The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-03-23
VOL.XXIX. NO. IL.
THE OBSEQUIES.
Graphic Description Of the Funeral
OF Russia's Dead Emperor.
Magnificent, Impressive aud Pathetic
Pageant-A Description OF the
Funexal Car.

Nsw YORK, March n.-George Augustus sa'a
telegraphs fren ST. Petersburg ding = &c
funeral of the Gar; II have just been speei sr
of enc of the most magnificent, most impre <i.~
most pathetic psgesnts ON which the eou 1se OF a
lengtheaed career, accustomed to po' ans and
vanitcs of regnlity frcm royal bridals ard scasts
70 regal funerals have ever been privileged 10.
se< eyes on
\ Three cannons which were arca trem the
-tress directed various mouIners % gaf ready to
AXE their places. A similar saJvee abozt
when the sable standard. beaeng
in white. the initials Of the murdered mo,srch
was unfucied on IA Fortress. The,sxillery hegan
to fire minute Inns and all bslIs in the city
pegqn 90 toll The whole route liSsed by
sCroops of the arriSon, Immediately behin< whom
the public W ere permitted TO sta1d. No galleries
o. platforms. were erected, heuseholdcrs We're
Olly allow ii personal risk and peril e let their
wiRdows or balconies to strangers. The police
. 81 takeiI exceptional zeamr>s 70 preserve order
IN the maintenance of Which the public, oy
kOuses, aud public bUildings too, showed the
same am0 unt of ssbae faesand draPery as when
She Empress, not = year ago. was similarly con
route tsken was oom the great plain. in front
Of the Winter Palace, BY the Admiralty
quay and English Quay TO Niehosaivasky bridge,
rossing which tire procession tosk the street ON
he zine of ttse Island of Vassdostrof across
Fortress, entering the gate called lvansoksia.
At the funeral' ceremonies of the Empress, last
wooden s1T5Stnre 5r Of barTes. Which IS removed
the approach Of ice, although the rOadways
ross the frozen Neva are much used The Fort
Fess is almost Immediately opposite the Palace.
here is a superstition among Russians against
InspOrsing dead over frozen rivers, aud the
te by w'hich the eortege paSsedwas some four
les in length. The procession consisted in all
thirOeeH sections comprising l72 groups: to de-
ibe which would ocenpy many columns.
\ fQaf aftira of. fhn
as the figure which attracted much attention,
rhe Knight Of Golden ArTnor mounted on gor.
<yeOus baTHessed steed, carrying drawn sword
and supposed to symbolic the bright and spOtesS
character OF the departed sovereign. Alter him
walked a man at arms in-Sable armOr. with drawn
sword. Perhaps the most picturesque features in
the ceremonial were the deputatl0ns which hg-
ured Cor the first tmei in Russian history. repre-
sentinginstiIutiOIlse created by the late Emperor.
the Zealstais, the Justices of the Peace and mot
ley group OF peasants, with one at
Least, of venerable and patriaTchial APP
pesrnnce, all attend in their winter garb. Some
wirhcolOred scarfs used to girdle their sheepskln
and rough cloth overCeats. Following the priests
camatke gorgeous 90 ssalque, on which rested the
cOflin under a rich canopy OF cloth OF gold sur
,S ~ ssGg ..Wbat next and nexfq when f6e
heTyse came suddenly into view, and the prOdigi-
oos mass of humanity rapidly, so TO speak. as a
wonderful sight 10 behold that black sea of hats
: AM, caps transformed into immense expanse
OF ,u.le uptnrned ssxces The funeral car was a
bier Of ebony and silver onNvheels, with heavily
carved silver spOkes and superstructure of black
aDCEilyer. The WtlOte WAS canOpied by sup ett
4 material encircling the columns of the bier
Tire coffin of the illustrious deceased wa:
alEssst hidden by the golden pail. lined
with white satin. and the vast car itself was
drswn By eight black horses, completely shrOuded
- 5n sable draperics Four general aidSdecamp
s5t9od. one at each corner of the catafalque, the
4 pos shed metal wheels of which gistened in the
sunlight. Sixteen general officers held silkeI
cosds of canopy. Behind the bier OF his mur.
dered Sire walked Alexander Ill, in his imperial
solitude bearing alone his tiial sorrow. and hi,
state cares, and synpbOlig1ng in this last respect
MS unique position.
The Emg erOr dressed in Generals uni
fOrsn wearing the ribbon Of the Order of ST. An
drew. Following the Emperor. at respectful
distance. came the Minister of the Household
Minister OF War, aIr2 Ih-eesCficers duty.
Next in order followed the Grand Dukes and
Princes according % the precedence with foreign
Princes
These included the Grand Dukes Valdemr
a4lRxis, Sergius, Paul and Constantine, Sergiu
Mechailovlch, Aiminrel three NichOlases. Peter
two Michaels. George -.end Alexander-all OF
foot like His Maiesty- with innumerab
u Princes-ROmaneOoffSy. aLeuctenberg, Nichola
sau6 George, Peter, Alexander and Constantine
.ofOldenburg andDakes George and Michael, o
l1{ecklinburg.