Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-10-22
$4,000. ]. ATTEND ! | !.
HER0'S FUNERAL
REMARKABLE TRIBUTE PAID TO
"6ILLY" RUGH At RITES HELD
IN THExsTREET.

Chicago. Oct. 21. Twenty Ave
thousand men, women and chllcren,
with bowed heads and moistened eyes
stood In the streets of Gary, Ind. yes
terday afternoon and Joined In singing
Nearer, My God to Thee" A church
choir led with the sweet strains of the
time -honored hymn and one by one the
crowd took up the refrain.
It was Gary's reverent, fearful fare
we'll to William Rugh. the neWsboy
hero, who risked and lost his life that
another might be spared.
Practically the entire population OF
Gary participated in the funeral and II
was necessary to hold services outdoors
the bier being place in the open street
Z Beautiful Tribute Of Gary.
William Rugh's funeral was spon-
taneous outburst of sincere emotion--a
heartfelt tribute from the people, the
whole people Of Gary. This much was
obvious to all who looked on while the
service was in progress. Several women
were overcome and were given lned1cal
attendance. s
Members of the police force were ac-
tive pallbearers, while the honorary list
was made up Of some of Garys most
notable citizens. The Masons, Odd Fell
lows, Elks, Eagles and other fraternai
orders were in the line of march, and
$50 recruits for the Balkan army, now
awaiting orders to the firing line, added
tribute by their presence.
Miss Ethel Smith well known as the
belle of Gary" and who owes her life
to the crippled newsboy's act OF hero
ism, was unable to attend the funeral.
She Is at her home in a convalescent
condition, and an effort was made to
suppress from her the news of Rugh's
death. Members Of her family were at
the services.
Body Taken TO Rock Island.
The body OF Rugh was taken in a
special car last night to Rock Island,
ILL., where it will be buried by the side
Of his mother, who died several years
ago. The procession from the church to
the railway station was led by the
Whiting Masonic band and the Ward
band of Gary. A committee Of citizens,
appointed by Mayor Knots, accom-
panied the body to Rock Island.
There was not room enough in the
vicinity Of the bier to hold the floral
offerings, and many were laid aside to
be piled into the car enroute to Rock
Island. The casket-one Of the hand
soonest that money could procure-was
banked high with flowers, every spring
Of which came from the hands Of Miss
Smith.
Plans already are under way for a
memorial In honor or the Self-sacr1nc-
ing newsboy. Just what that memorial
will be has not been determined. but
most likely a magnificent shaft will be
erected on the site occupied by the
Rugh news stand, and prominent club
women and church workers are con-
templating a William Rugh room"
in the Gary general hospital, to be de-
voted to charity patients.
A mass meeting is to be held tonight
in Gary to take definite action regard
ing the prposed memorial.
Rush's Heroic Act.
Billy Rugh went to a hospital on
September 29 and permitted his Grip
pied left leg to be stripped Of skin
which was grated on portions Of the
body OF Miss Ethel Smith, a 10 year old
Gary girl who had been burned. Then
the boys limb was amputated. The
wound healed, but BILLY" later con-
tracted pneumonia in the hospital. He
died early on Friday morning.