The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-05-23
HIRAM cRoNK HoNoRED
New York City Pays Homage to VET
eran Of War Of 1912.
Remains Of Deceased Rest in state in
the City Hall of the
Metropolis.

New York City.-Tn tribute 20 old
Hiram Cronk, last survivor Of 1912,
funereal black was run around the City
Hall, at the level Of the second floor
cornices and the pillars Of the main
Dortico fronting the park were heavily
swathed in black wrappIngs. Part Of
the $1,000 which the Aldermen appro-
priated was spent in putting the Hall
in half mourning.
The ceremony of receiving the body
at the City Hall was simple and inn
pressive until the police lines in the
park We're relaxed and the rush Of
curious persons began q. s. Grant
Post, @. A. r., of Brooklyn, had acted
| as guard of honor on the march from
! the Grand Central Station A detail
from the post, acting as pallbearers,
bore the coffin from the hearse to the
bier in the rotunda of the building.
Police lines were formed, and as soon
as the coffin was uncovered the mems
bers OF the U. S. Grant Post were the
first to file past. They were followed
by members of the Society of the War
OF 1912 and delegations of women rep
resenting various historical and pa
triotic societies. The guard of honor
from the G. A. r. post was then with
drawn, the police formed lines across
the first door Of the building, and the
public were admitted to pass the coffin
in steadily moving line.
The City Hall inside was deliberately
decorated or draped. From arch, post,
pillar and stair railing in the rotunda
hung great streamers of black cloth,
trimmed with purple. Huge folds of
the black cloth were draped back under
stairways and in dark corners, and
over all the doors hung steamers of
the mourning emblem.
The box of flowers was placed at the
head of the bier. The flags on the
building were placed at half mast
The police made ample arrangements
for handling the crowds while the body
remained in the building. Persons
who wished to view the body entered
the building in two lines through the
main entrance on the south side. They
passed between lines of police on either
side Of the coffin and passed out at the
rear door. No person was allowed to
enter the building through the doors
on the north, which were used solely
The body, in heavy solid oak coffin
arrived from upstate on the New York
Central at 735 o'clock in the morning.
Colonel Butt, commanding Grant Post,
G. A. r., was on board the train in
active charge. With him as mourners
were the immediate members of Hiram
Cronk's family, headed by his oldest
son, Philander Cronk, a man eighty
one years old. There were two other
sons, William, seventy-tw0 years old,
and John, sixty years old; the veterans
only surviving daughter, Mrs. Sarah
Rawley, seventy-one years old; Frank
Cronk, a nephew, and DIR. and Mrs. C.
u. Morehouse. Mrs. Morehouse is the
adopted daughter of Mrs. Rawley. The
party of relatives made the trip from
Bonneville, N. Y, as the guest Of
United States Senator Chauncey NJ.
Depew.
The coffin remained in the baggage
room at the Grand Central Station
until 10 o'clock On the heavy oak
top was a small silver plate, bearing
the following inscription: