Evening star., 1925-05-21
CITY PAYS TRIBUTE
At OYSTER RITES
Coolidge Among Citizenry at
Funeral Services in
Calvary Church.

With a simplicity exemplifying the
character of the man, the last rites
over the remains of Commissioner
James F. Oyster were conducted at
Calvary Baptist Church, Eighth and
II streets northwest, at o'clock this
afternoon.
And, as the funeral cortege passed
slowly through the streets of the city
he loved to his final resting place at
Oak Hill Cemetery the citizenry of
Washington paused along the route
in silent tribute to the high esteem
in which he was held by his fellow
men.
Coolidge Attends.
President Calvin Coolidge Joined
with the people OF Washington in
Oyster by attending the services at
the church.
The gathering of Government Of
ficials, business leaders and citizens
from the humber walks of life that
filled the church was indicative of
the bond of friendship which existed
between James F. Oyster and those
who knew him.
AS the Rev. DR.. A. Freeman Ander-
son. close friend of the deceased
Commissioner, delivered the eulogy of
a man who was unselflsh and untiring
in the performance of every duty
assembled a realization of the loss
Washington has sustained
Unassuming in all things, the Com
missioner had expressed a wish for
simple burial. and the only touch of
official honor at the funeral was the
presence at the church of a guard of
honor Of 100 policemen and firemen,
with column of mounted police rid
ing at the head of the cortege.
Officers Bear Casket.
Commissioners Oyster devoted the
last four years to the interests Of
these uniformed guardians of life and
property, and eight officers of these
two services were accorded the priv
ilege Of bearing the casket as active
pallbearers.
An impressive incident of the fu-
neral was the solemn tolling of the
bell in old Union Engine House head
quarters of the Association of Oldest
Inhabitants of the District of Column
bia. Nineteenth and H streets north.
west, as the procession passed en- route
to the cemetery. Capt. Oyster had
been member of the association, and
his associates in that organization
knew him from the days of his bow
hood on Capitol Hill. The bell in the
old engine house was rung by DR..
Benjamin w. Sunny.
The funeral left the late residence
OF the Commissioner, at 2400 Sixteenth
street, at 1:30 o'clock and proceed.
ed down Sixteenth street to / street
thence east to Eighth street and south
to the church, where hundreds of his
friends and scores who had admired
his vigorous activity in behalf of
washington had gathered in reverent
tribute.
Under the command of Assista nt
superintendent Henry G. Pratt the
uniformed police and firemen stood
two abreast. from the curb to the
church door as the body was borne
Buried Beside Wife.
Commissioner Oyster had long been
active in the Chamber of Commerce
and Board of Trade, and the gather.
ing at the church included many
members of those organizations as
we'll as fraternal associates of tho cav.
erai Masonic bodies to which he he.
Ionged e oo
Rev. DR.. Anderson, who came 70
" "dSiiiiS lofi ITOIn East orange, N T
to take part in the funeral SERVICES
of the Commissioner, was assisted h,,
Rev. w. 8. Abernethy, pastor of Cal.
vary Baptist Church.
At the conclusion of the SERVICES
the cortege, headed by the SQUAD Of
mounted police. moved west on H
street to Pennsylvania avenue, thence
to Twenty.eighth street and north to
the cemetery, where the Commission.
er was laid to rest beside the remains
of his wife, who died 18 months ago.
Pallbearers.
The honorary pallbearers We're.
Commissioner Cuno H. Rudolph. Com.
missioner j. Franklin Bell, E. G.
Graham, Joseph 1. Weller, Samuel 7.
Prescott. James T. Lloyd, Henry N.
Brawner. jr.; A. Leftwich Sinclair.
Ringgold Hart, William T. GalIiher'
Clarence F. Norment, Henry p. Blair.
former Senator L. HeisIer Ball.
Odell S. Smith, William F. GUIDE and
Rudolph Kaufman.
The active pallbearers were Can't.
C. L. Piemmons, Acting Lieut. J. A.
Sullivan, Sergt. T. T. Dollhouse and
Pvt. w. =. Miller. Ill of the Police
CONTINUED on Page 2, Column g.