The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1912-03-29
LAST CHAPTER IN MAINE TRAGEDY
BONES OF SIXTY-SEVEN UNIDEN-
Titled DEAD WERE BURIED.
Thousands Uncover Heads-Largest
Crowd in History Of Washington
Honor National Heroes.

WashingtOn.-The American nation
Saturday wrote the final chapter OF
the tragedy Of the Maine and PAID It's
full measure Of tribute to the heroes
who were sacrificed on the altar OF
patriotism fourteen years ago. Win
a wealth of sentiment the bones OF
sixty.seven unidentified dead, reSUr'
rected from the harbOr OF Havana
were consigned by reycrent pune
to the sacred soil Of Arlington Ma
tonal cemetery to be mingled with
the dust OF the COuntrys halloWed
dead.
President Taft and his cabinet, 6oth
houses of congress and all other OIL
ficials of the government set aside
the day and did homage to the dead
Although rain began to fall early IN
the afternoon President Taft and MS
encourage made their way to the Gem
etery and remained bareheaded IN the
downpour until the last coffin had
been lowered The solemnity of the
moment impressed itself upon every
one
One by one the collins were lifted
by reverent hands from the carriages
and borne to the open graves that
yawned on a rain-sWept hill overlook
ing the Potomac river. In the cen
ter of the waiting graves stood the
old anchor of the Maine. It's iron
shank bore a plate inscribed:
~. S. S. Maine, blown up February
Is, 1898. Here lie the remains OF l63
men of the Names crew, brought
from Havana, Cuba, and reinterred
at Arlington, December 20, 1899
The bones of the unidentified he
roes were consigned to earth with
those whose bones were known.
When the last coffin had been low
cred and the flowers almost knee
deep beside the graves had been ar
ranged, Chaplain Bayard read the
Episcopal service for the dead.
Then Maurice Simmons, commander
In chief of the United Spanish War
Veterans, paid high tribute to the
sacrifice of the dead. Three members
of the order then went forward and
took up their stations beside the open
graves. The first cast upon the coffin
a sprig of evergreen.
"In behalf of the United Spanish
War Veterans" he said, this ever
green is placed upon this casket, one
for all, and is emblematic of the indy
ing love which a country owes to its
defenders and the affection that we,
as comrades, feel for their memory"
The second veteran placed upon the
coffin white rose, which he said
was indicative of the life hereafter of
those who died in defense of the flag
The third placed small United States
flag beside the other symbols.
Let this flag of our country" he
said, which our comrades faithfully
served and defended, remain with the
comrade whose mortal remains are
inClosed In this casket, one for all,
and for all time"
The bands then started a mournful
dirge, which was stilled only when a
sharp order rang out and the firing
squad left the walled mass of soldiery
and came forward. There was a clat-
ter of equipment as the men made
ready:
"Fire!" called the chief in COM
mand, and rattle of musketry broke
the silent stiffness of the afternoon.
A second and third volley followed.
AS the squad fell back to their places
in the line, a navy bugler, standing
beside one of the open graves, sound
ed the melancholiC melody of taps.
When the last note had died the first
crash from the report of the guns
at the fort was heard, and twenty-one
times it was repeated.
Then the president and the multi
tude, the curious and those who real
ly came to pay homage, made their
way back to the capital through a
gray day that fast was nearing night.