 One of the features of the
Roosevelt reception in East St. Louis was the
escort of the Spanish War Veterans, Nelson A.
Miles Camp No. 61.Under command of John F. O'Flaherty, the veterans, in full
uniform and guns with fixed bayonets, met at
Eagles hall and marched to the Illmo Hotel,
where, headed by Tom Carter's fife and drum corps
and followed by a train of automobiles, continued
on to the Relay depot.
When the Southern
railway special train bearing Col. Roosevelt
arrived the veterans opened ranks and permitted
Col. Roosevelt to pass through, saluting them as
he did. The veterans formed on each side of the
Colonel's auto, driven by Charles E. Gillen, and
escorted him to the Broadway, where they marched
on the stage with him.
On the way to the
opera house Col. Roosevelt, who served in the
Spanish-American war, turned to those in the auto
with him and asked, "Who are these
soldiers?"
"They are
Spanish-American War Veterans, Colonel," he
was told.
 "Fine! Fine! He said, "my
comrades!"
The escort was
composed of John F. O'Flaherty, commander; Clyde W. Harkness, T.J. Menestrina, L.E. Wedel, H.A. Harris, John Stapp, Louis Wilde, Meyer Hurwitz, J.L. Sweeney, and I. Liberstein.
Col. Roosevelt, as
he alighted from his auto at the Broadway, shook
hands with Commander O'Flaherty and thanked him
warmly for the courtesy of the escort.
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