The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-28
All Business Is Practically Sus-
 pended for Time
IMPRESSIVE CEREMONIES
In Silence the Friends and Towra- people of the Gifted Statesman and Orator Pay Tribute
 To His Memory.

Mobile. October 27.-(Special.) )-Business
 in this city was practically suspended
 this morning between the hours of 10 o'clock and noon, while the funeral of
 the late Maj. Edward M. Robinson took
 place from his late residence, 972 Govern
 ment street
 It was the last tribute that men of all
 walks of life could pay him, whom in
 life they had honored and respected. Fitting it was at this particular
 funeral there was no attempt made to
 eulogize the dead. Not one word was
 said during the entire ceremony either at the house or at the grave touching upon
 the life or death of him who was so ten
 derly laid away in his last resting palce.
 It is possible that there was in the
 minds of all that none could do justice
 to him who so often had held them spell
 bound by his splendid oratory.
 But Mobile paid it's tribute to the dead
 in a more beftting manner. The abund-
 ance of floral tributes under which he
 now rests is evidence of the reverence and
 tSlttIl III hillCi ic was HSlu anu IL lS
 safe to say that the sobbing of the widow
 at the side of the sealed tomb was echoed
 in the hearts of stalwart men and fair
 women who had gathered to pay this last
 tribute to the dead.
 Long before the hour set for the funeral services. II o'clock, men began to arrive
 at the home to take last look at him
 xarbo 1
 O clock until the hour of the service they
 came, some as a body representing club
 or society and some as individuals.
 The members of the bar, practically all
 of them, were in attendance, the courts,
 including the United States district court,
 having adjourned out of respect to the
 memory of the dead.
 Members of the Knights of Pythias were
 there as were members of the Adhesion
 club and many other associations, and
 at the graveside there was a sprinkling of veteran soldiers of the Confederacy.
 The casket which held the remains was
 of black with silver trimmings, and was placed in the center of the reception room, surrounded on all sides by floral pieces
 These were so numerous that all could
 not be placed in this room but many were left in the hall
 The services at the house were short but most impressive. The quartet from the Government Street Presbyterian church led by singing the beautiful hymn, Jesus Paid It AL in manner that lent to the impressiveness of the occa- l1n1 .I, ,el.-4 there were many eyes that were moist,
 while men scarce suppressed their feel | ings.
 The Rev. A F Carr conducted the serv- ices and there was also present the Rev
 Dr. Edmunds Bennett of Trinity Episco- pal church.
 Rev. MT. Carr read from the scrip
 lures the inspiring and uplifting pas- sages usually read on these, sad occa- sions and then led in prayer. Not once in the entire petition to the Almighty did he refer to the dead but rather sought for comfort for the af- ficted.
 Following the prayer the quartet sang Abide With Me" and as they
 softly sang the words, "Oh Thou Who Changest Not" the casket was carried from the room.
 The cortege from the house to the grave was a memorable one. Leading came a company of the First regiment, Alabama National Guard made up of the members of the four companies that form the Mobile brigade, under | command of Capt John Callahan. The veteran drummer Nielback was In the lead and tapped the slow march the entire way.
 Preceding the hearse came carriages bearing the ministers and members Of the council. Following the hearse came the immediate family, and behind these a string of carriages bearing citizens from all walks of life.
 The cortege was more than five
 blocks long. Before it arrived at the
 grave side the floral tributes had been
 carried from the house to the cemetery
 in three wagons. When they had been placed in position where they could be the easiest reached to place on the grave they formed a bank of flowers
 on three sides of the burial plot. The military escort was drawn up on
 one side of the way facing the grave
 and stood at present arms while the COl HI WdS DOih6 SdiiiOo lioiii thS hearse to the open tomb. The whole command stood at parade rest during the entire ceremonies. | Rev. MT. Carr prayed briefly at the | grave and then consigned the body to the earth with the usual formula of | the church.
 Then came the most soul racking | part of the entire ceremony, that of sealing up the coffin. As the trowel | spread cement in place there was a silence as still IS death which made 1 the scraping of the trowel all the more ! intense. It was at this moment that men thought and thought fast for it was this act that made Ned Robinson | a memory.
 | Quickly the floral tributes were | placed upon the graves. covering it so | completely that there was nothing to | be seen but bed of flowers. Then the | final benediction was pronounced and | Buglar Herman sounded taps l Not until the final note had been | sounded was there move on the part ! of the vast crowd that had gathered | at the grave. but once the solemn sound had died away the people turned | and without word left the ceme- | tery.