The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-05-13
NATION PAYS
HONOR TO DEAD
WILSON VOICES TRIBUTE TO
THOSE WHO FELL AT
VERA CRUZ
MANY EYES DIMMED
Great Crowds Turn Out at New
York and Follow COffins to
Navy Yard
MANY EYES DIMMED
(By Associated Press.)

(BY ASSOCldLeu I ISSo.J
New York, May 11.-New York join
ed the nation today in memorlallzlns
with simple dignity, the heroism OF inc
nineteen bluejackets and marines, VINO
gave their lives at Vera Cruz. AS the
most impressive funeral pageant since
the Spanish war started, from, the Bat,
tery to the Brooklyn navy. yard, II
was as if the whole population OF the
city was there.
Great Crowds Attend.
The people were still, standine
shoulder to shoulder in community
of grief. It was a spectacle Of a CIT!
strangely transfgured and lifted ou'
of itself.
Tn the line Of mourners that follow
ed the artillery caissons bearing tne
dead we're the chiefs Of state and citS
government and many more dlstln'
guished men of nearly every calling,
but every eye in the throngs ina
lined the way, turned first to the car
rage where President Wilson roae
close behind the last funeral car. Ine
nresident came from Washington dur
ing the night and stood as the ma
rines fired their parting yolieys' al
the Brooklyn navy yard, and the navy
bugler sounded "taps," that proclaim'
ed the end Of the ceremony.
Relatives of Dead Present.
On the stand with the president al
the navy yard were relatives Oh tne
dead sailors and marines, mothers
sisters 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 laas "
the navy to fight for their country
honor at Vera Cruz. 49,
And to the president was lett the
privilege Of voicing the nations griei
and the nations belief that those VINO
died in the performance of duty mac
done for their country a service no,
to be measured by their indlVloua'
deeds. .r, q
"The feeling that is uppermost he
said" is one Of profound grler, ana
vet there is mixed with that grlef a
profound pride that they should nave
gone as they did, and if l may say
# out of my heart, touch OF envy
of those who were permitted SO qule'-
". so nobly, to do their duty"
Wilson Shows Emotion. :.
The head Of the nationp looked
ont over the thousands massed aDou.
the coffins on the parade ground ano
his voice shook with emotion as ne
doolorod hic creed
"We have gone down to Mexico, ne
said. "to serve mankind If we can nno
a way. We do not want to hght tne
Mexicans; we want to serve the MeA-
icans." :. ,;a
There was a wistful note IN MS
voice. as he added: Il never was un-
dor fire but I fancy there are some
things lust as hard to do as to go un-
der fire. 4 fancy it is just as hard 10
do your duty when men are sneerlhe
at YOU as when they are shooting a.
Won. When they shoot at you, they can
only take your life; when they sneer
Of Won. thew can wound your heart:
From a birds eye view, the multi
tnde along the route Of the funeral
cortege presented the picture OF a
vast human stream connecting two
arms Of the sea. Muffled voices, so1t
snoken commands by military ofhcers'
the melancholy tolling of the Trinity
Church bell emphasized a husn tna'
had fallen over city OF noise.
The Dead Lands.
The dead were landed by the tugs
Triffic and Correction early IN tne
morning and lay in state on Battery
Park Plaza for more than an noul
before the procession started. Tnere
were seventeen coffins.
Each caisson was drawn by foul
horses, astride two of which rooe
members of the First and Second reg
iments of the field artillery. There was
in addition one mounted police escort
for each caisson. Four sailors on eacn
side acted as pail bearers. lhese
men. tanned from recent service III
Vera Cruz, had been called to Ne"
york especially for the service IL
memory of their dead comrades. :,
Directly behind the caissons' winch
stretched out their single file, were
Tho carriages of the President, Cover
nor Glynn, Secretary Daniels, Mayor
Mitchell and other distinguished guests
The nresence of the president In tne
nrocession came as a surprise for !,
Fad been announced that he wou!o
ride direct from the Pennsylvania
station to the navy yard.
All along the route the street was
black with spectators. Windows ano
roofs half completed frame of build
ings, all were crowded. Ihere rev Sete te
thousands of policemen on hano 'c
hold the crowds back.
The school children sang "Nearei
my God to Thee"