New-York tribune., 1920-01-07
!, RMgrims Flock to Grave
lat Oyster Bay on First
!. ...,s.s..Anniversary of Death
of the S'Creat American''
Scores of Children There
Rich and Poor, Young and
Old Tread Icy Path From
EARLY Morn Till Night

Nearly 4 thousand visitors went to
the grave Of olonel Roosevelt at Oyster
Bay yesterday. The first Of the annual
pQgrimages to the resting place Of the
greatest of Americans was an evidence
of how green his memory still is. The
slow procession up the steep incline to
the grave started early in the morn
ing, and when dusk cloaked the square
Enclosure on the summit there were
still q few lingerers.
One of the most touching Incidents
OF the day was the tribute of the chill
dren of Cove School, who went to the
cemetery in a body during recess and
lovingly sprinkled flowers among the
more elaborate wreaths clustered
around the plain gray tombstone. They
were the children to whom Roosevelt
had played Santa Claus in years gone
oy. Tears ran down the cheeks Of some
OF them as they stood by the grave.
Mounting guard all day long on tho
hilltop was Charles Lee, the negro
chauffeur who was with the Colonel for
twenty-five years and drove his horses
before the time of motors.
Bell Tolls Death Hour
The bell of the village church
solemnly tolled at the hour at which he
died. and the life Of Oyster Bay stood
still in moments reverence.
The day was much like that on which
nc passed away. The gaunt, desolate
trees, their lifeless branches etched
against an opaque gray sky, stood like
silent sentinels watching over the
cemetery. Light patches of snow lay
quilted on the earth. A thin layer
OF ice coated the steep path up the
hill. A year to-day this path was
covered with dead grass. Now it is d
sandy stretch. worn with the tramp
ing. Of thousands of pairs of feet.
Not breath of wind stirred the bare
branches. The Iesolation was. quiet
and complete. The only note Of color
was the brilliance of the ribboned
wreaths that obscured the creeping
berry plant covering the grave. A
holly wreath lay near the tombstone.
Carnations and lilies of the Nile rested
~ the foot of the grave. Bunches of
yiclets lay carelessly around as if
tossed in by humble admirers. A child
hose tiny hand could not give her
Offering impetus was seen placing
..nglc spray of ivy in the railing. 1t
clung there all day, and toward night
las gently tossed to rest among the
other flowers.
CoioHe4 w ltllAtN bOyCe thompson,
president of the Roosevelt Memorial
Committee, and Hermann Hagerdorm
personally laid wreath on the grave
on behalf of the committee. Mrs.
Henry Hays Hammond and Mrs. A.
Wise Wood came out with another on
behalf of the Women's Roosevelt Me-
laorial Committee. Other wreaths
were from Julius Holz. Charles Lee
and the Convention of the Council of
Jewish Juniors. Individual flowers
were strewn all around. thrown into
the inclosure by visitors.
Rich and Poor There
Men barred their heaGs to the cold
air as they stood silentl, regarding
the resting place of Roosevelt. Here
shd there a woman knelt praying. Well
known stories about the Colonel passed
from one to the other, just as if they
had never been told before 1t was
the sort Of gathering that only great
mans memory could bring into being
Rich and poor, young and old, were
there in evidence of the universally of
the man. Limousines lined the road
way overlooking Long Island Sound all
day long, but pedestrians came in t.le
greatest numbers.
Some who had never been here be-
fore went to look at the house on Saga