Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1894-05-05
THE pRoCESsION

The last night in Brightwoo(
Driving Park camp was cold, anC
most CT the men slept on the ground
Marshal Browne marshaled the mel
into line after all had an early break
fast OF eggs, coffee and bread. There
were four hundred men, of which
sixty came with the Philadelphia di
vision, marshaled by christopher
Columbus Jones. Each man carried
heavy stick, to which was attached
Il small white flag, inscribed peace
on earth, good will toward men, but
death TO interest bearing bonds. ,
Before the start Browne made a
speech, instructing them to disband
on reaching the Capitol and enter
the grounds as individuals.
At 1915 o'clock the army was ready
and out of the Brightwood Driving
Park it started for town, four hun
bred strong.
As the caravan wound its way
down through the mile stretch OF
woods TO the city, it WAS the most
fantastic array ever conceived in a
dream Nine mounted policemen
rode on ahead, clearing the way.
Then came Carl Brown in his buck
skin suit, mounted on his big gray
Percheron stallion, and waving Il
small flag,
Next was creamy white prancins
steed, bearing the feature of the
whole parade, Miss Mamie CoXey,
in the role of the Goddess of Peace"
She is slender, really handsome
girl of seventeen years, with long
golden hair, drifting down her back.
She wore a pure white riding habit,
which streamed after her as the tall
horse on which she had been perched
pranced to the music of the band:
Her head was covered by a little rim
less blue cap, and she shaded her
face with tiny parasol. Altogether
she was q picture of such unusual
beauty that spontaneous cheer
greeted her unexpected appearance
along the line.
The Goddess of Peace was followed
by Oklahoma Sam, the cowboy, on
another big stallion. Then came
Roy Kirk and three other marshals.
Thatcher, the bugler, rode next,
emitting frequent blasts from his COR
net and followed by big, tapping
American fag,carried by Il stalwart
soldier. Next the Commonweal Ar
my Band of Sly pieces, mostly bass
drum and cymbals, pounding away
determinedly in an attempt at
"Marching Through Georgia"
The banner, with Il portrait of
Carl Browne as Christ, with the le-
gend He Is Risen, But Death to In
terest on Bonds was borne after.
Then. came light buggy decorated
with. flags, drawn by two black
horses, in which sat COMMANDMENT
Chief Coxey himself, beside Mrs.
Coxey, a rather handsome young
woman N tan-colored tailormade
gown, shading with a parasol the
white robed infant, Legal Tender
Coxey, aged two years.
Then, marching two by two, came
the six regular communes of the ar
nv. Before each commune was a
commissary wagon drawn by two
Percherons, the wagon daubed on its
canvas cover with weird allegorical
Illustrations of the Curse of Nation
al Banks. Small flags fluttered in
the hands of the marshals., who gal
loped alongside. The men bore their
white peace flags, and symbolical
financial banners, fearfully and won
derfully made, were sprinkled along
at intervals.
A long, weird shrek of the bag
pipes heralded the Philadelphia com
1nune. From the City of Brotherly
Love came also Goddess of Peace. "
Her identity was hidden. She was
another unknown" \ heavy brown
wagon horse, selected for his docility
carried her.