The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-07
TRIBUTES PAID ID
 MEMORY 0F DEAD Memorial Services Are Held At
 Meridian Cemeteries THE ORATI0N IS ELOQUENT Crosses of Honor Are Conferred Upon a Number of Veterans-organized
 Band of Negro Burglars Is
 Broken Up By the Police.
THE GRAFTON IS ELOQUENT

-4eridian, Miss, May Especial Me ridian yesterday afternoon honored the memory of the Confederate dead at rest in the various cemeteries of the city. Confederate mound in Rose Hill ceme- tery and the individual grave of every Confederate soldier inferred in a Merid- ian cemetery tonight is covered with flowers. The decoration exercises post poned from April 26 were fttingIy car ried out under the auspices of Winnie Davis chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy and participated in by thousands of citizens, including the pu- plls or the public schools and all the private schools and colleges Preceding the ceremony at the graveyards an ap- propriate programme was rendered at the courthouse followed by process sion covering a distance of two miles to Rose Hill. Hon. Victor w. Gilbert was the orator of the occasion and his address was one of the most elouuent and inspiring ever heard from a Merid ian rostrum. During the delivery of his address he was surrounded by the members of Walthall camp Confederate Veterans and the Daughters of the Confederacy, who had seats on the stage. This seemed to add inspiration to the speaker whose glowing eulogy of the soldiers of the south during the civil war, his reference to the life and character of the south's chieftain. Jef- ferson Davis, and his touching tribute to the women of the south during the Tour years of strife and the patriot ism of the Daughters of the Confed- eracy, kept the vast audience alter mating between cheers and tears An other feature of the exercises was that or conferring crosses of honor on a number of veterans and sons of de- ceased veetrans. Commander DeB. Wad- dell of the Walthall camp was master of ceremonies at the courthouse
 Sveeral arrests made by the police and searching of the house of the ar rested parties has resulted in breaking up an organized band of negro burg lars who have been plying their ne- farious occupation rather vigorously during the past month or two. In the past 4S hours three stores and a num- Der of residences have been robbed. The thieves secured considerable "booty" at each place, all of which the police have recovered. Van Wilcox, a negro boy about 20 years of age, was the leader of the gang. 1t is said, and his pals are negroes of about the same age.
 Chief of Police Lyons report for the month past, just filed with the city clerk, shows the number of arrests made for the month to be 146, from which the fines aggregate $974.30.
 After one of the hottest fights in the history of the board of super vtsors by citizens opposed and favoring the board has decided to abandon the present public highway from Meridian to Russell and establish @ new road The new highway is to parallel the track of the Alabama Great South ern from Meridian to Russell, a distance of about eight miles. The old road makes the distance a mile or two greater and is through hilly section. The new road Is to be along perfectly level country The action of the board will, 1t Is said, put several stores along the road out of business as their busi ness was practically all from wagoners along the road to and from Meridian.