Evening journal., 1911-09-18
MANY MOURN
MIR. SMITHERS
More Than Thousand Friends
View Corpse Of Dead Sec
retary In Dover Church
GOVERNOR PENNEWILL
ATTENDS THE FUNERAL

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL |
DOVER, Del. Sept. 1s-The funeral
Of the Hon. William T. Smithers.
Secretary-of-State Of Delaware, took
place here yesterday afternoon. and
was the largest funeral known in re-
cent years.
short service was held at the /
home of the deceased secretary, at 1 !
o'clock, after which the remains were
= taken to the Peoples Church, on |
Bradford street. where regular SER
vices were held. The auditorium of |
the church, with a seating capacity Of
nearly one thousand, was filled TO /
overfiowing, the gallery also being |
filled with relatives and friends, be-
sides hundreds of out-of-town visitors
who had come on the morning trains
and in automobiles.
The services were in charge of DR.. |
A. w. Lightbourne, pastor of the
church, and a relative Of the de- |
ceased.
AS the funeral cortege entered the !
edifice, the choir and congregation
arose and sang Rock Of Ages This
was followed by Peace BE STILL" by
4 the double male quartet of the church,
after which DR.. Hghtbourne read a
part of the Scriptures fitting the oc-
casion. Prayer was offered by Dr.
Iightbourne, followed with singing,
Abide With Me" Prior to the re-
marks by DR.. LightbOurne, on the
death of Mr.. Smithers. n duet, Some
Day the Silver Cord viii Break" was
sung by Mrs William J. Benson aud
Mrs. NJ. NJ Wolcott, the selection be-
ing a favorite OF the deceased.
Dr. Lightbourne, in delivering the
eulogy on Mr.. Smithers, spoke Of him
as a man fitted for any place and al
any time. lie spoke of his poetic
inclinations, as we'll as that of drama,
music and literature. OF his lovabe
disposition and kindness 70 all, and OF
his interest in the Young and his un-
firing efforts in the church and out
of II to make life sWeeter TO them.
Speaking personally, DR.. Lightbourne
said the death of NJ Smithers was
particularly sad to him, as he and the
deceased had been like brothers, from
youth. He spoke of mis- early life,
middle life and of his life of recent
years i'm which nc had done much TO
brighten the lives of those with whom
he came in contact.
At the close OF the address, the
Male Quartet OF the church, Messrs.
Taylor, Fisher. Benson, Carrow.
Wharton. Louderbough and Lewis
lone member ABSENT, sang faYorite
of the deceased. "Some Glad Day.
Upon an invitation being given TO
view the remains of the deceased,
fully ono thousand persons passed be-
fore the casket. The choir sang
"I4oune Of the Soul" while the remains
'yrere being viewed. The caskct was
S,f a plain, heavy black cloth with
plate bearing the inscription,
William T. Smithers.
Died September Is, 1911,
Aged IS years
The services being concluded at the
church here, the remains we're taken
to Barratt's Chapel. and buried beside
those of his father in the family lot
At the grave the regular burial SER
vice was read by DR.. Dightbourne. as
sisted by the Rev. J. w. Wedden' D..
D.. pastor Of the Dover Baptist
Church.
The church male quartet sang
Fearis beautiful Isle of Somewhere, %
at the grave.
In addition to the honorary pail
bearers ftlttAtu W tut AdhiAs VII A. -
day. including Dr. James e. Carroll,
7. Frank Wilds, Walter Morris. Wil-
liam NJ. Hope. A. b. Conner, A. r.
Benson. Daniel Jones, II. Ridgely
Harrington. two additional bearers
were selected. They were former
United States Senator J. Frank Alice
and Herman c. Taylor.
Among those in the audience from
distance included Governor Pen
newill, former Governor Preston Lea.
the Hon. George Y. Massey, John
Biggs Prothonotary Churchman. Gen.
ersl T. Coleman DUPONT. States Sena-
tors Miller. Ellison, Marshall. Ander-
son, judge Henry c. Conrad. former
Chancellor John r. Nicholson. II. H.
Ward. Ruby Vail, Fisher Pierce. z. p
Shurter, Police Captain Kane. II. T.
Cain. Joseph L. Cahall, Cornelius
Swayen, Representatives. Johnson and
Evans, W f. Metten. II. Clay Davis
John Herring Colonel n. r. Johnson
Mark L. Davis. Postmaster Davis. OF
Milford: DR.. L. S. Conwell former
Judge Hastings, former Sheriff FRANK
Reedy. Colonel W. d. Denney, the
Hon. o. A. Newton
Twenty members of the Kent
County Bar occupied seats in the front
Of the church.