Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-06-01
GRAVES OF DEAD HEROES
Subscriptions to Fund for Inclosing Resting
Place Of Maine Victims.
Movement Inaugurated by Maj. Butts
and Union Veteran Legion
Appeal to Patriots.


Encampment No. 60, Union Veteran Le-
gion. to solicit subscriptions for the imme-
date improvement of the graves of the
dead sailors of the Maine, Is receiving
daily contributions and words Of encour-
agement from every part of the country.
Major Butts recently returned from visit
to Key West, where he saw, with feelings
Of deep regret, the neglected condition Of
the graves of twenty-four martyred sail
ors of the battleship. whe were buried in an
oyster shell field called the city cemetery.
Major Butts brought the matter to the
attention Of his comrades Of Encampment
No. 90, U. V. L., who Immediately took
action and started a subscription. as has
heretofore been outlined in The Star. Reso-
buttons were passed and an earnest appeal
has been made to inspire in the hearts Of
the patriotic citizens of the land dispo-
sition to cheerfully and freely contribute
toward fund sufficient and adequate to
meet the expense incident to the erection
of an iron fence or Enclosure around the
graves of the heroes, the first to fall and
shed blood for the freedom of an oppressed
and outraged people.
So far more than 500 has been contribut-
ed and turned over to Major Butts, in
amounts as follows: Butts & Phillips.
Washington. D. c., IS; Colonel Henry Huss.
New York city, IS; Cash. Washington. D. C.,
So: A. Saks & Co., Washington, D. c., IS;
Mrs. Frances Battershall. Albany, N. Y,
81; General John H. Stibbs, Chicago, H..
81; N. E. Ives. Chicago, ILL.,, 81; E. B. Ohm
sted. Chicago. Ill. 81; A. McGinnis. Chi
Washington. D. c., 81: John T. Sadler. De-
troit. Mich, 81; clerks of c. G. Afford &
Co, New York city, $3.50: w. D. Carpenter
and others, Lansing. Mich. 1854; Jackson
Vile. Tampa and Key West railway offices,
$3.50; eastern division, U. 8. pension bu-
reau, s21.5O: board of review, U. S. pension
bureau. 81. %; special examination division.
I. S. pension bureau. s14; mail division, U.
s. pension bureau. SIS; army and navy
survivors division, U. S. pension bureau.
$3O5: chief clerks room, L. S. pension bu-
reau, 81: second deputy's room, U. 8. pen
sion bureau, $40: record division, U. 8.
pension bureau, S11.15.
Plot One Hundred Feet Square.
The plot in the cemetery in which the
Names sailors lie and which it is proposed
to inclose is about one hundred feet square.
1t includes also the neglected graves of a
few other United States sailors who have
died recently at Key West. Within the
last few weeks the sailors who were killed
on the torpedo boat Winslow while in &C
ton at Cardenas, Cuba, have been buried
within the plot, and their graves, also the
resting places of American heroes will be
included within the handsome iron fence
to be erected.
While at Key West Major Butts secured
the cooperation Of the officer in charge OF
the naval station there, Commander For
syth, who will render all assistance posi-
bic and see that the fence is properly
erected after 1t Is received at the Florida
town. Secretary Long of the Navy De-
partment has also sanctioned the patriotic
plan of the Union Veteran Legion as the
best way in which the sailors graves may
be marked without waiting for a long
course of legislation through Congress
Four hundred feet of handsome iron fenc-
ing will be purchased with the subscription
money. shipped at once to Key West and
there erected under the direction of the
naval authorities. The subscription lists
will remain open until June II, and returns
should be made to Major Butts by July l.
in order that the neglect of these graves
may be remedied as early as possible.
Subscriptions in Small Amounts.
The heads of the various government de-
partments have consented to the collecting
of Subscriptions In their several branches,
and different persons have been selected to
receive the donations. The committee, of
which Capt. G. A. Lyon is chairman, Is
anxious that voluntary subscriptions NAV
be forthcoming from every patriotic citi-
zen IN Washington and throughout the
country. Small subscriptions only are ask
ed, as 1t is intended that the fund shall be
a popular one in every sense of the word.
Whatever sum remains after the expenses
of erecting the fence have been met will
be placed in the custody of Commander
Forsyth at Key West, to be used by him
IN keeping the graves and plot in the good
condition 1t Is proposed to place them
Copies of The Star containing mention of
the fund and copies of the resolutions pass
ed by Encampment No. 80, U. V. L. have
been sent to different cities in the country
Gnd TO the lib encampments of the Union
Veteran Legion scattered throughout the
United States. The subscriptions which
have been received are the result The
committee has received many letters in re-
Spouse also. An unsigned letter. dated
Washington. reads as follows:
VIII Major Butts kindly place the
amount of inclosed check 60 to the fund
for placing railing around the graves of
the seaman lost in the warship Maine, as a
tribute. only too limited, from native OF
Pennsylvania? To be registered simply
cash. and without further acknowledge
meEt."
letter from Detroit. Mich, to Captain
Lyon says:
observing in The Star the good and no.
BILE work you and other loyal men of 81 to
60 have undertaken with respect to the
care and protection of the graves of those
good fellows who lost their lives through
the blowing up of the Maine, 1 wish to add
my mite for the good cause you and your
associates are engaged in. May success
crown your efforts. Very truly.
JOHN L. SADLER."
The following letter from Albany, N Y
WIS received by Major Butts:
while very busy just now attending to
the erection of a monument to the memory
of loved father, my thoughts go out to
those unCared-fOr graves Gn that far-away
land, Key WesD of the brave man of the
Maine. whose lives were SO cruelty sacri-
feed, and desire CONES to add my mite to
the fund which Is being raised for the pur-
Pose of protecting and caring for them tenn
porarily. So kindly accept the inclosed 81
and the earnest. sincere wish that the full
amount desired may soon be at the disposal
of the committee 1 have only just learned
of this noble movement through the notice
In The Washington Star, and take it for
granted that patriotic woman's mite will
be as welcome as that of man. Very sin
cerely, FRANCES BATTERSHALL."
A letter from lansing Mich telling of
the formation of a subscription committee,
with the mayor as chairman, and the Sc
curing of quite little sum through the
placing of a few savings banks at different
points throughout the city. and many other
epistles of sympathy and encouragement
have been received.
Number 30,017 Gets the Bradbury.
The contest for the new Bradbury piano
closed last evening and this morning the
committee of award, Mr.. c. ]. Bell, presi-
dent American Security and Trust Co., and
Mr.. Frank b. Noyes, treasurer Evening