The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-03-22
Despile the extremeIy disageeable con-,

Despite inc extremely ulsdSecdOlt cons
dition of the weather and the difficulty
experienced in getting about, there was
large audience present. consisting OF
the Davenport lodges of tile a. O. [. W.
society, Eureka Legion, No. %, of this
city, and MCLEAN Legion, No. 26, of
Moline, all in full regaia, together with
the various brotherhood of railroad men,
and many others from the three cities
who were present through interest in the
case
The stage was beautifully decorated
with emblems OF mourning, and upon it
were Rev W l.. Wlliston, of the Con
gregational church, Rev. F l.. wilkins,
of the Calvary Baptist. Rev d. c. Gar
rett, Of Trinity Episcopalian, Rev VIM.
Lease, of the Fourteenth street NJ L
church of Davenport Local Agent \
l.. Trotter and other officials of The
United States Express company were
present upon the stage Agent McKib
ben, of the American Express company
in this city, and other representatives Of
that company were present A number
of DavenPort's representative citizens
and chorus Of seven voices had seats on
the stage The exercises were partici-
pated in by all the ministers present, and
consisted Of reading of the scriptures,
prayers and singing Of Jesus Lover of
My SOM, ION May be Redeemed and
Blessed Where Art Thou" Rock of
Ages, and other hymns by the chorus,
led by the Davenport GIce club and then
Rev. F. l.. wilkins preached
MEMORIAL SERMON,
in which he said that no recent death had
so aroused the sympathy Of the people as
that Of Kellogg Nichols. It was the
prevailing subject Of the entire cOmmuni-
ty, and every clue that might lead to the
capture Of the foul assassins was eager
ly watched He alluded to Nichols as
man Of courage and valor, man whose
life went out in defending the convictions
of his heart. The speaker pictured the
desperate fight in that express car, a fight
for what the murdered man believed to
be his sacred trust. fight ia which there
was no yield on his part until his life
blood went out
The scriptures tell that "all things will
be revealed, and so it will be in this case,
though it is cnshrouded with deep and
apparently impenetrabe mystery now.
He spoke of the many ways of communi-
cation, the telegraph and telephone. and
claimed that the bloody deed would
sooner or later be avenged. The men
who bore the blood of this crime could
not live upon the face of Gods earth
UNPUBLISHED. How the righteous indig
nation of my heart is aroused, said the
speaker, "and how anxious | await the
time when man shall avenge this bloody
crime" He spoke OF Nichols as gal,
liant and heroic man who was equal to
the demands of the hour-that he had
defended his trust in the face Of death
and not yielded until the last breath had
left his body
God and justice demand that his blood
shall be avenged upon earth. He alluded
to the cursed lives Of the guilty murlerers
and the everlasting stain that was up
on their hands, He spoke of the widow
and the general sympathy that was ex-
tended to her in her great ailliction.
A committee was appointed consisting
of Rev NJ j. Williston. and Mr.. A. l..
Trotter, agent of the United States Elk,
press company, at Davenport, and g f.
Maxwell, cashier in the Davenport Ma.
tonal bank, to prepare a letter to the
widow, expressive of the sentiment Of the
meeting, and extending to her the SYM
pathy of the community in her affection
and public appreciation of the heroic