The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-11-19
Il THE
ORATOR !
lbs an Grafton at Dedi(d-
|On Of Monument to RevOIu-
EOnary Heroes.

utionary war, the prison ship
Yrs monument at Fort Greene
Brooklyn, was dedicated with
essive ceremonies today in the
spce OF PresideDt-eIect Taft, Sec
~ of War Wright, Governor
he's and thousands of persons,
tbronged the knoll on which the
Doric column stands.
was the first time that Mr.. Taft
taken part in a public ceremony
bis election to the Office of pres
HI. and when he was eSpied
bting from his carriage near the
rance of the park there were
lers that could be heard for blocks.
II. Taft was the orator of the oc
hon and after the ceremonies left
mediately for Washington, where
will meet President Roosevelt to-
brow.
Fhe monument, plain shaft In
form of a Doric column, sur
hnded by a funeral urn, stands on a
eep knoll, beneath which lies in
+ rred the bones of 5000 American
soners, who perished from fever
bd starvation in the rotten hnlks of
be ersey and other English prison
f bios which lay In Wallabout bay
+ bring the revolution.
Secretary of War Luke e. Wright,
+. b bshalf of the United States gov
snment, presented the monument to
|he state, on whose behalf it was ac-
lepted by Gov. Charles E. Hughes.
4 The granite shaft was unveiled by
Miss Esther King Norton, grand
baUgbter Of Gen. Horatio King. and
Il ber signal an immense flag whose
saTy folds enveloped the cap of the
|shaft, and whose red and white bars
|euwrapped the column, edged slowly
blown the monu ent, revealing it in
|al Its magniticence to the throng
which rose TO it's feet and amid a
silence, only broken by the playing
Of Hdndi'S Largo by the Marine
band, stood with barred heads.
Previous to the unveiling there
was parade of soldiers and men,
beS Of civic organizations. A gen.
tie snow which later turned to rain,
fell throughout the ceremony.
On his arrival from Washington
hr. Taft was taken to the BROOKLYN
club, where he had lunch with Gov
srnor Hughes and a few invited
guests. After luncheon the Official
party took carriages and under the
eScort OF mounted troops moved to-
Sard the park. After a prayer by
Rev. Parks Cadman of the Centra!
congregational church, and the read
ng OF poem by Thomas Walsh, Mr..
IaIt was introduced by Stephen V.
White, master of ceremonies.
The next president was given
alVO OF applause as he rose to speak,
Ind as the snow was falling he pro-
oEed a laugh by saying he would
'Ut his hat on.
Mr. Taft said in part:
I'VE are met today to pay a ma
IONS debt, long since recognized
'Ot most tardily prov ided for. The
monument which we dedicate COM
Aenorates the sacrifice for their
ountry of the lives of upward of TO-
W Americans who we're buried more
nan l25 years ago in what seemed
VI years to be an inglorious oDliy.
On' Their identity and personality
ave not been preserved, and we who
sSeuo Ole In grateful recollection of
neir patriotic self-sacr6ce are CON-
'elied to refer to them as the 'un-
inown desd.'
Ihe chief prison ship was the
efsey, There we're other old hulks
'Seu as prison ships before the Jer-
y sy' notably the Whitby and Hope.
,uere were ships called hospital
'uips which are supposed to offer
,e'uge Tor the sick of the regular
'iison ships. In all of them, how
''ef, there were the neglect and
,uelVy That led to a large percentage
:. oeaths among these prisoners, but
."e "DETAILS in respect to them can be
's'ueteu only from fugitive letters
y 'ne victims and not from Official
'Ou'ces. The British commanders
" ,"euefally denied the allegations made
0eualI OF the American prisoners
Ow ume to time, and with the
w ol the war and the absence OF
~ comprehensive investigation and
.spOl' 10 respect to them, we are left
- piece out the evidence as best we
-. Ai and to explain the shocking per.
y ,s"'age OF the dead that we're gather
'acn DAY and given a hasty and
=, Ieient burial. We have more
NM hU'ualicn in respect to the Jersey
,ns 'uan In regard to any other
!. - enough to confirm in the stoup-
~S,y ~ way the Outrageous cruelty with
'c the American prisoners were