Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1923-04-21
WESTMORELANDC CLUB
H0N0RS J. f. royal

James E. Royal who for twenty
five years has been a faithful employ
ee of the Westmoreland Club. reputeG
to be one of the best known aristocrat'
| ic organizations in the Southland died
Thursday, April 18th. after prolong-
led illness. He had many friends In
this great organization and they az
tested that friendship in many ways.
paying loyal tribute to him when
his remains were put away for ever.
The funeral took place last Sunday aft
ernoon at p. M. at the Bethel Third
st. A. NJ. E. church, where veritable
host of both white and colored friends
and sympathizers gathered to pay the
las: tribute OF respect.
The scene was long to be remember
cd. The galleries even were packed
and only the strict fire regulations pre-
vented the a,sles in the lower part OF
the edifice from being crowded. The
white gowued choir with their four
cornered black caps with Rev. w. r.
Howerton the highly respected pastor
wearing ricb-looking black clerical
gown presented striking picture. III
front on the main floor resting on the
funeral directors movable van was
the metallic casket with silver
bronze finish and this was practicali!
smothered in costly floral offerings
from friends OF the deceased. The
choir sang it's best, after which Rev.
w. r. Howerton delivered the funeral
sermon from II Timothy, 1 Chapter.
He commented at length upon the
calihre and kind OF people affiliated
with the church and expressed his opin
in concerning the same. He told of his
having visited the deceased before
death. He found him so cheerful that
when Mrs. Royal enquired Of him as
to whether her husband realized his
nearness to death he gave reply in
the negative. This view was changed
later, when he called and asked him
how he felt. He replied that he was
oil right and as soon as his wife lett
the room, he said in low tone to the
elder: II am very sick man" He did
not want to disclose his condition to
bfs family and cause them suffering
Rev. Howerton concluded his dis
course with a touchipg peroratior.
Mrs. Scott C. Burrell sang with feel
ing the solo In the Christians Home
in Glory"
He announced that the interment ex
ercises would be conducted In the
church. The long concourse of leading
white citizens filed out at this point,
explaining afterwards that they haa
so to do owing to the fact that they
had to attend the funer.s,, or Captain
Wright that afternoon. A few of them
remained until the close Exercis-
es concluded, the funeral cortege
marched out to the street where the
automobiles were in waiting. On the
rostrum below the pulpit sat Presi
dent ID. S. Lee Of the Independent
Beneficial Club and Secretary j. Nil
ton Dabney
rhe pail bearers were Honorary.
w Chambers, William Miller, Royal
Threat George A Cobb; George ~
Brunch, Hezekiah Curtis, Rando';.h
Cray; Active: Claude &. Brown. Oar
Soy p. Bragg, Henty Yancey w Il.
White; Henry Mallory; J. Milton Dab
ney; William Rush. funeral Dire ,-or
G. P. Hayes had charge Of the re-
mains under the active management OF
Funeral Director H. l.. Minor, assisted
by w. S. Selden. Jr. Interment was in
Ev. rgreen Cemetery in copper
Springfield vault, which was perfect
ly handled. Deceased left a wife,
Martha Payne Royal; two daughters,
Mrs. G. P. Hayes and Miss Carrie Roy
all and three sons Calvin, Godfrey and
James E. Royal Jr.; two grand chill
dren, Calvin w. Royal, Jr and Miss
Harriet T. Hayes.