The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-27
JOHN FLOYD BURIED
UNFORTUNATE CHILD or THE
 TOWN WHO WAS KILLED.
His Weakness Made Him Friends Who Provided for Funeral Arrange
 rnents--Polieemen VIII Erect q Monument.

He was his only enemy, but his heart beat true: he never did an unkind act to a human or c beast but himself" These words, uttered in a broken vooice by one of a small company of men, as he turned from a newly made grave in Oakwood Cemetery yesterday afternoon, would serve as a fitting epi- taph to John Floyd, the we'll known Montgomery character, whose body was ground to pieces beneath a car of the Montgomery Street Railway Sun day night, near Bell Street bridge, when all the world was glad with the return of Christmas.
 Poor Jhnn Floyd. the happy-hearted child of the town, the Irish baker who many years ago yielded himself and everything that God had made him to the drink habit; John Floyd, who had been released from a prison cell in the morning hours that he might be free to do as other men on that happy day of merrymaking; the poor fellow sought the cup again and this time found death in its dregs. It is be- lieved that he went tossleep on the car tracks.
 Not one person nearer than Ireland was bound to John Floyd by ties of blood and he had not penny in the world. But there are men in Mont ROmeTY WnO Knew InS warmth or ms heart, who had laughed at his Irish quips and whose very pity for the homeless baker. beset with habit that had past crushing, brought them to love him. These men gave amply of their funds that the unfortunate one should be laid away at Oakwood in a respectable manner.
 At Tice's undertaking establishment on Court Street yesterday afternoon at 8 o'clock the funeral services were held in the presence of about seventy five men who had gathered to pay a last mark of pity and esteem for the lost one.
 Rev. Father Dennis Savage. pastor of St. Peters Roman Catholic Church, said the funeral service. It was touching moment when Father Savage stood at the bedside of his parishioner. The Cody man. whose great heart everfiows for the weak and unfortun- ate, had known John Floyd had talked with him, had prayed for him these many years. And this was his endingl
 It was the sort of funeral John Floyd would have wished for himself. He had an exalted respect for Father Saw age, a respect that almost transcended his respect for the church Itself. But his thirst for liquor was greater than all else!
 To oakwood Cemetery the sonbre hearse was followed ythe company of men and at the grave eyes were moist with tears that had not moistened in many years.
 John Floyd had spent the greater part of the past ten years in the city prison for drunkenness. As prisoner he was tractable and kindly to his as- sociates. He assisted with the work at headquarters and the older patrol men had a peculiar affection for him.
 Within few days the members of the police department will show their esteem for this prisoner whose name will not be called again, by erecting monument to his memory over the grave in Oakwood Cemetery.
 Coroner Tice yesterday morning held a formal investigation of the cause of FIoyd's death, and returned a verdict that he was killed by car passing over his body.
 Motorman W. L. Wells of the car testified that he stopped his car just saw the body on the track. He was confident Floyd was dead before the car struck him. He called to the con- ductor that there was a dead man un der the car and they got out and struck a match to see the body. The motor- man moved the car forward to clear the body.
 Conductors J. P. TaKley and H. H. Bell and Motorman A. N Hall were also examined.
 The ear men are not held to blame for the death of Floyd.