The Washington herald., 1914-05-22
Shipmates "chip IN for Me
mortal Tablet on Depart
ed Heros Grave.
SAVE HIS PARENTS HOME
Michigan's Grew Collects Enough to
Pay Mortgages on Boswell
Elders Cottage.
By JOSEPH P. ANNIN,
staff Correspondent of The Wash.
inpxo, uaro1d

lngton Herald.
Vera Cruz, May l5 dispatch Boat to
Gaiveston.)
Though the Montana, bearing the
honored dead of the North Atlantic
Fleet on their last cruise, has made her
port and the nation has paid tribute TO
the nineteen men who lost their lives
in the occupation of Vera Cruz, their
bunkies and shipmates are preparing
more intimate and at the same time
more practical tokens of their affection
for the dead and sympathy for the be-
reaved families.
Aboard each ship that figured in the
list OF casualties collections are being
taken up for families of the dead men.
and memorial tablets to be placed at
the station that each one occupied
aboard ship are being arranged for.
Officers and men are giving gener-
ously, according to their means. No
one is asked to subscribe. but the word
has passed around that the subscription
list is open to all
Shipmntes Honor Boswell.
The Michigan was the first ship to
conclude its collection and order the
), memorial plate for Chief Gunner's Mate
Louis Frank Boswell, whose death dur
ing an attack upon Ensign Glennon's di-
Michigan battalion cabled to The Herald
on April g In less than a day after the
word had been passed around that the
subscription was being taken, something
more than $500 had been turned in, enough
to send $500 to Bosweif's mother, and pay
for silver memorial tablet to be placed
in the torpedo room. Boswelrs regular
station.
In the little town of Coulterville, Ill,
Boswelrs aged parents shortly will learn
that they will not have to leave a COM
Portable cottage in which they had been
installed by their son shortly before he
left on the last cruise, but that his ship
mates have taken upon themselves the
task of lifting the mortgage and turning
over to them the property unencumbered,
as Boswell would have done had he sur
vired- Boswell had bought the house in
time payments. leaving something less
than $500 in notes-to be taken up. This
will be accomplished through the Michi-
gan's contribution.
The following letter, dictated by a
committee of officers, accompanied the
subscription fund:
Send Touching Letter.
las a slight token to snow the high |
respect and esteem in which the cap
tain. officers, and crew of the u s. s.
Michigan held your SON. Louis. they |
wish you to accept the. inclosed checks,
They all sympathize with you deeply be-
cause of the terrible calamity which
took place to your son while ashore on
duty the night of April 2, but are
proud to claim such a man as ship
mate because he died as he lived a
true and brave man.
You sons shipmates realizing that /
you would know how to use the money
TO the best advantage have not made
any provisions concerning a memorial |
to be erected over the grave. but re-
spectfuly request that il possible a small
stone be erected from part of the money
and the proper inscription placed upon
it. With the check for $50 we also re-
quest that floral tribute be bought and
placed over the grave on Memorial Day
as a further remembrance from the Of
ficers- and crew of the Michigan. l.
with greatest respect and deepest
sympathy in your recent sorrow, we
trust that you will accept this
as expressing our true and
earnest feelings"