Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-01-19
Church Filled to Capacity for
Services Over Body Of
Vernon Hatfield.
MISS ROBERTSON COLLAPSES
Sweetheart of Slain Chauffeur
Under a Physicians Care
at Residence.

following funeral ceremonies amid
scenes probably stranger than any
ever witnessed in Tulsa on such an
occasion.
Long before the hour Of 3. 80, when
the funeral services were to be
opened, scores OF people. mostly
women. began arriving at the First
Christian church. when the Rev. j
W. Darby pastor OF the church.
opened the services with prayer at
2:4O every seat In the auditorium and
balcony of tho church was occupied
and crowd lined against the walls
behind the rows of seats.
From All Walks.
Four out OF every five people In
the audience were women. Some were
drawn by "A spirit of morbid curiosity
a desire merely to look upon the face
of the young taXicab driver whose
life was taken last Friday night by a
raiding squad OF police. Others
seemed TO be real sympathizcrs There
were people from every walk OF lfe
from millionaircs down. There were
bootleggers. gamblers and church
workers.
Court was adjourned at noon be
cause Of the funeral. and many at
taches were included in the specta-
tors
1t was the same at tine cemetery. a
| long procession OF automobiles fol-
lowed the funeral party, and hun
dreds thronged about while the cas-
kct was lowered into the earth.
Scene at Grave.
A pathetic scene cnsued at the side
Of the grave. Mrs Effie Hatfield.
mother OF the dead lad. and Miss
Hazel Robertson, his sweetheart re
fused to leave the place. and, becom-
/ ing hystcrical. tried to cling to the
/ freshly thrown earth. Friends had
to carry them to waiting automobiles.
Later Miss Robertson collapsed at her
home, but at 10 o'clock last night she
was recovering under u phy5ic!an's
care.
This was a funeral of many flow
ers. Profuse floral offerings were
piled high on the casket while il laid
in the church. The grave was COM
pletely covered with wreaths.
a Unique wreath.
The most unique of the floral con
| tributions came from the taXicab
drivers of the city, among whom Yer
non Hatfield had been very popular.
II was in the form of a flower auto
! mobile wheel. with seven spokcs--one
fol each member of the Hatfield fam
lily. The seventh spoke. that one rep
resenting Vernon, was broken right in
the middle. While the flowers en-
twined will wither and die, the design
around which this wreath was made
, Will be preserved by the family
Scores OF other wreaths and bou-
quets were received.
The Reverend Darby, in the brief
funeral sermon. did not once mention
the tragic manner OF young Htafield's
death.
This is no OCCASION" he said in
opening his address. FOR discussion
of the death of this boy"
lie pointed out, however that this
tragedy teaches a lesson that every
person should take to heart-that
every person. young or old. should he
prepared AT any time for enternity.
"Who'll BE NeNt?"
1--WE don't know who'll be next" he
said. ut might be you-or 1t might
he me-
"All of this only goes to show" the
minister declared. that the only Ger
tain thing Of life is death The young
may die. the old must die.
Thruout the sermon ran the theme
of eternal life" Thi- was the method
chosen by the Reverend Darby i'm his
effort to comfort the grief-sticken
relatives OF the slain youth.
story OF Acorn.
The minister told the story Of the
little acorn, but one Of thousands that
fell in one year from the boughs OF an
oak II was covered by the earth. and
from IT sprang another oak tree which
grew into a giant OF the forest This
tree lived for 400 years. Eventually
II was reduced to furniture, and
served man in that capacity for gen
eratlons. At last when the furniture
was burned. even the ashes served a
purpose. They came back into tho
world in the form Of vegetation and
furnished food for more human be-
ings.
"Whon a little acorn has such n ca
rcer what shall wc say OF the soul
OF n human bcins?" he asked
When the minister had concluded
the spectators were invited to file b.
the casket and view the body.
Probably less than score OF the
approximate eight hundred present
, failed TO take advantage OF the oppor-
tunity
Band Gives Services.
The Tulsa band had donated Il,
services for the occasion and as the
, caskct was borne down the steps OF
the church and placed in the hears
the band played Nearer MY God to
g, | I nee. Latter tllt luiltl III iIldlCN lIO1i
saul" was played
At least forty motor vehicles swung
into line and made nm the procession
to the cemetery At the grave tut
services were brief and verv simple
Prayer was spoken by the Reverend
Darby as the casket was lowered into
the grave
The pallbearers all tayicab drivers
who had worked with Vernon, Were
! 4 luN, NJ
: Cooper, Cy Boyd. Lawrence Litton and
owen Mitchell.
TaXicabs were furnished free bv the
different companies Of the city for al
members of the Hatfield family and
, all friends.
/. Last night Mrs. Hatfield Informed
The World that she desired to thank
oil the people of Tulsa for their kind
ness and sympathy extended since tn,
tragedy She said she especial,
wanted to thank the taxicab com.
: panics proprictors and employees alike
= l,.t, tnatag l. i,,l