what we
hold n man to is his intentions. Robert
Odlum was an intelligent man, and was
capable of divining the results Of failure
to perform the task he had Voluntarily
imposed on himself. In his own mind he
was justified. not only in hoping but
l. l. al, ha IN
with safety. He was professional
athlete, and recognized his right to eXer-
Cso his power as ho wanted to, and tho
responsibility rests now with those who,
if he had accomplished tho feat, would
have pardoned It, but now condemn it.
| You knew him we'll, and IL does not rest
with me to say more. You knew his
good qualities, his generous nature. He
| had rsked his life to save others, and
this commanded justly the respect and
admiration Of his fcllowmau."
When the address was concluded tho
| friends took last look at the face Of
the dead athlete, and the mother pressed
a passionate kiss to the brow Of her dead
son. When she rose n tear glistened on
| the cold cheek of the dead, and then the
undertaken placed the head-board in
| position, shutting Robert Emmett Odlum
from the sight Of the world forever. Out
side the rain WAS coming in light
showers, but tho people on the sidewalk
stood over half an hour until the coffin
with the floral tributes was borne through
their midst by Messrs. William Dickson,
+. X. Ward, Z. d. Wright, II. NJ. Van
neman, Washington Nailor, and j. A.
| Rudd, to sthe hearse. Then the carriages
| were occupied by the friends, tho cortege
proceeded to Mount Olivet cemetery,
where tho body was placed in vault.