Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-05-15
THE DEAD OF VERA Cruz
Impressive Funeral Pageant In New
York Monday.
PRES. WILSON ORATOR OF The DAY.

Thousands Of People Join in the Exer.
cises-Bodies Lay in State Part Of
the Day-Profusion Of Flowers Con-
tributed.
,, New York, May 11.-New York join
ed the nation today in memoralizing,
with simple dignity, the herolsm Of the
nineteen bluejackets and marines who
gave their lives at Vera Cruz. AS the
most impressive funeral pageant since
the Spanish war started from the bat
terry to the Brooklyn navy yard. 1t was
as If the whole population of the city
was there.
The people were still, standing
shoulder to shoulder in a community
Of grief. It was a spectacle Of city
strangely transfgured and lifted out
Of itself.
In the line Of mourners that followed
the artillery caissons bearing the dead,
were the chiefs Of the state and city
governments and as well as many
more distinguished men Of nearly ev-
cry calling; but every eye in the
throng that lined the way turned first
to the carriage where President Will
son rode close behind the last funeral
car. The president came from Wash
ington during the night and stood as
the marines fired their parting volleys.
at the Brooklyn navy yard, and the
navy bugler sounded taps"
Wilson Deeply Affected.
On the stand with the presider' ~
the navy yard were relatives Of the
dead sailors and marines, mothers, sis
tiers and wives, but in all the throng Of
p,ourners, none seemed more deeply
touched by the spirit Of the day than
tn, man whose word sent the lads Of
the navy to fight for their country's
honor at Vera Cruz.
And to the president was left the
privilege Of voicing the nations grief
and the nations belief that those who
died in the performance of duty had
done for their country service not to
be measured by their individual deeds
THE feeling that is uppermost," he
said. "is one Of profound grief, and
yet there is mixed with that grief
profound pride that they should have
gone as they did, and IL may say II,
out Of my heart, touch of envy Of
those who were permitted so quietly,
so nobly, to do their duty"
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over the thousands massed about the
collins on the parade ground and his
voice shook with emotion as he declar-
ed his creed:
To Serve Mankind.
I'VE have gone down to Mexico he
said, ito serve mankind IL we can find
out way. We do not want to fight
the MeMcans, we want to serve the
Mexicans." 1..-A .. s5..... 20 g.l
There was a wistful note in his voice
as he added: II never was under fire,
but fancy there are some things just
as hard to do as to go under fire.
fancy 1t 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
life; when they sneer at you, they can
wound your heart"
From a blrds-eye view Of the multi
tude aligned along the route Of the
funeral cortege presented the picture
Of q vast human stream connecting
two arms of the sea- Muffied voices
ft-spoken commands by military Of
ficers, the melancholy tolling Of the
Trinity church bell, emphasized hush
that had fallen over city Of noises.
The Dead Lay in State.
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 died the
day after the Montana had left Vera
Cruz with the dead.
The police escort headed the cortege,
and was followed by the naval battal-
ions from the Wyoming and Texas.
Then came the seventeen gun caissons
carrying the dead. Each caisson was
drawn by four horses, astride two OF
which rode members of the First and
Second regiments Of the field artillery.
There was in addition one police escort
for each caisson. Four sailors on each
side acted as pallbearers These men,
fr4,, w
Cruz, had been called to New York es-
pecially for this service in memory OF
their dead comrades
Diqnitaries in Carriages.
Directly behind the caissons, which
stretched out their single file. were the
carriages of the president, Governor
Glynn, Secretary Daniels Mayor Mitch
el, and other distinguished guests. The
presence Of the president in the pro-
cession came as a surprise, for 1t had
been announced that he would proceed
direct from the Pennsylvania station
to the navy yard.
All along the route the street was
black with spectators. Windows and
roofs, half completed steel frames OF
buildings, all were crowded. There
were thousands Of policemen; one ev-
cry ten feet held the crowd back on
the sidewalk. During the entire cere-
mony there was not a suggestion Of
disorder.
AS the procession entered City Hall
Place, the voices Of 500 children rose
to meet them. The children sang
Nearer My God to The"
Mayor Miteheps Eulosy.
Mayor Mitchell briefly eulogized the
dead and laid upon one Of the caissons
a wreath Of flowers, symbolic Of the
citys respect. After this brief halt the
cortege resumed it's measured progress
to Manhattan Bridge and over this to
the navy yard. The quiet restraint
that had characterized the crowds in
the streets gave way as the procession
proceeded to the East Side and Brook
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