The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1910-06-09
EQUESTRIAN STATUE is UNVEll'
ED IN MONROE, MlcH.-CERE-
MoNY is IMPRESSIVE.
PRES. TAFT IS PRESENT
Chief Executive Among the Speakers
Widow of Heroic Soldier Par
~ticipates In the Impressive
Ceremony.

"ShioC "iNhiSah, AbNihS Az
spect was paid by the state OF Mich.
igan today to one Of her noblest sons,
when a fine equestrian statue of Gen.
George Armstrong Custer was I'M
yelled in this town where that war
rior spent five years of his youth, and
where later he was married. The oc-
casion was, made doubly notable by
the presence of President Taft, Sen.
ator William Alden Smith, Governor
Warner and other distinguished men,
and Mrs. Elizabeth Custer, widow of
the hero, came from New York to UNI
veil the statue.
The ceremony attracted to Monroe
a throng that taxed the accommoda.
lions of the town. 1t included many
veterans of the Civil war, especially
the survivors of the Third Cavalry di-
vision which Custer commanded in
that conflict. There were also detach-
ments of the Michigan National Guard,
and hundreds of civilians from all
parts of the state.
Otto Girchner, vice chairman of the
local committee, presided over the ex-
e~rcises, which were opened with an
invocation by Rt. Rev. John S. Foley,
bishop of Detroit. The report of the
monument commission was lead by
Col. George G.. Briggs, chairman, and
then the sculptor, Edward c.. Potter.
OF Greenwich, Conn, made brief re-
marks on his work.
Mrs. Custer now stepped forward,
and pulling the cord Of the flag which
draped the statue, unveiled the figure
OF her husband. AS Old Glory slipped
down from the figures of man aud
horse, a band struck up the strains
OF "The Star Spangled Banner" and
the First battery, Field artillery, M.
N. G., fired a II gun salute. The great
crowd cheered and cheered again and
the tears trickled down the face of
the aged widow of the man who had
devoted his young manhood to saving
his country, and had died fighting its
savage enemies on the Little Big
Horn.
Taft and Smith Speak.
When the tumult had subsidized,
President William III. Taft was intro
duced and was given an ovation. He
spoke briefly, but feelingly, Of the
man who was being honered, and of
his inestimable services to the country
and devotion to duty.
The Grafton of the day, delivered by
Senator William Alden Smith, was
next on the program. This was fol
lowed by remarks by Maj. Gen. ID.
Mem. Gregg, commander Of the Sec
ond division, Cavalry corps, Army of
the Potomac, and Brig. Gen. Edward
ant inspector general and chief Of
staff under Custer, at the close Of the
war. A poem by Will Carleton, writ
ten for the occasion, came next.
Gov. Fred M. Warner made the for
NAL presentation of the statue, the re-
spouse being by Jacob Martin, mayor
of Monroe. after which the band
played America"
Laurel Wreaths For the Hero.
Then came one Of the prettiest fea-
lures of tho program. William o. Lee,
president of the Michigan Cavalry,
bearing in his arms a number of laurel
wreaths, and as he laid them at the
base of the monument, a chorus Of rs
voices sang The Old Brigade" The
ceremonies came to al end with a
benediction pronounced by Rt. Rev.
Charles ID. Williams, bishop of Michi-
gan.
The Custer monument stands in the
public square Of Monroe, close to the
Presbyterian church, in which the
general was married. 1t COS $25. 900
and was paid for by the state.