The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-09-29
IT'S FINISHED,
The Life Of an Honored President
And Rest Eternal i'm Triumph
Closes the Scene. %
The Last Sad Rites at cIeve-
.-#s land, ohio. .fy.
The Imposing Ceremonies, the Solemn
Procession and the Mourn.
ing Spectators.
Other Nations Suspend Business to Pay
Tribute 10 Our Dead Hero.

The 26th of September viii be memorable
day in the history of our country, the day upon
which all that was mortal OF President Garfield
was consigned to earth, and the life work
Of an exemplary mana man among us
who began at the bottom of the lad
der and climbed to its topmost round
was finished. Cleveland, where the last solemn
scene was enacted, was filed to overfowing
with mourning thousands from all quarters of
the continent. During the night previous
to the funeral" the remains laid in
casket in the Public Square, and all night
long the stream of people taking a last sad
view kept up. 1t is estimated that 5000 peo-
pie an hour passed under the canopy.
Atthe headquarters of the various military and
Knights Templar organizations Ill was hustle
and confusion. Bands played in many quarters,
and the prancing OF richly caparisoned horses,
the movement of brilliantly uniformed bat
talions, the sound of muffied drums and tramp
ing feet recalled to older minds the days when
our armies were not yet disbanded, and the
body of our other martyred President lay in
state in this same beautiful Forest City.
h From the canopy to the west line of the
Square platform capable of seating 1,50O
people had been erected, and upon this the
| speakers, the press and prominent guests from
abroad were given seats.
/ At $50 the funeral car which was to convey the
body to the cemetery was drawn into the Square
| by twelve black horses with black draperies
| fringed with silver lace The horses were ar
ranged four abreast. At the head of each of
| the six outside horses was negro groom, in
long black coat, black silk hat and white gloves.
| The car was elaborately decorated and sur
mounted by large black and white plumes,
with folded battle flags at each corner.
Soon after this the carriages containing the
members of the family and their friends ar
| rived OF the eastern entrance of the SOU re,
and were driven to the canopy. Mrs. Garfield
| WAS supported by her son Harry, and led by
the hand her little son Irwin. Mother Garfield
and Jimmy followed. Then came the Presi-
I dents brother and two sisters. DR.. and Mrs.
Boynton, Mr.. and Mrs. @. o. Rockwell,
Miss Mollie Garfield, General Swain and
| young Bently Warner, a classmate of Jimmy
| Garfield, Colonel Rockwell his wife and two
children, Mrs. James Mason and family, Gen.
eral and Mrs. John s. Mason, Mrs. A. W. Fair
banks, Secretaries Blaine, Window, James,
Hunt, Kirkwood, MacVeagh and Lincoln, ac-
companied by their wives, followed. Mrs.
Garfield walked up the gentle incline with a
firm step, but with her head bowed in ief.
The aged mother followed with feeble steps and
took her seat near the body of her son.
Two arm chairs draped in Grape were occu-
pied by the wife and mother of the martyred
dead. The brothers of the President who were
seated near Mrs. Garfield, and the mother who
was on her left were convulsed with grief as
the mournful ceremonies proceeded, but the
j wife whose name has become the synonym of
i fortitude, sat calm and heroic through it all.
| When the casket was lifted from its resting
i place and borne on the shoulders of the guards
there was suppressed moan which seemed
TO come from her lips, but it was choked
back, as if to calm the sobs Of the child Mollie,
who wept convulsively.
The second son, James, has been IN const ant
attendance upon his grandmother all day, fam
ming her continually, and with tender watch
fulness caring for her. 1t was feared that she
4 would not be equal to the fearful ordeal of the
| services and ceremonies, but she could be
denied nothing, and remained with the family
throughout the entire obsequies.
After the carriages had passed to one sido,
religious services were begun by singing by
members of the Cleveland Vocal Society, after
which the Right Rev. Bishop Bedell read Sc
lections from the Scriptures. Then DR.. Ross
@. Houghton offered fervent prayer for the
family aud the Nation. ,., ,.aa....
The services were conducted by Rev. Isaac
Erfett, of Cincinnati, whose address occupied
forty minutes.
| --g
were few moments of confusion and prepare
ton, during which time the Washington
Marine band played "Eearer my God to
Thee"
i The funeral procession moved from Monu.
| mental Park at five minutes before IL o'clock.
The time occupied in moving the caskei
from the pavilion to tre funeral car was about
fifteen minutes. corps of United States
marines from the United States steamer
Michigan, formed parallel lines from the
east side of the pavilion to the east entrance
to the park, through which the casket wal
borne on the shoulders of the United States
/ artillerymen, under command Of Lieut.. Weav.
er I'd United States Artillery, to the funera
car, followed by the mourners, who took seat
in the carriage.
Grandma Garfield bore the services remark
ably well, as did also the widow of the Presi
dent. The only incident which occurred at tn
pavilion was tho request of Grandma Garfield
for a drink of water, and many persons con
|
was faint. Such was not the case, however
No one excepting the family, members of tn
several committees, and the distinguishes
guests we're admitted within the gates of tn
park. "The military" presented magmh
cent scene.
The column was headed by that voluntee
organization, the Boston Fusiliers, who ha'
travelled from Massachusetts, in order to pay
! last tribute to their deceased comrade by pal
tioipating in the obseauies. They were followe
, by companies B and of the Seventy-fourt
, National Guards of New York, the Buffalo Cit
, Guard Cadets, whose appearance was great
admired, and the Buffalo City Guards. Nel
came the famous United States Barracl
Band of Columbus, followed by th
Governors Guard, magnificent and finel
proportioned body of men. The Toledo Cadet
made yerv handsome showing. and receive
? prominent recognition from the spectators ft
, their precision in marching. Much fayorab
l comment was manifested upon the Detro
D Infantry battalion, and the Washington Ii
=. fantry, of Pittsburg, was equally we'll n
ceived. The Gatling Gun Battery and tt
, Cleveland Light Artillery followed in platoo
front, and their appearance delighted II
spectators from the country.
4 The six miles of Euclid avenue, throug
g which the funeral procession passed, wei
draped and appropriately decorated in mai
ner becoming the occasion. The designs we
varied, and handsomely and tastefully arrange
u Life size pictures of the dead President hur
in front of many of the beautiful mansion
!. along the avenue, draped' with the nation
t colors, entwined with heavy black Grape, +
a Iieved with festoons of white. In the lawns
= | front of a large number of the residences tast
y full designs had been erected. Broken shaft
e surrounded with wreaths of white rose