The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-04-16

Plymat. past department president oil
the Womans Relief corps. at Cooper
Memorial hall last evening. on behalf
uf the local corps TO the local post
Of the grand army. The hall Is To-
Gated I'm the Armory building. Mrs.
Plymat thanked the people who had
assembled TO do honor To the occa.
sion. She said she herself remembered
well the news of the surrender of Lee
al AppomaitqS. just fifty years before
10 a day. She was herself but seven
teen years old at the time. Mrs. Ply
mat expressed the hope that when
the post and the corps no longer met
in the hall. il would he used as =
meeting hall. for same other patriotic
organization. She reminded all pres
Cnt that Mr.. Cooper gave the money
10 finish the hall as a meeting place
Tor the post and the corps.
Mrs. VI. ID. Fritz. department sec
Rotary Of the corps. also expressed n
glowing tribute 10 the generosity OF
COmradc Cooper She said, In part:
The only Request the corps has
ever received was one of 5000 left us
bv the late Evan u. Cooper. father ot
our Florence X. Stubbs and Eva
Cooper COmrade Cooper was not only
Il good soldier but loyal friend of
the WOmen's Relief corps and n Chris
lian gentleman. The money was turn
ed over 10 the corps. August 3. 1910.
and il was voted to place II in the
custody Of three trustees. these being
the president. secretary and treasur
cr. Comradc Cooper did not forget his
comrades in the post and also gave
Them Request nf $500.
Courtesy OF Captain Scott.
III was through the kindness and
courtesy Of Captain 4. q. Scott that
sc were given an Opportunity tn in
Tcst this money in hall of our own.
The post has contributed $500 OF its
legacy and we have paid the balance.
We are still-in need of about 500 &"
get our kitchen into shape for con-
venieut use. but expect 20 do this
during the summer When we moved
into this building il was voted 10
adorn our room with a memorial tab
let in memory of the comrade who
has made II financially possible for us
Ia have Il meeting place Of our own,
and | doubt Il il could have been pos.
sible To have selected a more historic
date than the 9th Of April. 1915. Ia
present this tablet Ia Alexander VII
Kin post. q. \. X.
IN many cities and towns all
over the country. and especially Min.
nesota. meeting places have been pro
vidcd for the G. \. X. and the Won.
ems Relief corps by generous pub.
lie. The cities OF Duluth and Mime
apOlis have given elegant rooms I'm
The county court house for meeting
purposes. provided with all the com
forts and necessities OF a lodge hell.
kitchens. etc. The .ElEs' lodge nj Ro.
chester has donated elegant rooms
for tho use OF these great patriotic
orders in their elegant club house. and
many other places have done like
wise. We prefer TO think thar Il is
due 10 thOughtlessness and not a lack
Of patriotism, that Mankato has never
contributed in any way 10 either or.
sanlZation."
Some interesting "reminiscences.
Commander J. VI. Williams of. Al.
cNander Wilkin post gave some in.
iehsely interesting "reminiscences OF
the days just before and after the
surrender of General Johnston 20 Gen.
eral Sherman. Commander Williams
himself one of Sheyman's veterans and
the history that he told was all from
his own memory. lie spoke pariieu.
larry Of The grand review of the army
az Washington on the cath OF May 1866
ID took six hours and thirty minutes
for the parade To pass In the parade
were The Fifteenth corps, which had
marched 2.2S9 miles. and was com.
posed Of 1924 men: Seventeenth. g
OI6 men, 1888 miles: Fourteenth i.
0S6 miles 20.i7l men and Twentieth.
1852 miles, 20.471 men.
Judge Lorin Cray gave a brief bu,
very impressive spetch of the life and
character Of the colonel after whom
the post and the corps were nametl.
lie spoke particularly of the strictness
OF the colonel as a disciplinarian. He
spoke from his own personal acquaint.
ance with the colonel The colonel
was not liked by his men during the
early part OF the service. because they
did not understand the necessity of
his sternness, but later ON I'm the war.
they understood. him better They saw
that his sole purpose was TO serve his
country well. He did well I'm providing
for his men. He spared neither him.
self nor anybody else when Il came 10
question of duty. The result was
that he had one OF the most finely
disciplined regiments in the service
The judge read the following bio
graphical sketch:
Life Story OF Colonel Wilkin.
Alexander wilkiR- was born In
Orange county. New York. In Decem
ber 1920 He was the eldest son .oi
Judge Samuel J.. .wilkin. who had been
member of congress and was prom
inent politician. Young Wilkin stud
led law and was admitted to practice
lie was captain in the Mexican wal
and served under General Zach Tay
Tor. He came 10 ST. Paul in 1919 and
In 1851 was appointed territorial sec
rotary by Governor Ramsey. He wen
Ia Russia during the crimean war anc
was present NJ the seige- of Sebasto
pol. Al the outbreak OF the rebellion
he organized Company A. First Min
nesota. the first company OF the frs
regiment Of that war. lie was mad,
captain and j. J. Inn was a menhe,
of The company. For bravery mt hui
Run he was made n captain In the rec
niar army. lie was afterwards com
misfi6nea major and then licuicnan
colonel OF the Second Minnesota. I,