Evening star., 1932-03-11
IMPRESSIVE RITES
HELD FOR S0USA
"March King Laid to Rest
as Prominent Persons.
Pay Final Tribute.

Washington paid its final tribute yes
terday to the memory Of famed native
son, John Philip Sousa. the March
King" whose body rests today in Con-
gressional Cemetery, near where he
often played with boyhood companions.
A thousand or more people, including
many prominent Government officials
and musicians, crowded about the
Seventeenth street entrance to the
cemetery as the flag g-draped casket was
lowered into a grave in the family plot
The services for the famous band leader
and composer were held at the Marine
had led the United States Marine Band,
in which he had enlisted years before
as a mere youngster.
Former Bandsmen Pay Tribute.
Three retired members of the band,
who had served under Sousa, were
among the hundreds of friends and
admirers who crowded the band audi
torium where the casket, containing the
body of the band leader in the blue
uniform of lieutenant commander OF
the Naval Reserves, was banked high
with floral tributes. These veteran
bandsmen were Walter F. Smith,
former second leader; Louis Kreuger
and John Ter Linden.
He was strict, but fair" Mr.. Smith
said. "A good conductor, the best band
master I have ever seen. He was to
bands what Toscanini is to orchestras."
Mr.. Smith said that Sousa, in his
younger days, was amazingly alert and
vigorous. He was keen for perfection.
"A sour note was like blow to him."
his former bandsman added.
He was kind man, too," Smith
said
The Gridiron Club Quartet. F. M.
Bowie. Fred East william F. Raymond
and Charles T. Tittman-sang Jesus,
Lover of My Soul" and abide With
Me-" Sousa was a member of the Grid
iron Club for years.
The Episcopal service was read by
Rev. Edward Gabler, pastor of Christ
Church in Southeast Washington, and
Sydney K. Evans, chief of Navy chap
lains. 1t was at Christ Church that
the March King" attended services
during his long residence in Washing
ton.
Prominent Musicians Present.
Arthur Pryor and many other prom
inent musicians occupied seats at the
right of the casket Among others who
dcIeQ as IlOIlOLd airy pdllpohIcES were AS
sistant Secretary of the Navy Jahncke
Rear Admiral William A. Moffett, Brig.
Gen. George Richards of the Marine
Corps and Capt. Frank B. Goettge, Ma
rine aide at the White House who rep
resented the President A Senate del
egation and several members of the
House, as well as members Of the va
rious Masonic bodies to which Sousa
belonged. were present.
From Reading Pa, where Sousa died
suddenly of a heart attack last Sunday
morning, came delegation consisting
of Mayor Heber Ermentrout, Mai. VIII
liam ]. Smith of the Pennsylvania Ma
tional Guard Eugene E. Widener.
leader of the Ringgold Band which
Sousa was to conduct there, and George
Wynecoop.
The march kings" widow Mrs. Jane
Sousa; his son and two daughters, fol-
lowed the casket to the grave as 1t was
borne on a caisson. Led by Capt. Tay-
lor Branson, the Marine Band played
THE Garfield Funeral March," "The
Honored Leader" and other dirges COM
posed by Sousa, as the procession pro-
ceeded slowly through the streets,
At the cemetery, the service was brief
and simple and included the final Ma
sonic rites. AS the caSket was lowered
into the grave the clear call of Taps"
was heard and the crowd slowly dis
persed.