The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1902-08-07
Reunion Of NOmadiC Band at the Grave of
Their Dead Leader.
Annual Gathering of Strange Clan of
Horse Traders Who Roam Through
the South and Make Nashville
Their Headquarters.

Yesterday the wandering horse trad
ers that roam throughout the south
foregathered in Nashville for their an
nual reunion. AS is their custom, they
come together each year to count their
living and bury their dead. For un-
counted years this strange band has
wandered about the land and, for as
long as the Oldest remembers, all peo-
pie of the clan have been buried at
beautiful Mt. Calvary.
In all the twelve months that have
passed since the band was last here
only one of the members has died, and
he was laid at rest yesterday in his
stone-lined grave at Mt. Calvary ceme-
terry. This man was Thomas McNally,
the leader OF the clan for many years.
The event was one of unusual solemnity
and of intense interest,". Men and wo-
men had come from all over the broad
land, in wagons and by trains, to wit
ness the last rites over the body of their
dead leader.
AT 0 o'clock they gathered at st. Pat
rick's Church, and with reverent inter
est followed the celebration of requiem
high mass. At the end they drove
slowly to the cemetery, and to the vault
where for several months the b. dy of
the dead king has lain, awaiting a fit
ting time for its removal to It's last
resting place. 1t was planned to bury
the man without removing the coffin
from the box in which it was encased,
but the wife and daughters of the dead
man begged for one last sight of their
loved one. The heavy top was ulfast-
ened and for a second the lid of the
coffin was thrown back, exposing to
view all that was mortal of Thos. Nc
Nally, now fast returning to its origin
al clay.
The scene in the vault was one of
unusual solemnity. On each side of
the room were rows of collins, giving a
/ weird and ghostly effect that the few
rays of sunlight, which broke through
the low door, did little to dispel. In
the center was the coffin and around it
stood this strange band - wanderers
through the southland-mourning for
their dead leader. Many were crying
softly, the men as well as the women,
and when the coffin was opened the
muffled sobbing broke into agonized
cries. For full minute they stood as
if stunned, and then filed out into the
fresh air and sunshine.
1t was an unusual funeral procession
that marched solemnly to the grave.
The coffin was borne on the shoulders
of ten stalwart men and in front walked
Father Abbot, preceded by three AGO.
lytes. Behind came the clan, solemnly
and in order, hundred strong. AT
the grave the usual services of the
church were observed, the coffin was
lowered into its stone-lined resting
place, covered with'its mound of earth,
and the strange party dispersed, to &C
their various ways throughout the land
Thomas McNally, the late king, died
in Birmingham April 9th, 1902, leaving
three sons and three daughters. HI
was born in England, of Irish parents
and had been in this country thirty
four years. Mr.. McNally was a mar
we'll worty of respect. His quiet an(
unostentatious manner won the com
mendation and love OF oil who new him
He was as honest as he was unassUminl
and was q devout Catholic. His estat
vas valuable one and he left his fam
lily we'll provided for
These people are often referred to a
"gypsies," but this term is not correct
ly used in connection with this band
They are not connected in any way wit
the tribes that came out of India in tn
fourteenth century and have since wan
dered about Europe, and more recent
about this country They are Irish
men, nearly every one-long away fror
! the old country, perhaps, but still ar
as good Irish as can be found. Their
: are perhaps three or four thous' nj {
these scattered through the country
mostly through the south. They rave
I through the country in wagons, yaml
ing at night, and earn living by tra(
ing horses. Many of these men NJ
wealthy; each family owns a wagol
{ worth several hundred dollars. an
horses galore. They carry all Their b,
longings in their wagons, pitch the
tents by the roadside aud live well.
The party is now encamped back
Belmont College and will be there Sc
eral days. They will then continue c
to Chattanooga, where the party wi
= break up into smaller bands that wi
go down by various routes into Geo
l. gia and Florida, where they spend tt
b. winter.
ssi One member of this strange party
0. worth mentioning. His name is Nil
s. O'Neal, but his looks belle his nam
He is evidently an Indian, and Mr.. NJ
Namarra. by whom he is emploYe