The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-31
FUNERAL OF SIM COY
MORE THAN A THOUSAND PEOPLE
VIEW THE POLITICIANS FACE.
Interment ut Crown Hill Under Au-
spices OF Secret societies-Rev.
Van Buslxirk's Remarks.


Coy was lowered to the grave by the side
OF his wife, who, two months ago, passed
into eternal rest The attendance at the
funeral service of Mr.. Coy equalcd the
largest ever accorded a private citizen in
Indianapolis. The obsequies were held at
the home of Col. B. c. Shaw, No. 124 Spann
avenue, at 2 o'clock. 1t is probable that
more than one thousand people viewed the
face OF the dead between and 2:30 o'clock,
and, although the bleak wind that blew
from the northeast brought with 1t the
bitter Chill of winter hundreds or people
stood in the street in the yard during
the progress OF the service. Friends and
acquaintance in large numbers crowded
the rooms of the Shaw home. In the dark
ened parlor with it's somber drapings MAS
the presence of death. LIES experience,
its activity and its shortcomings were for
gotten under the influence of flowers and
tears and kind words. A rich, cloth-cov-
cred casket held the form once so familiar
TO the Indianapolis public. In death the
face was calm and peaceful, and those who
knew the features best could almost de-
tect the trace Of smile. Flowers Of the
costliest and rarest varieties were arranged
in profusion about the casket The Knights
of Pythias. Red Men. Druids and the
contributing a floral emblem of significant
character. An immense wheel of lilies OF
the valley. its spokes broken and shat
tered, rested at the head of the casket. At
the foot large anchor lowered above the
small emblems. n huge armchair,
structed Of bright-hued flowers and shield
bearing the battle AK and arrow occupied
positions near by.
Rev ID T. Van Rusl<irk of the Third
Christian Church, conducted the service
at the home. There was mo music; only the
simple. earnest words of the clergyman.
The service was brief and the remarks
of the officiating minister at no time touched
the personal life OF the dead, save IN oc-
casional ailusion to his active manhood
Rev. Mr.. Van Buskirk began the service
by a scriptural reading from First Corin-
thians, vii. 29-31: But this 1 say, brethren,
the time Is short; 1t remaineth, that born
they that have wives be as though they
had none; and they that weepas though they
wept not: and they that rejoice. as though
though they possessed not. And they that
use this word, as not abusing il; for the
fashion of this world passeth away"
The thought Of the discourse was the
brevity of life and the lessons that are to
be drawn from it. The minister looked on
the average life of a man as being no longer
than thirty-three years; deducting from
this ten years of infancy and youth and
ten years for eating and sleeping, there is
left but thirteen years for a m m TO as
sumo and discharge the responsibilities in
cumbent upon him; the responsibilities of
parents, wife and children; Of joy and sor-
lesson that the Savior taught: That it is
not the mightiest wisdom TO spend all ones
existence in amassing wealth for selfish
his hearers with the thought that the
world should be used for God and for the
good of others instead OF for the benefit
or self. The final issues Of human life are
not this side of the grave. If the grave
is the goal then human life here is a tissue
Of riddles: There is an incompleteness of
human life here that suggests a life be-
yond the grave. In that future life God
will judge not only righteously but in mer-
ey and It may be m whether ANY
Judgment upon his fellow-man. The min
lister thought that perhaps there were men
in the gutter who had fought fiercer battles
than he a soldier Of the war had fought.
He did not know all they had to contend
with. Mr.. Van Buskirk felt that the poet
Burns had perhaps expressed that thought
better than it had ever been expressed by
uninspired man, when he said:
"Who made the heart, tits He alone.
Decidedly try us;
He knew each chord its various tones
Each suffering it's various bias
Thus at the failure let's be mute,
We never can adjust ii;
What's done, we fairly may compute
But know not what's resisted"
The minister concluded his discourse with
prayer, expressing thankfuness that with
death all around us, the grave has been
conquered and there is a life beyond. He
| invoked fervently the blessing and COM
passion OF God upon all who felt this loss
Immediately after the reading OF the fu-
neral service the house was thrown open
and the hundreds OF people who thronged
| the yard and street we're invited to pass
| through. Many of those who had stood be-
side the casket for a moment turned away
with moist eyes. There were no violent
| outbreakings of grief only a low sob or
| sigh, and perhaps a lingering about the
coffin by some one who had felt the chart
| table hand OF the silent sleeper The In
| dianapolis Military Band preceded the cor
tege to the grave, where the burial ser
| vice was.r read by the appointed officer. At
| the cemetery the service was conducted by
| the Society of Druids. The funeral process
sion vas long, and besides a great many
| private vehicles. included the four organi.
cations of which Mr.. Coy had in life been
| member. The sword and belt witch he
had carried as a member of the Knights
| of Pythias roasted upon the casket when
| 1t was lowered to the grave. Following
were the pallbearers
knights of Pvthias. Joseph Tanning and
j @. Smith: Red Men. Thomas O'Nea1 and