Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1918-07-18
MURPHY MADE GREAT HIT
First Class lecman With Jackie Band
Made Great Plea to Men
To Enlist.

The greatest naval recruiting drive
ever staged in Gratiot and adjoining
counties, held in Alma Monday, saw
5S stalwart sons of this city march
up to the stand at the corner of State
and Superior sreets and offer their
services to Uncle Sam for the dura-
ton of the war. 1t was a sight that
will never be forgotten by the several
thousand who attended the affair,
packing the streets for blocks each
way.
The meeting was opened in the
evening by band concert by the
Jackie band of the Detroit Naval
station, following which Rev. Dutfey
was called upon for a short address.
This late conner TO Alma praised
the work of the Jackies of the United
States very highly, during the course
of the address He spoke Of the way
that over a million men had been car
ried to Europe, a million fighting men
by these same Jackies, who conveyed
them so well that not ship, carrying
Sammies across was caught by the
terror of the ocean waters, the Ger
man submersible. He spoke Of the
only one which was caught, and
which was not then being conveyed
by u. S. Jackies, but by British ships.
He spoke of the foodstuffs, etc, which
the Jackies were and are transporting
to the batlefields of Europe, Of the
need for this great branch Of the ser
vice and for the need of more men for
this branch.
Rev. j. Frank Jackson followed
Rev. Duffey with short address in
which he also extorted the young
men of Alma to enlist, to serve their
country and to serve humanity.
Another selection was rendered by
the band and then First-class Yoeman
Murphy of Detroit stepped TO the
edge of the platform, and in the style
of language which made Billy" Sun
day famous the country over, he
called for enlistments, pred under
the skins Of the thousands in the
crowd, to such an extent that there
was hardly person in that vast
gathering, who did not feel the tingle
in his blood, whose blood did not
bood more quickly, and wish that
conditions were such that he could
freely offer his services for the du-
ration of the war.
Suddenly Murphy startled the
gathering by saying that he expected
nifty recruits out of the gathering,
and ten started urging the men Of
he CROW i. who wanted to enlist TO
step 10 the stand The flood started,
and in a moment dozen men had
made their way to the front of the
crowd More followed, and soon half
OF the fifty were gathered in front of
the stand Then Murphy sent the
band men scurrying out in the crowd,
searcing for those available men, who
were still debating the subject in
their minds.
More and more men edged their
way to the platform, amid the APP
| plause of the crowd Finally the
number approached the fifty mark.
1t reached fifty, the number of men
that Murphy had asked for. Still
they continued to come, until fifty
six men had offered their services
in less than one hour.
1t was one of the most patriotic
events that Alma has ever witnessed
1t was an event worthy of our city.
and il is certain TO be the means of
stimulating a still greater enlistment
in this branch Of the service. 1t re-
minded one of that great cry of the
Civil war, "We are coming Father
Abraham 49,"
The recruiting over, the crowd
stood with barred heads while the
band played the strains of "The Star
Spangled Banner" which brought
rounds and rounds of applause. "Over
There" followed and the greatest
patriotic demonstration of Alma's
history was at an end.
The Jackie band arrived in Alma
soon after noon Monday, and was
met at the depot by Liberty trucks.
A group of soldiers stood at atten-
tion, as the Jackies started their
march up State street from the de-
pot, then fell in behind and Joined in
the parade. The Liberty trucks
brought up the rear.
All during the afternoon the band
rendered selections from the large
bandstand which was erected at the
corner of State and Superior streets,
keeping the streets crowded con-
tinuously.
Three members of the Jackie band
were well known here and were greet
ed by many friends. Two were from
the old Republic band, these being
the leader and drum major of the
Jackies. The third was "Ping"
Richards, graduate of Alma college
in June, who played bass, just as
hard as he used to play football and
basketball, and played in just that
same hard way in which he will play
when he meets up with the Hun.
| Recruiting Officer Krohn, who