The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-06
THE DEAD MINISTER.
Preparing for the Funeral of
the Late John T. Swift.
Honors to Be Paid by the Army Committees
Appointed to Receive the Body.
Civic Societies Invited.

The remains of the late John F. Swift,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipo-
Tertiary to the court OF Japan. are expected
TO arrive on the steamer Belgic tomorrow
from Toxic. With view to according him
the honor due to his exalted rank a meet
ing. at which Mayor Sanderson presided,
was held in Parlor A of the Palace Hotel
last evening. There were present: NJ. NJ.
Estee, General S. w. Backus, J. c. Quinn,
;. K. Thornton, George A. Wentworth,
Judge Murphy, A. A. Louderbaek. Henry
Hook, General John McComb, r. p. Ham,
mond. W. w. Morrow, A. g. Booth, j. r.
Hebron, Edward Curtis, Judge Waymire,
General William Vandever, G. NJ. Leyey,
General Houghton, David Hewes, Lieuten-
ant Darlington, A. S. Hallidie. A. NJ.
Wheeler, William Chapman, j. w. Porter,
Alfred Wheeler, L. j. Shackelford, +. Peter
son. e. ID. Sawyer, Q. Y. s. Gibbs ana j.
W. GIanniss.
THE CoRwIN ON HAND.
When the meeting was called to order the
Secretary read a communication from Col
lectOr Phelps, in which the latter stated that
the revenue cutter Corwin would be ordered
to be under steam at Meggs Wharf at day.
llght Tomorrow morning In order to convey
the members Of the committee on board the
Belgic. AS the hour of the steamers ar
rival was decidedly prOblematic he also sug-
geSted that some plan be devised whereby
the members Of the committee might be
notified in time to be on hand. Arrange
ments had already been made whereby the
authorities would be notified the moment
the incoming vessel was sighted of the
Golden Gate.
Henry Hook, cashier of the Custom-h house,
was present, and stated that he had been IN
strueted to say that Collector Phelps was
unavoldably absent, but would see TO it that
everything possible was done to assist the
COMMITTEES In carrying out their plans for
the funeral.
MILITARY HoNoRs.
Lieutenant Darlington OF the regular
army appeared on behalf of Colonel Shafter,
commanding at Angel Island, to state that
the army would pay to the dead Minister
the honors due his rank, which would be
the same as those accorded to Lieutenant
General. An escort would be provided,
consisting of a regiment of infantry a bat
talon of cavalry and battery of artillery.
In addition TO this a caiSSon aud eight men
would be sent to the wharf TO convey the re-
mains to the mOrtuaTy chapel at Trinity
Church. Orders would also be issued for
the hiring OF salute of fifteen guns by the
shore batteries, and for the dipping of the
national ensign.
w. w. Morrow then moved that commit
tee be appointed to 90 aboard the Belgic to
ascertain the wishes of Mrs. Swift, and to
that end the following gentlemen were
named Mayor Sanderson, W. w. Morrow,
Sheldon 5. Wright, Edward Curtis, Paris
kllburn, I. g. Phelps, S. X. Thornton, John
McComb, G. 4. Bassett. George A. Went
worth, General William Vandever, A. S.
Hallidie, j. &. Quinn, Z. Peterson, Colonel
William Macdonald and r. p. Hammond Jr.
The names of General HoIghton, G. V.
5. Gibbs and David HeWes were added to
the General Committee.
CIVIC SOCIETIES.
General John McComb was elected Mar
shall OF the civic portion of the funeral
pageant, and on motion of Mr.. Morrow all
civil societl es who desire to participate were
invited to do so. and requested TO notify
General McCOmb at his residence, 322 Geary
street, who would assign them to place in
the line of march.
5. *. Thornton then read a communica-
ton from Japan by the last mail stating
that the remains would leave Toxic by the
steamer Belgic and would arrive in San
Francisco on the 9TH of May. The letter
also stated that every diplomatic honor had
been rendered the dead Minister by his I'M
perial Majesty's Government, and that the
body would be taken aboard the vessel with
every display of international courtesy.
The Mayor was then requested to in
struct the flag to be placed at half-mast on
all municipal buildings and to ask that the
same tribute OF respect be rendered by all
ships stationed in the haTbor at that time.
a motion was carried requesting the Wo-
mems Exchange, Of which Mrs. Swift was
President at one time, to take charge of the
church decorations, and the Park Commits
sioners and private individuals were asked
to donate flowers for that purpose.