The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-10-13

Vets ENTERTAINED
Brilliant Concert in the Tab
ernaele Last Night-Echoes
of the War.

A splendid entertainment, al
most entirely by P. H. O'NeiH, was giver
In the Tabernacle. last night, for thu
amusement of the visiting members Of
the Union Veterans Union.
The old Tabernacle never presented :
prettier appearance. The choir stall. bal.
cony. chandeliers and side walls were
profusely decorated with the nationaI
colors and flags carried In war times by
he several posts of the city. An i'm.
mense platform had been erected for the
accommodation Of the veterans and those
of the Citizens Reception Committee
who were on hand. In the back ground
were three immense American hags pref.
tily arranged. To one side was stretched
an immense nva on which scenes OF
the late war were thrown by means Of q
stereopticon, operated by the accommo
dating Rev. J. Lester Wells.
At eight o'clock, when everything was
In readiness to begin. every seat in the
big church was occupied, and the aisles
were lined with stools. AS souvenirs of
the occasion every one was presented with
a small American flag, which subsequent
ly were waved vigorously during the
singing of National airs. p. H. O'Neill
was selected as presiding officer. Con-
spicuous on the platform near him were
Mayor Wanser, Police Justice Douglass,
Flavel MCGEE, W. H. Sullivan and p.
]. McCarron. Colonel John j. Toffey
was to have delivered an address of wei
come to the audience, but yesterday he
contracted a severe cold and was unable
to fulfil his engagement. He sent a
letter. which was, however, trimming
over with patriotism.
Chairman O'Neill made one Of his char
acteristic speeches and was loudly ap-
plauded- Charles H. Smith, the tenor
~soloist. sang the Star spangled Ban
ner," and the audience joined in the
chorus with a will. SO enthusiastic were
a half dozen veterans who were con-
nad to be repeated. A violin solo by
Master Morris Kraus provoked tremen-
aous applause. MI: Kraus was accom-
panied by Egmont Mollenhauer
Alderman William II. Vermilve recited
a Incident of the War" in an exceed
ingly clever manner. The poem was a
long one. but was intensely interesting.
three minutes by the delighted audience.
lie responded by telling an amusing
story about a church deacon who pre-
sented a church with 800 hymn books,
and In one of the hymns inserted an al,
v~ertisement of a brand Of pills he manu-
factured- This called for another story.
Inc Alderman was equal to the occasion.
lie retired amid great applause
A soprano solo by Miss Zetti Kennedy
was loudly applauded. Miss Kennedy re-
sponded and rendered a pretty French
song. She was accompanied by John
Keefe. The solo portion of the RED,
Whate and Blue" was sung by Charles
Smith. The chorus was sung BY the au-
dience.
Miss Lizzie OsNeiH played a difficult
arrangement of "OId Black Joe." and for
an encore rendered several popular airs.
applause A recitation by Miss Annie
Rafters, dealing with incidents Of the
wal, was Followed by the singing of
Marching Through Georgia."
speech. He recited many incidents Of the
war, spoke of the bravery Of the soldiers
OF both sides, and In a touching way
spoke of the manner In which men left
muskets and went to the front to pre-
serve the country He told of several bat
ties in which the northern forces had
been victorious, spoke Of the JOY that
reigned for a time in camp after such oc-
easions and finally of the sorrow and
gloom that prevailed when the roll was
called and so many brave and loyal men
failed to respond.
He concluded by declaring that gather
ings of the veterans did much to pre-
serve patriotism among the rising genera
tion.
General Horatio King of Brooklyn made
a brief speech. He said It was not well
to always look or the gloomy side of the
late war. He said there were many ANUS
incidents in connection with ii, and he
promptly proceeded to narrate a dozen
or more to the intense amusement Of the
audience.
Stereopticon flashlights on graphic
of the war were given by the Rev.
j. Lester Wells, and the entertainment
with the singing of s.Auld Lang
The veterans after a business ses-
sion today will go to Bergen Point to-
night and enjoy q ciambake- There will
Bergen Point in trolley cars.