Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-10-20
"TAPS" SOUNDED FOR SOLDIER HERO
% 90 % 90 90 90 90 % 90
LUIS OTERO SLEEPS IN NATIVE SOD
Whole City Joins in Paying Tribute to Memory of Abu
querque Man Killed in World War; Church Unable to
Hold Crowds at Requiem Mass; Hundreds March in
Military Funeral Procession to Calvary Cemetery,
Where Statutes Are Fired Over Hero'S Grave.

Taps" sounded for Luis Otero
OF Albuquerque. private in the A..
e. f, at Calvary cemetery yester-
day shortly biore noon.
The Rev. Father a. NJ, Mandelari
scattered a handful of scorehing
mesa sand in the open grave and
then the sections helpers began
their grim task Of filling the grave
that contains the body of the only
Albuquerque man that has been
brought from the American grave
yards in France.
This was the ending Of what was
probably the most impressive ccre-
mony and sincerest tribute that
Albuquerque has paid to any of her
sons. Hundreds marched in the
lmlilary funeral procession that
.ormed at the Church OF the I'M
maCulatc Conception at 10 O'Clock
yesterday morning following a re-
QUEEN high mass.
live Hundred in Procession.
Fully 500 marched in the pro-
ccssiVn from the church down Cen
tral avenue to North Arno street,
where the casket was taken from
the cai$son and placed IN a hearse
lor the remaining distance over the
hot and dusty read through Mar
tlneztuWn to Calvary cemetery.
Here some dropped out but the
majority carried on until the
final tribute had been paid to the
memory Of the man who was
gassed 10y the Germans one dreary
morning on the Nesle river in
France more than two years ago.
Every age and every social class
was represented in the long line OF
marcherS who kept step for many
weary blocks to the monotonous
strains of a mournful dirge. When
the procession reached the GENE
terry, there were at least zoo per
sons already gathered there about
the grave.
Simplicity Marks Service.
The ceremonies were simple and
brief. Father Mandalari read the
ritual and then a firing squad OF
the American Legion fired three
salutes across the open grave, y
bugler in uniform blew taps and
the call was answered. by another
bugler hidden at the foot of the
mesa some 200 yards away
Startled babies set up a wall at
the sound OF the firing and mem
bers of the dead soldiers family
sobbed louder when the faint notes
OF the last taps sounded.
Hundreds not in the procession
followed along both sides OF the
street down Central avenue to the
cemetery. Hundreds of others, un-
able to attend the services,
thronged the streets along the line
OF The procession, many with bared
heads as the caisson with the flag
draped casket passed them F.ags
in the city were everywhere at
half-maSt.
school Children Pay Tribute.
Students of the high school lined
up on Central avenue in front OF
the school building while the pro
cession moved by. Pupils at the
Library school and the school in
MartineZtown stood, unusually
auiet, in front of their buildings as
they added their childish tribute
Of respect to the memory of one
of the nations heroes
No pews we're vacant when ccle-
bration of the requiem mass began
in the Church of the Immaculate
Conception at 8 O'Clock yesterday
morning. These who could not find
seats waited outside until the close
of services. ....
The procession, which formed IN
front of the church on sixth street,
was headed by a delegation OF the
American Legion. Nine members
of the legion were in this official
delegation. Twenty-Five uniformed
members of the Duke City band
came next. The colCrs were car
ried by one of the regulars, at
tached to the local army recruiting
headquarters. thanked by two of his
comrades. A squad of former serv-
ice men followed.
Altar Boys Uniformed.
Ten Catholic Boy Scouts, who
had served in the sanctuary at the
church during mass. came next
with Father Mandalari. They were
bare headed and in the scout uni
form.
Twenty-cne former service men
drew the heavy truck, which served
as a caisson. with its plain brown
casket draped with the flag under
which Luis Otero had fought and
died. Former service men in unit
form followed. headed by three Of
ficers of the local navy recruiting
headquarters and a half-dozen for
mer sailors in blue Uniforms.
Many A. Il. + divisions were
represented among the $50 former
soldiers who marched next, in uni
form. Among them was one Ca
madam soldier and wounded Brit