The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-11
Nations Tribute to Those Who
Fell at Vera CruS.
Thousands Line New York
Streets as Procession Passes.
MANY EMBLEMS OF MOURNING
President Wilson Comes From
CAPITAL for the Occasion.
Bodies of All Will Be Sent
Home for Burial.

HOmG lOI DUIl01s
New York, May Ito the men
Of the navy who died in the occupa-
ton of Vera Cruz. the city, the state
and the nation paid tribute today In
a demonstration chiefly remarkable
for it's silence and solemnity. FOR
four miles through the city streets the
funeral cortege passed, and behind II
in an open carriage rode the presi-
dent. He sat down for the most part
with head barred, though the May sun
beat down upon him and the mercury
climbed above seventy.
Perhaps a million persons saw the
seventeen coffins, each on q ca1sson,
borne from the battery plaza in lower
Manhattan to the navy yard in Brook
lyn. The procession was nearly two
hours in passing. Such was the feel
ing of the massed thousands that the
silence at times. particularly in the
canyons Of lower Broadway, was op-
pressive. There were few sporaolc
outbursts of applause as the presi-
cents carriage passed, but these were
quickly hushed. At Dey street came
the first short burst of such applause.
1t was started by a girl In white on
the sidewalk, who clapped her hands
doubtless from sheer nervousness.
Though there were but seventeen or
the dead in the procession, Secretary
Daniels made it plain that the cere-
monies were for all who had died at
Vera Cruz-not only the seventeen
whose bodies were brought up by the
cruiser Montana but also for Gar
ence Harshberger and Henry Pulliam.
who have since eied. The religious
ceremony at the navy yard was more
impressive, If possible, than WAS the
sight of the slow moving cortege.
The Presidents Address.
1T was never in a battle or under
fire" said President Wilson In mis-
brief address, ''but fancy it is just as
hard to do your duty when men are
sneering at you. Tor when tney snoos
at you they take your natural life and
when they sneer at you they wound
your heart.
1--WE have gone to Mexico" he said
in another part of his address, to
serve mankind, if we can find the
way. We don't want to fight the Mex
leans, we want to serve them.
"A war Of aggression is not q thing
in which it is proud to die, but war
of service is a war in which it Is
proud thing to die"
Throughout the procession, mounted
police closely surrounded the president
in a hollow square, q secret service
man rode on the box with gray hair
ed coachman and others marched be-
hind and beside the vehicle. Seated
Secretary Tumulty and his physician
and naval aide, DR.. Cary Grayson.
At the city hall where the cortege
halted while Mayor Mitchell placed the
city's wreath on a coffin and delivered
a short speech. the mayor stepped
through the crowd and entered the
presidents carriage: He rode with
him to the navy yard. AS the process
sion passed the partly completed
Equitable structure in Lower Broad
dents gaze. Above him, tier upon
tier were seated more than a thousand
workmen in their overalls. With the
ease that their calling brings, they be-
strode beams and girders high above
the sidewalk and looked down on the
passing cortege. Many waved their
hands and the president looked up,
lifted his hat and smiled.
Removing the Dead.
New York, May 1.-THE dead from
Vera Cruz were landed on American
soil today and city. state and nation
paid their tribute. Two hours before
the city was astir, seventeen flag
draped coffins were removed from the
boat deck of the armored cruiser,
Montana. and placed on caissons on
the plaza in Battery park. Few wit
messed the ceremony. The sun was
hardly up. But thousands later lined
the streets to watch the slow process
sion wind its way to the navy yard.
Perhaps not since the Dewey parade
has there been such a spontaneous
demonstration. That. however, was
a noisy tribute to a returning victory;
this was a reverent one to the return
ing dead.
The weather for the occasion could
not have been better. The sky was
n1y Nvnn6loSc
enough breeze to stiffen, afloat and
ashore. thousands of flags which
floated at half mast. Silent thou
sands. long before o'clock, began
making their way toward lower Man
haitian. Others massed about the CITY
hall where the procession was to halt
briefly. Still others lined the ap-
proaches to the Manhattan bridge and
finally a great throng gathered at the
navy yard where eulogies were to be
said.
Signs of Mourning.
Many wore little bows of black
others wore bands of black on their
sleeves.
President Wilson arrived in the city
from Washington shortly after Z
o'clock almost unobserved. He was
taken into the home of his friend, Col
E. NJ. House, and thence to the bat
terry. to take a place in the procession
1t had at first been arranged that the
president was to go to the navy yard
to receive the nations dead on govern
n.enr ground. but at the last moment
Mr.. Wilson changed his mind and was
driven to the battery. SO as to par
ticipate in the ceremonies from be.
ginning to end. When he reached the
battery the hero dead were upon CUR
caissons. police had lined the way and
the procession was ready to move.
Twenty-four picked mounted police
led the way.
Behind them were the combined
bands of the dreadnoughts Wyomins
and Texas, and. behind the bands. coo
bluejackets from these Ships
Next came the coffins, in single file
A. the side OF each rode a policeman
and at the corner of each caissor