The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-08-22
THE BODY Of
EDWARDS
How 1t Came to Be
Sent Back
Home.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal OF
August contains the following:
The body of Juan f. Edwards, ma
tive Hawaiian and member of the
Royal Hawaiian. band, was yesterday
rescued from an already prepared grave
. in Elmwood cemetery, and is now to
be shipped back to Honolulu for inter
] ment. 1t is tradition of the. natives
of these islands that the salvation of
the soul is never assured unless the
mortal remains are laid to rest on ma
tive soil. They must be inferred I'M
der the whispering palms of their ma
tive isles.
4 Yesterday morning while more than
hundred persons were gathered about
/ fresh grave in Elmwood cemetery
vice characteristic of the native of Ha-
wall, committee of six members of
the Royal band were IN consultation
with Manager J. G. Cohen, pleading
that the body of their fellow musician
be not inferred in Memphis, but be held
until arrangements could be made for
sending it back to Honolulu. No petit
/ ton or supplication was ever more sim
cere or appealing than that submitted
/ by Spokesman w S. Ellis of the COM
mittee appointed to prevent the burial
OF Juan Edwards in Memphis
The sudden death of Edwards Tues
day had caused CONSERVATION and grief
| in the ranks of this band of Hawai-
ians. To them was lost member who
]
knew of the wife back in the native
home, whose parting kiss was yet fresh
! upon the lips of Edwards. They knew
| of the daughter, who had hidden adieu,
| expecting in a few short months to
welcome the father home and be en-
thralled with his stories of another
land. They were also acquainted with
superstition that civilization has not
entirely effaeed-a belief that the sal
walton of the soul was eliminated IN
the peaceful repose of the body when
laid under the soil of the birthplace.
Throughout Tuesday night members
of this band were in constant attend
ance over the bier of Juan Edwards
in the undertaking establishment,
chanting woefully their sorrow and
sympathy. In their native land this
ceremony would have been gone
through with by professional chanters, |
but here it was a voluntary tribute. 1t |
reflected the fraternal spirit that OBJ |
tains in the ranks of the Royal band, |
and it proved the popularity in those |
ranks of the sweet singer whose voice |
was so suddenly stilled on Tuesday.
Yesterday morning these Hawaiians |
fully recognized that Juan Edwards |
was about to be buried forever on for |
eign soil. Impromptu discussions of the |
situation were held at first by little |
groups of somber-faced men, whose |
heads hung low and whose. foreign |
tongue spoke in whispers. There was |
fraternalism among these musicians |
That brotherly interest and affection |
revolted at the thought that the body |
of Juan Edwards could not be taken |
back TO the Pacific island home.
MESSAGE FROM WIDOW.
As the thought spread among the |
members of the band the small gath |
erings were added to, until finally the |
corridor OF the small hotel that housed |
them was a confusion of. voices. 1t |
was then that definite plans were de- |
elded on. TO convey the remains of |
Juan Edwards back to Honolulu for |
interment meant that a considerable |
sum must be raised at once. mes |
sage had been sent the widow on Tues
day conveying the news of Edward S |
sudden death. The reply was signed |
wife, ana it asked briefly the price |
of shipping the body home. The WIDOW |
had small sum of savings, and if this |
We're adequate she wanted to use it in |
the return of her husband s body.
The matter was presented To Mana |
ger j. c. Cohen. Mr.. Cohen believed |
that it were better that the widow be |
saved her money for the necessities of |
life now that she was deprived of her |
husbands support. He advised the |
members of the band to view the situ-
alton from a practical standpoint and |
bury the body here.
1t could readily be seen from the ex-j
pressions on the faces of the six stall |
wart Hawaiians who formed the chosen |
committee to confer with Manager Col
hen that his argument was in vain. |
A strenuous half-hour was spent in |
discussion of the situation. The COM |
mittee was willing to make liberal |
subscription to the expense of shipping |
the body home for interment and it |
pledged subscriptions from the other
members of the band. Manager Cohen
realized the futility of his position as
against the sentiment that was SO pre-
valent in the ranks of his band, and
stated to the spokesman of the com
mittee that he would order the body
embalmed and held until further or
ders.
Had a life been granted a reprieve
it could hardly have occasioned a
greater outburst of gratitude than this
statement from Manager Cohen.
Thank God for that Joe. and may the
best of luck attend you throughout
life, said w. S. Ellis of the committee,
as he extended two great brown hands
and warmly grasped the hand of the
manager.
| TEARS OF GRATITUDE.
| Tears sprung from his eyes and
coursed down his cheeks. Other MEM
| bers of the committee swarmed about
and gave similar expression of their
| gratitude. Juan won't be buried
here" said Ellis. but he will be sent
| back home where his wife and h