Thousands Pay Tribute at Bier of Mr. Boldt; Two Services Are Held

Simple and Impressive Rites at the Waldorf-Astoria Followed by Public Obsequies at St. Thomas’ Church — Throngs Uncover as Cortege Passes Up Fifth Avenue.

At few funerals in this city has greater homage been paid the memory of a man than was displayed to-day when the final services were read over the body of George C. Boldt, proprietor of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

Following the simple and impressive private service in the Boldt apartment at the hotel there was a public service in St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, at Fifth avenue and Fifty-third street. Nearly two thousand persons can be seated there and the edifice was thronged, those present including some of the best known men in the country and some of the humblest employees of the Waldorf-Astoria.

As the cortege moved up Fifth avenue from the hotel to the church, and after the service from the church to 110th street on its way to Woodlawn, traffic in Fifth avenue was halted, while from every hotel flags were lowered to half mast.

Traffic in Avenue Halted.

The coffin, of bronze and silver, was carried from the hotel to Thirty-fourth street, although the funeral party started from the Thirty-third street side. Ahead of it on the way up Fifth avenue were motorcycle and mounted policemen to halt traffic.

As the coffin was borne from the hotel, a throng watched it, many uncovering as it passed. The coffin was covered with a blanket of smilax on which lay a cluster of lilies.

Although it had been requested that there be no flowers, many of Mr. Boldt’s old time friends could not resist the temptation to pay this last tribute to their friend, and nearly fifty large floral pieces were sent. There was a large wreath of orchids and violets from the New York State Hotel Association, another of lilies from the waiters of the hotel, and a third from the Geneva Association.

At the church, where the funeral service was conducted by the rector, the Rev. Dr. Ernest M. Stires, every hotel in the city was represented. There was also a delegation of one hundred members of the State Hotel Association and one of 200 from the New York City Hotel Association, who marched in a body from the St. Regis Hotel. They were headed by John A. McGlynn, of Troy, president of the State association, and M. F. Sweeney, chairman of the executive committee of the local organization.

Hotel Men in Throng.

Other prominent hotel men there from outside the city were F. W. Rockwell, of Albany; E. W. Statler, of Buffalo; Jacob Messner, of Rochester, and Mahon W. Newton, president of the Philadelphia Hotel Association, who was accompanied by forty other members. There was also a large delegation from the Fifth Avenue Association, at the head of which was its president, Robert Grier Cooke.

Among others in the gathering were Vincent Astor, Nicholas Biddle, Sheriff Alfred E. Smith, John A. Dix, onetime Governor of New York; Colonel Michael J. Regan, of the State Board of Mediation; Frank A. Munsey, R. A. C. Smith, Dock Commissioner; I. W. Day, who was associated with Mr. Boldt in the arrangements for new dormitories at Cornell University; Gage E. Tarbell, John D. Crimmins, Mrs. J. Angus McKay, William H. Edwards, formerly Street Cleaning Commissioner; Andrew Mitchell, Valentine P. Snyder; E. H. Outerbridge, president of the New York Chamber of Commerce; Nicola Tesla, Dr. Louis Livingston Seaman, Robert F. Dowling, forty representatives of the Sigma Phi Chapter of Cornell University and the board of trustees of that institution.

Prominent Persons Present.

Frederic Sterry, of the Plaza Hotel; Copeland Townsend, of the Majestic Hotel; Harry S. Black, Lee Kohns, representing the Straus interests; Pembroke Jones, Albert Morris Bagby, Lawrence B. Elliman, Arthur Iselin, Isadore Saks, H. de Berkeley Parsons, Mrs. Burke Roche, Maurice Roche, Mr. and Mrs. Eloy Martinez, Major General and Mrs. Charles F. Roe, Alfred R. Conkling and Miss Florence V. Doane.

At the church George T. Wilson, vice president of the Equitable Assurance Society; J. J. Miller Frazier, manager of the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, Philadelphia; W. M. Hallock, financial manager of the Waldorf, and Francis S. Hutchins, who was Mr. Boldt’s personal counsel, had charge of the arrangements.

At the private services which Dr. Stires conducted an instrumental trio of violin, harp and ’cello, led by Joseph Knecht, musical director of the Waldorf orchestra, played appropriate selections.

Those present at the private services included Mr. and Mrs. George C. Boldt, Jr.; Mrs. Alfred G. Miles, Mr. Boldt’s daughter, and Mr. Miles; Oscar Tschirky, Rene Anjard, the Waldorf chef; Norris Oliphant, Frederick Willis, Mrs. John W. Horner, Ward Evans Seidenburg, J. B. Dickson, Mrs. T. A. Gillespie, General and Mrs. Charles F. Roe, William Neimann, Louis Neimann, Miss Wellington, Dr. Gillette, Mrs. E. P. Wilbur, Mrs. Garrett A. Hobart, Mrs. Alexander Clark, Mrs. H. L. Schelley, Mrs. George W. McCormick, Lawrence McCormick, Thomas Reid, J. W. Small and Mrs. Rees.

Honorary Pallbearers.

The honorary pallbearers were Commodore T. A. Gillespie, Chief Judge Frank H. Hiscock, Seymour Van Santvoord, Seward Prosser, T. de Witt Cuyler, George F. Baker, Charles M. Schwab, Jacob Gould Schurman, F. W. Lafrentz, Elbert H. Gary, Emerson McMillin, Charles B. Alexander, Commodore F. G. Bourne, J. G. White, Thomas D. Green, Alexander S. Webb, Dr. Graeme M. Hammond, John T. McGlynn, Francis S. Hutchins and George T. Wilson.

The surpliced choir preceded Dr. Stires and the body to the chancel. The choir sang “Abide with Me,” “Lead, Kindly Light” and “Hark, Hark, My Soul.”

Space at the church was reserved for all heads of departments in the Waldorf-Astoria.

From all parts of the country messages of condolence continued to come by the hundred. President Wilson sent an expression of sorrow. Others who sent condolences were Nicholas Biddle, Sir Thomas Lipton, Howard W. Lewis, George F. Baker, Vincent Astor, Jacob G. Schurman, T. De Witt Cuyler, Judge E. H. Gary and H. H. Westinghouse.