The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-10
Distinguished Army Officers and Men
Who Fought with the Gallant In
dianian at Home and Abroad.
DIR. H. M. STRIKERS ADDRESS
ELOQUENT, SCHOLARLY TRIBUTE TO
THE NATIONS DEAD HERO.
Body Escorted to Cemetery by CavaI-
ry, Infantry, Marines-Scenes in
Church and at Grave.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 9-Major General
Henry w. Lawton was buried to-day in the
National Cemetery at Arlington. 1t was
a nations tribute to a national hero. and
the sorrow of whole people was expressed
when America added the chaplet Of cypress
to the brow that so long had worn the
laurel. The burial service beneath the leaf
less trees at Arlington was preceded by
services in the Church Of the Covenant, on
Connecticut avenue, at which every de-
partment of the government was repre-
sented, including President, Congress. the
Supreme Court, all the ranking officers of
the army and navy within reach of WASH
ington, Lawton's old comrades of the line
and staff, the diplomatic corps. in all its
brilliance OF uniform and decoration, and
as many citizens of all degrees were
fortunate enough to find standing room
within the walls.
But the crowd within was Insignificant
compared with the thousands who braved
the lowering winters day for a glimpse of
the fiag-draped caisson, with it's military
escort. as 1t passed through the street.
Hundreds more made the toilsome pilgrim
age to Arlington to hear the last words
the President, Cabinet and the general
commanding the army stood with bowed
heads till the last volley had been fired and
the bugle had sounded taps.
1t was the Homecoming Of a hero. For
seven weeks, ever since the fatal news
from San Mateo had been flashed around
the world, the country had waited to pay
its last tribute to the dead.
Lawton. to the great bulk of Americans,
had been the incarnation Of the American
soldier. He had made his mark in the civil
war from the Mississippi to the sea, and in
the interval Of potential peace 1t was he
who had beaten at his own game Geronimo,
the greatest master of desert craft and
mountain fighting that the West had ever
known, and who in the new problems of
tropic war had proved the most daring and
resourceful of all the generals in the field.
1t was In tribute to these qualities that the
Lawton fund had in a few weeks been
swelled past all the expectations of its orig
inators, for America knew that Lawton, be-
ing soldier first and only, had left to
those who loved him no heritage save his
sword and a spotless name.
SCENES IN THE CHURCH.
der lay in state in the Church Of the
Covenant. So it lay this morning when the
doors were opened, troopers from his old
command, with sabres drawn. keeping
vigil at the head and foot. Beneath the
soft lights of the altar rose tropic jungle
of palms. and higher than the fag-draped
coffin rose banks of flowers, tributes from
every quarter of the land. At his head
hung in dim folds the dingy battle flag
from San Mateo, still on it's bamboo staff
and supported by one of the men who was
near him when he fell. From the ceiling
hung the red-centered flag of the Eighth
Corps, under which he had won perpetual
fame in two island wars. About him as
the shrill pipes of the organ trembled with
the opening anthem stood grouped his SUI
periors and his brother officers, with whom
end for whom his life work had been done.
Close to the coffin sat President McKin-
icy. and on his right the secretary of state.
With them were the secretary of war; the
attorney general, the secretary of the
navy, the postmaster general, the secre-
tary of the treasury, the secretary of the
interior and the secretary of agriculture.
Close by were Mrs. Lawton, little Manly
and the others CT the family, and to the
left General Miles, General Merritt. Gen.
erai Brooke, General shafter and their
staff officers, all in uniform and all Law
IONS comrades who at one time or another
mad camped and fought with MIN. In the
body of the church was a scarcely less
notable neutrality-suspicious. secretaries
and heads of bureaus, the military commit
tees of the House and Senate. diplomats,
G~fAx
somber color and the Europeans re-
splendent IN decorations, prominent among
Them the Spanish minister. There were
delegations from the LOYAL Legion, the
Grand Army and other patriotic societies.
Chaplain Pierce, of Lawton's old COM
mand, read the Presbyterian burial service
that epistle to the Corinthians whose words
OF comfort seem fitting for each occasion
Of bereavement. Then President Stryker,
of Hamilton College, New York, clad In
divinity robes, rose to deliver the oration
He had been selected personally by the
secretary of war, who knew his fitness for
the task. The choice was amply justified.
THE FUNERAL GRAFTON.
Seldom has any ceremony called forth
tribute more scholarly and eloquent more
simple and direct and more appropriate and
fitting TO the occasion than the one de-
livered to-day. President Stryker said. in
part:
over the width of the earth a soldiers
household has brought it's warrior home
The dust that the Nation gathers TO it's
guarding is that of no common man. We
are here TO celebrate and To mourn him.
But while We recall the record so COM
Pact with manliness, and which the white
blossom of modesty crowns withal, while
We recite the story of one VINO personifed
the best American traditions. first this