, 1897-10-13
BURIAL OF THE PAUPER.
He Was a Veteran and Was Given a
Soldiers Funeral.

Six muzzle-loading muskets in the
hands osshe firing squad cracked. Each
shot sounded distinct from the Others.
The squad had lacked drill for many
years.
Observation-Disclosures"
Six old veterans, whose support 0:
their country had untitled them for SELF.
support, and whose work-house garb
was covered with tattered blue cape
greatcoats OF the regular army, pointed
their obsolete weapons over a newly
made grave and discharged them again.
Observation-Disclosures!
The rimrods ratified in the rusty tubes,
tie locks clicked, the Sho.S rang out,
the paper wadding from the guns fell
upon the mound OF earth and the white
smoke drifted away owe the sound.
A soldiers funeral-a pauper's grave.
1t was his devotion TO his adopted
country that won for Alfred Otto Sch
neider The first. He died September IA
last in the Metropolitan hospital Of PHI
thisis. For nearly three weeks his body
lay in the morgue awaiting relatives to
| pace it in a plot other than on Harris
Island. where the city burles its poor.
The woman with whom he had board
ed for 10 years, and VINO for the last
three years had from pity given bed and
board TO him. shed tears. His brother,
a wealthy manufacturer in Saxony, kept
silence.
Perhaps a quarrel with his brother led
Schneider into the German army, into
the hot battles Of the Franco-Prussian
war, and then, after the capitulation OF
Paris, to the land of the free.
But nobody knows about that. All
good Mrs. Berndt. with whom he had
lived at No. 167 East Flfly-third street
was up to his fatal illness. knows abou,
Schneider is that "a years & he arriv,
ed in this country. drifted into the great
west, became cow puncher and finally
enlisted as a private in Company A,
liza United States regular infantry
Capt. Van Horns command. at For,
Yates, and that 10 years later he receiv-
ed his final discharge a: Fort Laramie,
a corporal in rank, and with Capt. Ben,
hams observation-disclosures ex,
cellent."
Then Schneider came to New York
and made a precarious living selling ma.
chinist's supplies.
All treasures the man left were his
Two honorable discharge papers for
terms OF five years each from the United
States army. Gen. James r. O'Beirne.
charities commissioner, saw them and
said:
HE shall have a soldiers funeral"
Yesterday morning a dozen men pas:
middle age, in the uniform OF the G. A.
R., drew up in front 0: the morgue
that mysterious low red building in the
grounds Of Bellevue hospital where so
many stories end-mysteries still. They
shouldered a plain stained coffin cover
ed with the folds OF the red, white and
blue. Slowly they marched 70 the dock
where lay the city's Stygian boat, man.
ned largely by conyicts, already freight>
ed with the bodies OF IL adults and 80
infants, unknown and uncared for, most.
ly.
The boat swung into the stream,
touched at Randall's island, where the
| frinu Sul,ol ~ civ n,rnor, Ahnp,cn1tyoa
veterans OF the civil war. in tattered
uniforms. embarked. At One Hundred
and Sixth street so boys and girls from
ST. Cecilia's school. with their teachers,
went aboard.
Only the insane and their keepers live
on Harris island. In the center OF the
cemetery is the soldiers plot, marked
by the flags set there on Decoration day.
In the soldiers plot Schneider, SO years
cd, found a soldiers grave. Gen.
O'Beirne spoke mis- requiem and Pas:
Commander Thomas McGrann, Of H. B.
Clafi!n Post, G. A. R., read the ritual
service.
William ]. Mullane sang mot in a
Pauper's Grave" in a strong voice, and
so childish voices, with their sweet
treble. chorused the air out over the
blue sound.
Then before the muskets ratified these
children. half shrinking from the open
grave. sang The Star-spangled Ban
ner" and The Red. White and Blue"
'IAttention-right about-march!"
Six decrepit old men turned away
from a soldiers grave and marched
back to their quarters in the aims house.
passing the plain board which marks
the soldiers plot on which are painted
O'Hara's immortal words:
On Fame's eternal camping ground
Their silent tents are spread.
And glory guard with solemn round
The bivouac Of the dead.
New York World.