The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-05-11
RY RERNARD krcKRR
(Stan Correspondent United Pres,

/ (Stdn Correspondent United Fress)
| on BOARD THE L. S. s. MON.
/ TANA. NEW YORK, May ll.-With
Il7 fagdraped caskets on her super
structure, this veteran armored cruis.
er. bringing home for triumphant
| burial the lads who fell at Vera Cruz.
early today lay glisteaing and CLEAN.
ing of the Battery.
Back home" joyous homecoming
for the men OF the Montna, after five
months I'm the tropics, and for the
boys returning from Vera Cruz where
their enlistments expired. But the
great ceremony. being prepared on
shore is not for them. They will par
ticipate in the solemn welcome-a
welcome not TO the living but TO the
silent boys, sleeping serenely under
the flag fol- which they died Every
whore about the big, sparkling ship,
cleaned and polished and dressed in
her best in honor OF the occasion. was
ey ,dence OF the solemnity OF the duty
TO be performed by sailor and landlub-
her alike. from the stoker In the hold
To the president OF the United states
The Montana had done 1850 miles
az an average OF IA knots, and a cost
or 1000 tons or coal and about $40.
900 from the tropical waters OF Mex.
leo. Armed bluejackets, pacing the
superstructure wherein lay the ma.
TONS dead, and the officers and crew
a. attention on the quarterback. show
ed the sorTowful mission OF the shin
The eventual trip began on Sunday.
May 5, In the harbor OF Vera Cruz.
with one OF the most impressive i'm.
prOmptu ceremonies in the United
States nayy's history. With flag at
half mast and her crew at attention
on the quarter deck the Montana.
alter taking on her cargo OF dead
from the hospital ship Solace, steam
ed majestically through the Atlantic
feet drawn up in two long and i'm
posing lines.
AS the Montana passed each dread.
nought silently saluted by dipping her
flag. which was left at half mast.
Mustered on deck was the entire crew
OF each warship, and as the Montana
passed by the ships bands struck up
mournful dirges. The Dead March"
from Saul, Nearer My God TO Thee"
and kindred airs.
More than 1000 miles from home
after five months in the south. the de-
parture OF the Montana was highly
dramatic TO her officers and crew, and
To everyone else in the harbor.
On the trip up, covering seven days.
the Montana was about every sort OF
a ship that the log" OF the navy rec.
ords. With the IL bodies on the
s'perstructure, she was funeral ship.
With six court 'martialed bluejackets
from the fieet in the brig, coming
home for dishonorable discharge. she
Was prison ship. With two insane
men In her hospital ward. crazed by
FIVE months OF heat in the tropics OF
Santo Domingo and Mexico. she was
an asylum ship. And with 50 men
whose terms OF enlistment had expir.
ed, the Montana was passenger ship.
The first care OF Commander l.. M.
NuttoH, captain OF the Montana. was
the preservation OF, the bodies en-
trusted TO his care. AS soon as the
Montana passed before the last OF the
oattleships and Vera Cruz was hull
down on the horizon, the caskets
were hoisted 10 the port side OF the
and ranged in three
rows OF four each, and one OF five
They were elevated on blocks TO al
low free circulation OF air. and COW
cred with tarpaulins to protect them
from the weather.
On last Thursday night there came
up storm off Cape Hatteras-and
Hatteras can stir up more varieties
OF storms than any other point on the