Milford chronicle., 1914-05-15
WILSON LAUDS
VERA CRUZ DEAD
Thirty Hurt in Near. Panic al
the Services.
MULTITUDE STANDS SILENT

! - "''iS" FSOPiS SSS 1ouleS OF NaNd
Heroes Borne on Flag Draped Gals
sons Through New York Streets ts
Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Thirty women and children were
/ hurt in a near-panic when the CROWD
/ Of 10000 persons assembled at the fu
neral services in the Brooklyn navy
I yard for the men who died in the tax
/ ing Of Vera Cruz, pushed forward tC
get a closer view Of the fag-drapec
baskets in which the bodies lay.
The crush began just as the last
notes OF the bugles, blowing taps,
died out and the party on the speak
ers' stand, with President Wilson as
the central figure, had started to leave
the yard.
Until that time the great throng had
stood mOtiOnless, silent and uncOm
planning in the heat. As though at
signal there was a general surging OF
the crowd and the line of guards was
pushed inward. Persons near the
speakers stand were crushed helpless
ly against it. Bluejackets, sensing the
danger, rushed to the center of the lit
tie cleared space in which the casliets
lay, joined hands and formed a resO
Lutte circle around the dead.
Marines, sailors and the police then
forced the crowd back. The injured
were taken to the marine hospital, in
the navy yard, where they we're treat
Cd s., nd M
was seriously hurt.
The demonstration, which was one
of the most remarkable ever held In
New York city, came to an end with
the departure of the bodies of the he
roes for their homes amid scenes re.
plete with drama, tragedy and comedy
Prior to that the city, state and the
nation had paid an eloquent tribute tc
the fallen sailors and marines.
For four miles, through the city
streets, the funeral cortege passed.
There were seventeen caskets, mount
ed on seventeen caissOns.
Perhaps a million persons saw the
caskets borne from the Battery, in
lower Manhattan, to the navy yard in
Brooklyn. TGe procession was nearly
two hours in passing.
Mayor John Purroy Mitchell deliver
ed a eulOgy upon the dead when the
procession reached the city hall.
The religious ceremony at the navy
yard was more impressive, if possible.
than was the sight OF the slow moving
cortege.
81 was never in a battle or under
fire" said President Wilson in his
brief address, but | fancy it IS just
as hard to do your duty when men are
sneering at you, for when they shoot
at you they take your natural life, and
when they sheer at you they wound
your heart
I'VE have gone to Mexico" he said
in another part of his address, "tc
serve mankind if we can find the way
We don't want to fight the MeXicans;
we want to serve them.
"a war of aggression is not thing
in which it is proud to die, but a wal
of service is a war in wnicl it Is
proud thing to die"
Throughout the procession mounted
police closely surrounded the presi
dent. in a hollow square, a secret scr
vice man rode on the box with a gray
haired coachman, and others marched
behind and beside the vehicle. Seated
in the carriage with Mr.. Wilson were
his secretary, Joseph P. Tumulty, and
his physician and naval aide, DR.. Ca
rev T. GravsOn. At the city hall, Mayor
Mitchell stepped through the crowd
entered the presidents carriage and
rode with him to the navy yard.
The exercises at the navy yard were
held on the parade ground. The 81
Ience that oyerhung the parade ground
was broken for the first time when the
band began to play softly Nearer, My
God to Thee" Then the multitude
stood reverently. with heads bowed
while Chaplain William G. Cassard, OF
Annapolis, made the invocation.