The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1907-02-01
PAY TRIBUTE TO FRIEND
FUNERAL SERVICES FOR WILLIAM
NJ. ROBERTSON.
BEAUTIFUL FLORAL TOKENS
Rev. w. J. Turner, In Funeral Grafton,
Declared That Norfolk Had Lost its
Foremost Citizen 49, Mayoralty Ad.
mlnistration Bravest Deed.

II was cosmopolitan assembly
which nllcd the Methodist Episcopal
church In Norfolk Thursday afternoon
to pay tribute to the memory OF the
late William NJ. Robertson. The gath.
crlng included hundreds Of men and
women friends and acquaintances
from Norfolk and other communities.
More than thirty ol' licnds came from
Madison to attend the funeral scr
vices The Methodist church, with
the annex, were completely filled with
those who had gathered to do honor
TO the memory of the dead citizen.
Services at the church were in
charge of Rev j. l.. Nallow, pastor of
the Methodist church, and Rev w. j.
Turner pastor of the First Congrega-
tional church. Mr.. Nallow offered
prayer aud Mr.. Turner followed with
an address of cuogy to the departed
friend
At Prospect hin cemetery, where
= large number followed the remains
for burial. the service was in charge
of Norfolk lodge No. 653. Benevolent
and Protective Order of Elis, of which
Mr. Robertson was past exalted ruler,
Exalted Ruler Tyler read the brief Elk
burial service here.
"Our Foremost Citizen"
Rev. Mr. Turner, in his address at
the church, declared that William Rob
ertson was Norfolks foremost citizen
and he selected his administration as
mayor of the city some years ago as
his greatest and bravest achievement.
His life of purity and honor" said
Mr.. Turner, "is an inspiration to his
friends who survive. | look back to
that small boy who attempted and
failed to enlist in the army and who,
later crowdng to the front succeeded
in shouldering musket with which to
fight for his flag. And that same pa
triotism was shown when, years later,
he accepted the Office of mayor of Nor
folk-an Office which you men decline
to take, William Robertson knew
when to be patriotic. He knew when
his help was needed And his care.
lessness of self was manifest in ac-
ccpting that Office and in giving to
Norfolk a splendid administration.
Here was one public man who kept
his hands clean from worldly corrup-
ton. While some may have pointed
to him as n failure at getting high Of
fees that very failure was an honor.
He called me into his study one day
and told me that he had received word
from a northern county stating that
he could get the vote of that section
if little of the corrupting medium be
supplied. And he told me that if he
could not win by upright means, he
would never be district Judge
81 often wondered where William
Robertson got that gentleness which
characterized him. His great strength
lay in his friendship. He was a friend
to trust. He trusted his friends. And,
as 1t was his strength so also was his
friendship his weakness for he trusted
his friends too implicitly and was
abused in that confidence. But that
weakness is virtue.
you will never know, no man will
ever know how many of the poor of
this city revere the name of William
Robertson"
Old Soldiers Were There.
Old soldiers, veterans of the civil
war and members of Mathewson post,
G. A. r., attended the service in a
body. And in honor of their order and
all that it means, with its patriotism
filled past. the casket was draped in
the American flag.
Beautiful tributes of flowers filed
the fore part of the great church and
attested the sympathy which filled the
hearts of Norfolk people for the be,
reaved family.
At the close of the services the cas-
ket lid was turned back and opportu
nifty for last look at William Robert
sons features was given.
The pallbearers were: Supreme
Judge j. b. Barnes, C. H. Reynolds
past exalted ruler of the Elks lodge
w. A. Witzigman, J, C. Stitt, c. e
Burnham and j. b, Maynard.
During the services business house!
in Norfolk, in accordance with proc
lamation issued by Mayor Friday, wer,
pretty generally closed.
Among those here from Madison TO
the funeral were: Former Unitet
States Senator William V. Allen, Coun
ty Treasurer Chris Schavland, Deput.
County Clerk S. r, Mcfarland, Clerl
of the Courts w. H. Field, Count.
Commissioner John Malone, Sheriff j
J. Clements, George A. Wycoff, DR.. +
A. Long, w. a, Hume, ]. b. Donovan
Ed. Plass, Ed Jacobs, Frank Prince
viii Jones, w. II. Douglas, A. p. Pi
ger, George Davenport, A. Thatch, Tor
Frink, Ed O'Shea, NJ. c. Garrett, Her
ry Backman, Mrs Douglas, Mr., Riley
Rev. J, Nj. Boutwell,, Henry Hout W
f. Reed; S. H. Grant of limerick; Tor
Malone of Enola, l.. p Grant of Emel
lex.
Congressman.elect ]. F. Boyd OF NJ
ligh and Supreme Court COMMISSIONS
n. ID. Jackson of Neigh were here.