Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-14


Church to-day before the body of the
DISTINGUISHED Cuban leader was COM
mitted to the vault in the national GEM
etery at Arlington. The service was
notable in the distinguished gathering
present All the honors of war that
could be meted out to a national hero
were bestowed by this government up
on the lion-hearted old Cuban. Ha-
vana itself would scarcely have poured
forth a larger crowd than gathered in
and about the church and the most
radical of the CUBAN independents
could not have picked flaw in the Of
fetal marks of consideration bestowed
on the remains of their venerable lead
err. The church was filled to the doors
long before the funeral procession
from the Hotel Raleigh ar
rived. Escorted by two batteries
of United States artillery the
procession halted before the door and
the military guard grounded arms with
q ring of metal on the hard, cold pave
ment, while at the same moment the
church bell aloft tolled slowly and SOL
emnly through the crisp winter air.
J Inside the church the great crowd
I was hushed to perfect stiffness through
which the first notes of the organ
thrilled with the tenseness of a silver
WIRE and rising softly swelled into
tender harmony that seemed to be
more lullaby than dirge. The altar
was draped in the emblems of mourn
ing and the candles stood in black
sconces except at the foot of the cata-
falque, where the golden candelabra
with their many branches f1ared in the
gusts from behind the chancel
The solemn procession moved down
the aisle from the door, the coffin
borne by detail of artillerymen. The
Cuban flag was draped over the silver
bound coffin.
Ito the left in pews reserved for them
sat the honorary pail bearers, General
Nelson A. Miles, commanding the Unit
ed States army; General Lawton and
General Joe Wheeler, who were among
the first to greet General Garcia in
Cuba; General Shafter commander of
the American army of liberation; Col.
John Hay, Secretary of State; Senator
Thurston, whose devoted wife lost her
life less than year ago in visiting the
unhappy island in behalf of the Cuban
people, and Senators Proctor, Mason
and Money.
The coffin was deposited before the
altar and the solemn high mass was
begun. Those who officiated were:
Rev. Joseph McGee, deacon; Rev.
Charles Warren Currier, of Baltimore,
sub-deacon, and Rev. Clarence 3.
Woodman c. S. P. The sermon was
by the Most Rev. John Ireland, the
absolution after mass by Rev. George
Dougherty, master of ceremonies, st.
Augustines, Washington, and there
were present in the sanctuary Rt. Rev.
D. s. BARRETT, of the apostolic delega-
ton; Monsignor Steven, of the Cath
Ollie Indian Bureau; Rev. Dr. Rocker,
rector of the apostolic delegation, and
other priests.
Archbishop Ireland in his sermon
touched upon the solmnity of death, its
lessons and its encouragement toward
a higher Christian life. Of Gen. Gar
cia's career, Archbishop Ireland said:
His objects were civil and political
freedom for Cuba. He sought these
ideals with absolute sincerity and dis
interedness. Under this same princi-
pie we may judge all men and under
such principle does God judge them.
The eyes of the Most High rested with
complacency upon soldiers in different
camps, for in different camps soldiers
did their duty as they understand
duty. The soldiers of Cuba fought for
a noble principle, the betterment of
that country; the soldiers of Spain
fought from devotion to Spain and 10y
atty to their government, the soldiers
of America obeyed duty in obeying
their country and following out its
high purposes. 1t is in such spirits
as this at such a solemn time as this
that we must look upon the history
of battlefelds and accept the judgment
of the God Of battles as it is melted out
to the nations who have deferred to
the arbitrament of the sword. Now
war is closed, let peace and friendship
enter into our souls and reign between
America and Cuba, between America.
Cuba and Spain. Let there be upon us
the peace Of God made manifest among
men. There arises before us new re-
sponsibilities for America and new re-
sponsibilities for Cuba. For the latter
there opens the vista of liberty to the
Cubans to show what they are to de-
velope their own talents and the re-
sources of their country. If they fail
the fault is theirs. Religious liberty
will be theirs; let them show them
selves worthy of theft Catholic faith