Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-12
THE NEGLECTEDDEAD
Heroes of the Maine Resting in OBJ
scure Graves.
EFFORT TO HAVE THEM ENCLOSED
Statement of Their Condition Made
by Major Butts.
CHECK TO START A FUND


ors of Commodore Dewey's feet at Manila
| and redoubed their efforts in Vanquishlng
| the ships of the enemy.
! In recollecting the Maine we should
not forget the graves of the heroic sea-
men on board VINO met death at the hands
of the treacherous Spaniards." said Major
Frank A. Butts of this city. who has just
| returned from a visit to Key West, Fla.
There are twenty-four of these graves
of the Names dead in the diapidated it
! tie cemetery at Key West" continued
| Major Butts. "and it would make the heart
| of patriot bleed with anguish to see
| these mounds which mark the last resting
| places of the martyrs of the Maine. While
in Key West took drive to the cemetery.
1 wished afterward that 1 had stayed
| away.
| THE graves-there are twenty-four of
! them-are located in little plot Of ground
about 100 feet square, in the city cemetery,
as 1T is called. The place is about three
| quarters of a mile from the center of the
| town. 1t is about six acres in extent one
| of the most dreary places / ever saw. Not
! far from tie place where the graves of
| the Names men are located stands an old.
| broken down, dismantled hearse which has
! been used to convey yellow fever dead to
the cemetery. The appearance of this We
hicle, bare and white. still further height
| ems the ghastly appearance of the burial
| gre unds and its forlorn surroundings. 1t
| looked to me if it had been picked bare
| of its flesh by vultures, and If only its
| bones had been left.
Bare and Rieached.
t"The two dozen mounds which contain
the Names sailors are bare and bleached.
The shell soil in that locality gives them
their dead white appearance. There they
| are, foot apart, unevenly constructed,
| blots on even the otherwise disfgured land
| scape. They might be the graves of pau
| pers, the outcasts of the world, but for
| one feature which they possess. ON some
| is dirty and bedra gGled little American
| flag. showing that their memories have not
| been entirely neglected. Little sprigs OF
| arbor vitae and evergreen had been stuck
on the graves, but these have withered.
| Some of the graves have flags, Others have
| none. Some of them also have broken Cob
lets on them. in which were placed flowers
long withered, but they have fallen down
| and tumbied to one side. while the whole
| wears an air of terrible neglect.
There Is nothing to show what graves
| they are. They not separated from
| other plots in the m DtE-eaten cemetery
| heaps OF rubbish, broken tombstoncs and
| other objects of decay. To one side are
| two other graves, one of which marks the
| spot where the gunner who died. after
| woIk king as a diver. was buried Near at
| hand are the graves of other American
| seamen who have died at Key West Of yell
| low fever at different times. These are as
|
| much can be seen of them, for bushes and
underground of all kinds have so covered
| them that unless search Is made for
them they not be found.
| ''Commandant Forsyth of the naval sta
| ton at Key West told me he went out to
| try and discover the graves of a shipmate
who had bean buried there, and had 10
| chop down many bushes and much shrub
4 berry before he could see il. The command
ant said he should be glad u consider any
communications sent 10 him regarding the
| edged that it was in a shocking state, but
| nothing could be done.
The soldiers connected with the barracks
at Key West have much better cemetery
| than the poor sailors. Their dead
| buried near the barracks in a much more
| presentable place.
The Potter's Field.
II did not see the potter's field, which
| ferns part of the cemetery, but 1 have
| no doubt it exists there. The keeper of TIE
| place. Peter H. Williams, is an old man.
| badly paid, and who is not able to attend
| properly To the duties of keeping the ceme-
| terry in repair, from the fact that he has
no funds. The citizens Of the place calnot
do it. The G.. A. r. Post at Key West has
no available funds. There are but four
white men connected with it, and they ere
all poor. The care of cemeteries in which
soldiers and sailors buried comes under
! the quartermaster's department, but this
seems to be peculiarly isolated, without
possibility of having proper care
Major Butts said that he intended TO
bring the matter before the attention of
Encampment No. 3D. Union Veteran Lee
gion, last Saturday night, but ii was de-
ferred until the coming meeting, which 7
will be held Saturday night. 1t is his
intention 10 start subscription for 100
little flags for the graves, and also popu-
lar subscription for a temporary iron rail-
ing to inclose the graves of the Maine
lost This will be but about 400 feet for
the lO0-foot Enclosure, and can be tempo
rary, as finer one he thinks, will UNI
doubtedly be provided later on.
Il have talked TO Senator Hawley of Con-
necticut and Representative Belknap OF
Chicago" Major Butts said, and both ex-
pressed entire Willingness to bring up bill
in their respective bodies for appropria- 4
ton to fit up properly the graves of the
sailors of the Maine. 1 do not think there
will be the least doubt of its passing, but IL
will take time.
For Memorial Day.
my idea is to have something done, so
that Decoration day can be celebrated there
by these proposed improvements. 1 do rot
believe any of the bodies will he brought
north. and the whole SHOULD have a fitting
monument to show that the country does
not neglect its heroes. 1t would prove a
valuable object lesson.
Mai Butts stated that a number of ex-
oonfederates down in that country heartily
deplored the neglect which characterized
the cemetery in which the sailors are
buried and the graves themselves.
The major has already given check to
start the fund for improving the condition
of the plat of ground in which the Names
men rest
Appeal for Aid.
The ladies of the Newsboys and Chill