The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-31
Parade of Old and Young Veterans
to Soldiers Graves Preceded the
short Ceremony.
SERVICES HELD AT HOLY CROSS
GRAVES OF CONFEDERATEs DECO
RATED AT GREENLAwN.
Soldiers Monument Decorated by
Union Veteran Legion-Butler Col
lege Address-Other Services.


guard over Memorial day stretched forth
his hand yesterday. Miserable weather
practically ruined the exercises at the
cemeteries, and at Crown Hill the down.
pour of rain and the raw. chilly air made
it possible to carry out only a part Of the
elaborate programme that had been ar
ranged. Memorial day seems fated TO be
unpleasant so far as weather conditions go.
The memory of man scarcely runneth back
to two successive years in which the day
of decoration was bright and fair. All
the unpleasant traditions were fulfilled
yesterday.
Twenty thousand people were expected
at Crown Hill and il is more than likely
that more than that number would have
passed through the gates OF the beautiful
burying ground had the day been fair.
AS 1t was. barely 5000 people witnessed
the military display. the strewing of flow
ers over the graves of the heroic dead and
listened to the solemn ritual service OF the
q. A. r. OF this crowd about 1000 were
old soldiers, dressed, almost all Of them.
in the blue of the Grand Army and wear
ing their badges and bouquets OF flowers,
many OF these bouquets being tied with
strings of crepe. The number OF veterans
at Crown Hill was surprising in view OF
the wretched afternoon. but, as one old
soldier observed: "You can scare every
body. else away by few drops OF water
and pun CT cold air. but you can't scare
a real soldier, don't care how old he s.
SERVICES OF THE DAY.
Memorial services were held yesterday
morning at Greenlawn. Mt jackson and
Holy Cross the memorial services were In
the afternoon. At all OF the cemeteries chill
dren placed flowers on the graves. Veterans
of the Spanish-American war paid tribute
to the soldier dead by marking their graves
with flags, and the veterans OF the civil
war placed wreaths on the graves
Probably the most interesting ceremony
of the day was the decoration OF the grave
of Oliver Morton at crown III hil; py.- yester.-
Relief Corps was in charge or the services.
The grave of General Steight was decorated
with floral tributes at the same umei ps,e, ,,s
veterans had a direct part. thousands VS.
tied the cemeteries during the day TO place
flowers on the graves OF relatives or
friends. The inclemency OF the weather
prevented many more thousands from visit
The organizations of soldiers. old and
young, and other bodies that were 10 take
part in the exercises at Crown Hill. as
sembled outside the gates at O'Clock Rain
was still drizzling and the drives anu
ground were soft soft in in mud, 1 c,s c0une ha wes as
the day. Captain c. f. Merriheid. captain
ID. II. Olive, Carey Mcpherson. assistant
adiutant general; Major II. T. Conde, COM
manding the battalion OF National
Guard troops; Captain Harry c. Adams,
Colonel Russell B. Harrison, General Ben
jamin A. Richardson. and others. as 10 the
advisabiliay OF giving up the programme:
II was decided 20 eliminate everything but
the G.. A. r. ritual service and the decora-
tion of the graves by the school children.
delivered an address, Captain @. II. Shower
was TO have delivered the valedictory,
HYMNS were 10 have been sung, and other
parts of the programme were to have been
carried out
SERVICE POSTPONED.
IT was decided to hold this part OF the
service in the near future in one OF the
G. A. r. post halls. probably the George
II. Thomas Post hall. Captain Ketcham
will deliver the address that was TO have
been given yesterday; Captain Shower viii
give the valedictory; there will be a pro-
gramme of music and probably other vet
Grams will be called on for speeches. A
memorial service is contemplated to take
the place of the one which the bad weather
The parade from the gates TO the SOL
dieTS graves DeSdI at <.oV- came "A
detachment Of police under the command
of Captain Hyland. The indianapolis Mil
itary Band. playing martial airs, followed.
Next came the chief marshal and stan.
Captain c. Z. Merriheld. Adjutant Carey
Mcpherson, and the following aids: Cap
tain Joseph Balsley, Captain X. +. McCrea.
George w Weir, John Mcclure, A. ID.
Cruli4 d. n. Huey, Henry Nicoli. Lieuten-
ant J. H Loves. Jefferson Caldwell. +. Il.
swift John Scott. w H Calvert. r NJ.
Hav. c. W. Wheat, Major III. c. Megrew,
Thomas Wysong. NJ. ]. Scanlon, w. l..
Heiskel B. w. Sullivan. Jonathan Keller
and G.. II. Shower.
IMPRESSIVE PARADE.
The first division, the militia. was in
command OF Major Conde. The second
division was In command OF Captain
Adams: the third division in command of
Colonel Russell b. Harrison; the fourth
dtvision in command of Major w. IL.
Dougherty, and the NTH division in COM
mand of General b. A. Richardson. The
showing Of the old veterans. the militia
hovs and the veterans OF the Spanish
American war was impressive. The divi-
sions formed according TO orders 10 listen
to the c. A II. ritual service, which was
Conducted by Captain d. III. Olive. After
I, was concluded children from the city
schools strewed flowers over the graves
of the soldiers. The entire service was
hrief on account of the dampness OF the
air and upderfoot. BY half past !
o'clock the service was al an end.