Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 June 1899 — The Observance of Memorial Day. [ARTICLE]

The Observance of Memorial Day.

Decoration day was observed! here in the usual manner and was only marred by the unseemly ac*l tion of W. H. Rhodes, an old soldier of this city, who has no love for Catholics. The committee on arrangements had prepared a program, which, tyN usual, included participation by secret orders and civil and military organizations. On this oc- i casion the G. A. R.; I. O. O. F.; K. of P.; Catholic Order of For- ? Testers; Fire Company; the St. Joseph Zonaves; Colllege band and the band of this City, had been invited to take part in the parade and ceremonies, by the committee on arrangements, composed of Jas. F. Irwin, Theo. F. Clark and Chas. Platt. M. F. Chilcote was Marshal of the Day. The line of march was formed on Washington street, in the following order: Band, I. O. O. F., K. of P., Rath bone Sisters. Firemen, College Zouaves, Catholic* Foresters, Soldiers of the late war, G. A. R., Sunday schools, and general public on foot and in carriages. All proceeded well until the ceremony of firing a salute over the graves of the soldiers had been I reached. A detail of the College ;: Zouaves had been selected on this

occasion, whether through courtesy or because of the precision with which they preform military tactits is not certain. The detail was about to fire when Rhoades appeared, mounted the graves of the dead heroes, and with face blanched with rage defied them to shoot over the body of his brother. He. had given partial vent to one of his incoherent tirades against the committee, when Com Burnham ordered his arrest. J. W. Childers approached him, seemingly with the intention of executing the order, when Rhoades, still violent-j ly, denouncing the program, retired among the G. A. R., some of whom, it is said, defied Childers to make the arrest. The leader oil the Zouaves made a short speech] in whtch he stated that they were! there by invitation of the commit*! tee of arrangements, which invb| tation he had in his pocket, but it was not his desire nor did he intend to obtrude their presence on this occasion and he would there-4 fore withdraw, which they did. Here the incident closed, and aside from personal discussions of the affair by groups of men during the evening, when all shades (3 opinion were expressed, nothing has developed. The committee on arrangements were in a mortifying position as was the Post Commander, and it is understood action was taken by the post last night to set matters right with the Zouaves. The incident cast a gloom over the whole assemblage, everything' up to this deplorable affair having passed off very smoothly ana pleasantly, and the excellent address by Capt. Guthrie had just ‘ been listened to with the closest atttention by the large concourse of people. The K. of-P’s. decorated the graves of their departed brothers buried in Weston cemetery, some eleven in number, immediately after the G. A. R. services were over with. 1