The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1918-02-25


fords memorial address. a @ A 4
Packed to seating capacity, a deep
silence permeated the Grand theater
Sunday afternoon when Bemidji paid
tribute to the memory of Edwin r.
Berkey, the first Bemidji soldier to
die in actual service o. his country
in the world wide conflict It was
the outpouring. of a people to whom
the victim Of the .T,iscania torpedo.
ing was little known. He had been
a resident of Bemidji' but few brief
but to Bemidii he4is hero
sons. is,..,1.{l la3l. z, s5y8fsl,f5,. ~ 4 ,4et
Home Guard Out. r.
A large section to the left was
reserved for the Home Guard and
the men turned out in full uniform,
under the command of Captain
Thomas Swinson. To the right, in
a specially reserved section, was sta
toned the Bemidji band, directed by
P. r. Peterson. Upon the stage was
a table covered with the American
flag 1t was "a simp4erssettinF @and'
one that deeply impressed the fhuge
audience. = ~ J.. : 7@ss..@yl %ta.ssg., =.
In reserved seats well to the front
were the members of the bereaved
family, surrounded by & personal
friends. - eG ", =. tt Il. - . NJ . s-' =,
Prior to the opening, the band
played several selections of sacred
songs. "... ~
y Warford Introduced. -
T.. e. Mcdonald presided, his OPEN
Ing being decidedly brief, he intro
ducing Rev. L., ?. Warford, pastor
Of the First Presbyterian i church,
who read selection from the scrip
lures, followed with a prayer.
Miss Dorothy Torrance sang
"Crossing the Bar" the accompani-
est being Miss Jane Hayner..
Brief Life Sketch.
At the introduction, Rev. Mr..
Warford gave brief sketch Of the
life of Private Berkey. He was born
in Bagley, January 5, 1895, and In
the fall of 1904 moved with his par
ents to Aida, coming to Bemidj1 with
his parents in 1917.
On December ~, he enlisted In the
Twentieth engineers and became.
victim of German submarine Feb
ruary 5, while on his way to France
on the transport Tuscania. -. -
He leaves his parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
F. w. Berkey, and three sisters, Mrs.
Robert w. Farley Of San Diego,
CAL; Miss Hazel Berkey and Miss
Laura Berkey, Bemidji.
.-...a Sailors Sing Anthem.
Rev. Mr.. Warford recited briefly
the scenes surrounding the sinking
of the big vessel, which floated for
two hours after being struck. He
told of how the Americans on the
wounded transport raised their voices
in the Star Spangled Banner, heard
on board the conveying ships that
stood by. How the words Of the ma
tional anthem of America were
heard from throats of the dying sail
ors and men struggling for their
lives, and how an officer aboard.
British convoy remarked that he be-
lieved they sang their anthem be-
meath the waves. - @@
Don't Worry" Last Word. =
The last letter sent by the boy to
his parents asked them not to worry
about him. H...a A..
The speaker referred to Jesus
Christ as the first to. fall in the
great cause. He narrated the case
of the American mother who sent
three sons to the battle front ana
one by one received the report OF
their deaths in battle. AS the third
report came, the mother became freed
from her anxiety and thanked Coo
that her boys: died for. their country,
and with their passing ceased the
anxiety of the mother, for she felt
that God would take care OF them.
The close was a patriotic selec-,
ton by the band. .,.,...-..~. .. ;