Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-05-16
NATIONS DEAD HON0RED
IMPRESSIVE FUNERAL SERVICES
HELD OVER BODIES OF VERA
CRUZ HEROES.
FIVE HUNDRED CH|LDRED SING
President Wilson EuIogizes Marines
and sluejackets Killed in Mexico.
Their Heroism Memoriaiized.
Salute Fired.

New York.-New York joined the
nation Monday in memOrializing with
simple dignity the heroism OF the nine
teen bluejackets and marines who
gave their lives at Vera Cruz. AS the
most impressive funeral pageant since
the Spanish war started from the pat
terry TO the Brooklyn navy yard. 1t
was as if the pulse of the city had
stopped. All business was suspended.
The president came from Washing
ton and was with the procession from
the time it left the battery until the
SQUAD of marines fired their parting
volleys over the flag-draped collins at
the Brooklyn navy yard and the navy
bugler sounded. the taps that pro-
claimed the end of the ceremony.
On the stand with the president at
the navy yard were relatives OF the
dead sailors and marines, mothers, SIS
ters and wives, but in all the throng
of mourners none seemed more deeply
touched by the spirit of the day than
| the man whose word sent the lads OF
/ the navy to fight for their countrys
| honor at Vera Cruz.
| And TO the president was left the
! privilege of voicing the nations grlef
| and the nations belief that those VINO
died in the performance of duty had
| done their country a service not to be
measured by their individual deeds.
The feeling that is uppermost.' he
said. lis one of profound grief, and
vet there is mixed with that grief
profound pride that they should have
gone as they did, and if l may say it
out of my heart, a touch of envy OF
those who were permitted so quietly,
so nobly to do their duty"
The head of the nation looked out
over the thousands massed about the
coffins on the parade grounds and his
voice shook with emotion as he de-
clared his creed:
1--WE have gone down to Mexico" he
said, ito serve mankind if we can find
a way. We don't want to fight the
Mexicans. We want to serve the Mex
leans"
was WlolIui iONO ~ 100
voice as he added: Il never was I'M
der fire, but | fancy that there are
some things just as hard to do as to
go under fire. | fancy that it is just
as hard to do your duty when men
are sneering at you as when they are
shooting at you. When they shoot at
you they can only take your natural
life; when they sneer at you they can
wound your heart
The dead were landed by the tugs
Traffic and Correction early in the
morning and lay in state in the Bat
terry Park plaza for over an hour be
fore the procession started. There
were seventeen coffins. The other
two victims of Mexican snipers hon
: ored died after the Montana left Vera
: Cruz with the bodies of their com
rades.
AS the procession entered the city
hall plaza the voices of 500 children
: rose to meet them. The children sans
Nearer, My God, to Thee"
Mayor Mitchell briefly eulogized the
dead and laid upon one of the Gals
sons a huge wreath symbolizing thu
city's appreciation of the service rem
dered at Vera Cruz.
: After this brief halt the cortege re
: sumed it's measured progress ovel
: Manhattan bridge to the Brooklyn
navy yard. The quiet restraint tina
: had characterized the crowds in thu
: streets gave way as the procession
proceeded to the east side and Brook
Ign in storms of applause. Here i
seemed that the presence of the presi
dent eclipsed the brief of the occa
demonstration found small physica
. compass. Less than 10000 were abb
to pack themselves into the inclosur'
and face the stand where stood thu
president with barred head. Mayo
I. Mitchell was at his right and Secretar.
Daniels at his left.
With sharp precision, the blue
jackets. their white hats catching tn,
dull sunlight, drew up into militar.
l formation before the stand. At tn,
!, same time the seventeen caissons
| draped with flags and banked will
!, flowers contributed by the comrade
S of the dead, we're laid directly in from
of the stand.
A moment later the crowd was pei
mitted to enter and Immediately
}. filled the entire field. The band o
}, the battleship Texas played softl
:, Nearer, My God. to Thee" and Nava
a Chaplain Cassard began his invoca
e ton. In referring to the dead heroe
l. he prayed it would not be necessar
= to make a further sacrifice on tn
altar of patriotism.
Three volleys fired by the marine
across the consecrated dead. the fins
# melody OF taps, and the funeral ser,
l. ices were completed. They had Taste
r a little less than an hour.