Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-01-05
THE FUNERAL OF
ADMIRAL EVANS.
Largest Military Funeral in Recent
Years Impressive
Ceremonies.
ALL SOULS CHURCH CROWDED
sword Presented Late Admiral hy Crew
of RattleShip Iowa on CaSket--LarSe
COrte@e.

Washington. Jan. i.--Crclc sam
paid last homage This afternoon 10
"Fighting Bob" Evans. with all the
Impressive ceremonial OF the largest
military funeral held here in recent
years. More than thousand men.
representing both branches of the
military service. formed the escort,
and were lined mp al present arms"
when The last homage was paid the
dead hero, and the melancholy notes
OF taps" were sounded al the edge
of his grave in Arlington Cemetery.
Immediately thereafter ,hh final sal
ute Of thirteen ganS doomed out
from nearby.
All Souls Unitarian Church was
not large enough 10 accommodate those
who assembled for The last religious
rites over he dead almirafs body.
In the congregation were President
Taft. Admiral George Dewey. General
Nelson 4. Miles. practically all the
cabinet members, and representatives
Of all foreign nations accredited TO
the United States. High navy officials
who served with the dead warrior
back in civil war times, rubbed el-
bows with humble blueiackcts. or
cX-bluc Jackets, who daimnd The
same prvilcgc--that cf rendering
homage TO him whom they had cs-
iccmed as a friend. Grizzlcd vctcr-
ans Of two wars attended with the
youngsters from the Annapolis Naval
Academy. Lined up ir front Of the
church wrre he long Mes o lhc Ma
val Academy cadets, Il battery OF light
artillery. four companies o marines,
and TWO companies Of sailors, with
two bands. whereon the RUNNERS
beat upon muifled drnmhosdS. when
the solemn cavalcadc moved OFF to-
wards Arlington.
The sword carried on tie casket
was the one presented 10 III. late add
miral by the crow of the L. S. 8.
Iowa and The flag which dlaped The
caisson was the one which hat ship
carried in the battle OF santiaso.
Ordinarily caskcts Of nava officers
are draped by the navy }lck. but
exception TO this rule was made by
an expressed wish of the late ad-
miral.
At All Souls Church. Rev. Ulysses
G.. r. Pierce preached blief SER
mon. Respecting the wishes of the
family of the admiral, but contrary
10 those OF thousands OF friends. the
body Of The dead naval officer lid not
lie in state.
Final invocation was spoken al the
grayeside al Arlington by Re-. Mr..
Wcllburn, of Baltimore, an Episco-
palian missionary TO Japan. and life
long friend Of the dead admira.
/, Admiral Evans sudden death ut
tefly prostrated his wife. Little
Dorothy. Scwall. namesake and grand
son OF the dead warrior his playmate
and close cOmrade since retirement
from active service gave Fighting
Bob" an opportunity to enjoy lie at
home. was The most forlorn figure in
the solemn congregation. Callers at
the Evans home in recent years near
ly always found the retired admiral
playing with his ten-year-old grand
son, telling wondrous tales of the
sea. and decking out the diminu'ive
figure in the panoply OF war that tho
admiral himself had worn on the
quarterback The naval officer was
never TOO busy with his writing to
stop and play sailor with his name
sake
An unexampled and most unusual
tribute was paid TO the memory Of
Admiral Evans today when the Ger
man Emperor commanded Comman-
der Retzmahh. naval attache of the
German embassy. 10 attend the fun
eral as his personal representative.
He also instructed Commander Retz-
mann TO provide wreath to be placed
on the admirals coffin as tribute OF
! the emperor.