The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-16
MAYOR PRAISES AS
POLICE HONOR DEAD
Services at Metropolitan for
~ Members Who Died
in Past Year.
1000 OF FORCE THERE

The new spirit that Is %pervadine the
New York police under the administra-
ton Of Commissioner Arthur Woods has
not been better demonstrated h by
the dcmeanor Of 1000 men In uniform
who marched into tho Metropolitan
Opera House yesterday for the service
In memory OF their comrades who die
In the last year. There was no mistake
Ing the s%enuineness Of the applause that
followed brief speeches from the Com
missioner and the Mayor. who attested
his own and the city's pride in the In
creasing efnciency and solidarity Of tho
department.
The Mayor told the men that nobody
had ever doubted the bravery Of any
Individual policeman.
IF there was any doubt" he went on.
IL was as to the collective bravery Of
the force at certain times. perhaps.
These doubts have gone This depart
ment stands high in the city. The spirit
that may at times have seemed lacking
has been reborn. The spirit Of service
and OF respect for your own %organiza-
ton Ia Too firmly established ever to
he broken down In this city.
Calls Them Soldiers OF Peace.
You have been likened many times
to al army. You are indeed an army
soldiers Of peace. There may come
a day when you will be called upon for
duty akin to that OF the soldier la
the field. and II Is a satisfaction TO know
that o are being trained to that end"
The rows OF blue were also stirred by
what COMMISSIONS Woods had to say
about honoring the memory Of the po-
liceman who died In his bed at home
after years OF manly effort. as well as
the man WHO fell before the gun OF an
assassin in a spectacular tour Of duty.
The country. Mr.. Woods said. needed
such devotion as the police rave their
city.
To-day" he said, I'VE are realizing
more and more what deman ds our coun-
try may have to make on every citi-
zen. In New York the brunt OF tho
burden rests uron the Police Depart
ment. That they can and will meet the
demands none OF us has any doubt"
Even though this was n solemn me-
mortal service some OF the policemen in
the orchestra and balconies Just had to
vary the handclapping by whistling on
their fingers to indicate their approval OF
The Mayors and the Commissioners re-
marks.
The 4~,ooo-all that could be spared
from du,y-formed their lines in East
FIf,y-frst and East F!fty-second streets.
and. headed by Chief Inspector Schmlt,-
berger and the police band. marched 10
the opera house through Park avenue,
INe asAat INS,A H.
tieth street and Broadway.
Police GIee Club sings.
In the opera house half the stage was
occupied by inspectors. captains and
chaplaIns. the other half by the police
glee club.
II was a big day FOR the glee club.
All winter /, has been trained by G.. l..
Stafford. organist OF 81. Georges Prot
estant Episcopal Church. who was the
leader Yesterday. This was Its first ap-
pearance befoi" a large audience. There
was no question of its success. The
Commissioner has allowed Mr.. Stafford to
pick his own singers from the force with
satisfying results. The selections were
THE star ~Spangled Banner accom-
panied Icy the police band "Tntecer Vi
tao THE Heavens Are Declaring" with
NV 'hhb dS"'l way ihI' NV Nearer.
My God. to Thee
Police buglers OPENED the service with
the salute to the colors, and AZ the end
"A bugler on the stage. echoed by his
comrade somewhere back u IN. or
chestra seats. sounded taps,
Mrs, John furroy Mitchell occupied
a box. Miss Helen Hamilton. Commits
s.ouer Wuods's tiancen. was also seated In
a box with her mother and father. Mr..
and Mrs. william Pierson Hamilton.
Many city officers and Judges were in
the audience.
The members OF the police force who
had died since May |, 1915. numbered
seventy-two.