The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-04-06
His Memory Honored


1t is highly improbable that a greater
number of people ever assembled in
Owosso to honor dead hero than as
sembled Wednesday to pay their last re-
spects to the lamented j. Fred Ross the
story of whose death is told IN connec-
ton with the high school fire in other
columns of this paper.
The body lay in state at the young
mans late home on South S2iawassee
street from twelve until two Wednesday
afternoon when after brief services con-
Quoted by Rev w. w. Benson it was
taken to the Armory for the public SER
vices. The factories were closed in
honor of the memory of the gallant
fellow whose life had been lost in the
performance of his duty and every bust
ness place was closed and curtains were
down. The body was brought through
the streets, which were lined with
crowds of friendly and sympathic spec
tators, under an escort consisting of the
combined Owosso Light Infantry and
Owosso Junior bands. Company II and
the Owosso fire department The four
horses attached to the funeral car were
led by four soldiers in uniform The
casket within was beautifully draped in
the national colors. An armed detail
under a corporal marched half on one
side half on the other side of the car and
the bearers were from the military COM
pany, the honorary bearers being from
the fire department
At the Armory the crush was fairly a
cause for just apprehension but the de-
tails of the work had been well attended
to by Messrs Knapp & Smith, as we'll as
by all those who assisted in the work,
and the services were conducted before
probably the largest assemblage of peo-
pie ever seated in the building. Here
the floral offerings which had been
brought from the house with the body
were arranged in view of all and showed
in the way that only flowers can, the
sympathy felt by all in the loss of this
life. Some of the designs were especial.
ly beautiful and appropriate. A broken
seven was sent by the other members of
the family A long fireman's ladder
was sent by the fire department of this
city while the Corunna department sent
a fireman's helmet. The Vincent Valve
Company employees sent a fine piece,
gates ajar. Other beautiful and appro-
pirate designs were an deliberately
wrought flag sent by Company H. a
shield by Company G, and still others
were sent by the Maccabees Woodmen,
employees of the Owosso Casket Works
the clerks of Christians store, the mem
bers of the common council, and other
friends.
The casket lay in front of the stage at
the end of the Armory and all around
were draped American flags, from the
wall and from the arch over the stage,
all in turn appropriately draped in
mourning. The stage itself was occu-
pied by city and other officials, the pre-
siding minister, Rev. w. w. Benson,
and the quartet which furnished the
music, Mesdames Travis and Wilson
and Messrs Usher and Horsman.
After the impressive service at the
Armory was ended an opportunity was
gwen all to view the remains and it was
"a long time before the friends had passed
by and looked upon the body for the
last time. The funeral procession had
already began forming and those first
in line had weary wait before all had
passed by the casket and paid silent
homage to the dead hero 1t was
almost five o'clock when the procession
under charge of Capt. A. j. Van Epps,
of the service. finally started
for the cemetery, made up as follows:
The combined bands under Chas. Stone,
drum major Company II, and ex-mem-
bers of Company G, under command OF
Capt. G. b. McCaughna, fire depart
ment and visiting firemen from neigh.
boring cities under Chief Merrick Blair;
Vincent Valve Company employees;
City officials led by Mayor Hume; g. A.
X. and s. of v led by Lieut., Command
or Jas Gray; X. o. T. M, M. w. of
A.. ministers carriage; the funeral car
and carriages of friends.