The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-03-21
IMMENSE CROWD Is OUT
Scisie-s o. Cogo-e6 Hell Fighters Also
Participate in Welcome Home
procesaion and Greet
Inps-


France, and several months in 2 Hun
prison camp. and 10 severed members
Of The gsGth infantry, colOred soldiers
known fn the army az the He'll Fight.
(. ers. bacaugs Of the things tEey did u
the Boche
Az usual all Keox1k helped, and the
4 KeokuE Concert band which has dome
so much hzrd work gratuftouEly for
year and q half On ps1piic occasions
connected with the war, had their OWL
4 part In the proceedings, for Pecnstein
4 played the ptcoio IN that band before
( ne went into the army and To France
and Germany.
I When They Came Back Home.
( The union station platform was
tamrned with people, as IL has been
80 many times during the world war,
when Reokuk had an opportunity TO
show her appreciation of soldiers. and
I the Eaks Of Keokuk gave another dig
I play OF patriotism, one hundred Plus.
4 The bell slowly ringing it's warning,
and the engineer plainly cautious in
pulling into tina. crowd, the Rock Is
! land train crept alongside the south
/ platform.
| All Here" the EIks raised their flags.
the jam Of the crowd became little
Genser, and there were Epasmotic
cheers and cries as some colored sol-
dier leaning far out a window of the
smoking car was recognized by friends
On the station platform
The Mother is Hero, TOO.
The train finally stopped and tus
PecEstein stepped from -, rear
coach platform into tangle OF out
stretched hands, each eager to clasp
his. He was grasped and rushed the
length OF the station platform to the
north end where his mother waited
in an automobile. The crowd was so
great, and the number OF old friends,
Who greeted him, so many that 1t took
some time for him TO reach his mother
and father.
her over and over, and she held him
in close embrace, with both arms
around his neck and his cIasping her
1T was a long embrace that told
something Of the weary weeks that
mother waited without news of her
son, Of other weeks Of days and nights
was suffering in Hun prison camp,
and Of the later weeks that elapsed
before he would come home from
France.
His father Eeld him for a long min
ute, too, and then his brother Paul,
who had him first, said:
Come on, Gus; they want you with
the band"
Il can't play that picolo; my hands
are too cold" Pechstein replied, and it
was explained that he was TO be play
ed to by his old comrades In music to
90 him honor In the name of all Keo-
kuk.
Cradle Of Liberty" he exlaimed to
Director Bower, when he reached the
band and the latter asked him ques-
ton. Bower suggested something else,
but Pechstein said: ''No; The Cradle
Of Liberty; that's the piece"
And the band played it for him, as
his old favorite, and the music they
played him to the train with when he
left Keoluk for his great adventure,
instead OF over There" which Direct
or Bower had intended.
The Procession in Main Street.
The procession started up Water
street and Main street surrounded by
the big crowd.
First came the band, and in It's rear
rank marched Pechstein constantly
returning the greetings of his friends
by calling them by their first names
with his CHEEKY salutation.
Next came the colored soldiers In
full marching order, helmets at back
and all. They had the same determined
swing of the American troops, who
have seen much real service, but they
made no pretense Of keeping align
ment. They couldn't. They were flank
ed by a much superior force In skirts,
with soprano and alto voices that
made very keen competition to the big
band.
Following the Pechstein family in
their automobile came the G. A. r..
with John r. Dimond as color guard to
Captain F. O. Overton, who carried
his flag seen in so many parades.
Then came the Elks.- each with flag,
in a column about block long.
Everybody Was There.
Tho sidewalks were crowded all
the way out Main street, and double
column OF automobiles several blocks
long made the rear OF the procession,
which went out 10 the Pechatein home.
1923 Concert street.
There It left the returned soldier of
the family and then marched back toI
the Ells's club TO disband, via Main
street
The colored soldiers went to their
several homes, and they will be given
q rousing reception and honor ban