The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-04-16
sUM7ER'S TRIBUTE TO HAMPTON.
MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED ATTEND
FUNERAL IN COLUMBIA ON SUNDAY.
MEMORIAL SERVICES HELD MONDAY
IN OPERA HOUSE.
Business Suspended at Noon and the
Schools Close.

No event in the history of Sumter
has caused so general, so sincere and
heartfelt sorrow as the death of Gen.
Wade Hampton and the people of the
city, old and young, have sought IN
public and private to pay to his mem
ory the honor and respect that is so
Justly due.
Sunday 223 of our citizens attend
ed the funeral in Columbia and other
places in the county were represented
by delegations.
The Sumter delegation included,
Camp Dick Anderson, U. G. v, Camp
James D. Blanding, Sons of Veterans,
the Sumter Light Infantry the Second
Regiment Band, the Cadets Of the
Sumter Military Academy the young
ladies of the Sumter Female Seminary
and many citizens, not members Of
any Of these organizations.
So many having gone to Columbia it
was thought best not to hold memorial
services during the hour of the fune-
raj, but the city hall bell was tolled
from 4 to p. NJ, while funeral rites
were in progress in Columbia.
Notwithstanding that there we're no
formal services during the day, the
death of South Cardinals foremost
citizen was feelingly and eloquently
alluded to in all the churches during
the regular services.
Monday at noon all business was sus-
pended and the tolling of the city hall
bell summoned the people of Sumter
to assemble in the Opera House where
hold
The great Auditorium was filed
until there was only standing room for
those who came late.
The exercises of the city schools and
of the Sumter Military Academy and
Female Seminary were suspended and
the faculties and pupils attended in
a body.
The Auditorium was filed within a
few minutes after noon, and the
exercises were opened by full Second
Regiment Band playing overture. Rev.
N. W. Edmunds, D. D., offered pray
er, and the band played "The Sol
dier's Dream.''
Rev. G. G. Brown, D. D., read the
Goth Psalm, after which Mayor A. B.
Stuckey introduced Gen. E. W.
Noise, who was Adiutant General on
the Hampton ticket in 1876 and was
the friend and associate of Gen.
Hampton during the great campaign
and the stirring times Immediately
following the election. Gen. Noise
spoke with an eloquence and feeling
that showed how deeply he felt the
death of his friend and comrade, and
the tribute that he paid to Gen.
Hampton was worthy of the great
subject. He sketched the life Of
Hampton from boyhood to the last sad
solemn scene in Columbia Sunday,
and in the brief time at his command
drew vivid word picture of charac-
ter so simply grand, 50 intrinsically
great, so purely patriotic that his
hearers felt as he SO truly said, that
South Carolina is the better for
Hampton's having lived.
Following Gen. Noises address the
| band played ''Raise Ne Jesus.
Col. C. j. Owens as one
of the younger generation, a
son of soldier, introduced Rev.
Henry II. Covington, to speak for the
sons of those who followed Hampton
in war and in peace.
Mr.. Covington paid a beautiful
tribute to Gen. Hampton. His esti-
mate of Gen. Hampton's character, as
a soldier, as statesman and rs lead
er Of men in civic conflict and in
retirement revealed the ground work
Of his greatness and the consequent
hold he retained through all mutations
of time en- the real affection Of the
people Of South Carolina.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Covine
toms address the audience, that num-
bered fully ], 200, rose and united IN
singing. Nearer My God to Thee. .
The beaedicticn was pronounced by
Rev. C. C. Brown, D. D., and the
meeting was dismissed.