The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-05-30
Persons Gather There from
Miles Around to Homer the
Soldier Dead.
RICHMOND'S PART IN 1T
ROSCOE kiRkMAN AND WALTER
RATllFF SPOKE AND CENTEN-
NAL QUARTET SANG-WATSoN
WAS NOT PRESENT.

Favored by ideal weather and in the
presence of over twelve hundred peo-
pie, Memorial Day exercises were held
at Bethel yesterday afternoon. The
crowd at the exercises was larger than
it had ever been before on such an oc.
casion. The magnet which drew the
country people from miles around was
the announcement that Congressman
James E. Watson would speak. ow-
ing to the press of official business at
Washington. however, Mr.. Watson was
unable to be present. In spite of his
absence, however, the occasion was
pleasant one and the program was
fine, much better than most towns of
the size of Bethel can boast of on Dec.
grafton Day.
The observance of Memorial Day is
held at Bethel on the day preceding
the general date on account of their
desire to secure good speakers, a
thing which is hard to do when there
are so many other demands for them.
This is the fourth time that Bethel
has so observed the day and arrange
ments were made to repeat it next
year. 1t is the intention of those in
charge to make Memorial exercises at
Bethel a feast of oratory.
Richmond Well Represented.
Richmond was well represented at
the celebration yesterday. Senator
Roscoe E. Kirkman and Representa-.
tive elect Walter s. Ratliff. were
speakers of the afternoon and the
Centennial quartet composed of John
Taggart, Howard Kamp, George Nc
Kone and DR.. Leslie Chenoweth. fur
nished the vocal numbers. The Rich
mond speakers, with their wives, and
Representative Gus Condo and his
wife, from Marion, were taken to
Bethel through the courtesy of the
Wayne County Automobile Club. Those
who made the trip were A. j. Spe
kenhier, George ID. Cole and Frank
Vaughan.
The party arrived at Bethel in time
to prepare themselves for dinner,
which was served at the home of Col.
C. E. Wiley, county commissioner.
The program proper began at two
O'Clock. The speakers were escorted
from the home of Col. Wiley to the
Christian church yard, where the ex-
ercises were held. At the head of the
procession was the New Palestine
band, followed by forty-five veterans.
Col. Wiley was master of ceremonies.
After prayer by Jesse Jones and a
song by the quartet. Col. Wiley read a
telegram from Congressman Watson.
in which he expressed his regret at
not being able to be present.
Message from Watson.
The message was as follows:
Washington, d. c., May 20. 1906.
Great pressure of public business
and my connection with imIortant
measures, now under consideration,
will prevent me being with you today.
regret this condition as | have been
looking forward to this meeting with
great pleasure.
JAMES f. WATSON
Representative Gus Condo, prom
inent member of the bar at Marion.
Ind, and frequently mentioned IS the
next speaker OF the Indiana house OF
representatives, was the principal ora
tor of the afternoon. His address was
of an hours length and was in addition
to being a fine memorial GRAFTON, an
eloquent appeal for the purity and
greater usefulness of the ballot.
The speaker held that the occasion
of the gathering of Bethels people
was sacred, hallowed and holy. He
voiced the opinion that tears were bet
Continued ON Page Enurl