The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-12-17
IMPOSING OBSEQUIES.
The Funeral of Jefferson Davis
Attended by Thousands.

| New Orleans, La, Dec. Il L esterday,
notwithstanding the threatening and OPP
pressive character of the weather during
the past several days, could not have been
more propitious or beautiful. The porten-
tious, pregnant-looking clouds of the night
previous, and the great banks of heavy
fog that prevailed during the early part of
this morning had wholly disappeared by
o'clock, as the sun burst forth, and beau
tiful Southern summer day dawned for the
obsequies of the Southern Chieftain. The
city was crowded with Thousands Of peo-
pie, representing the prominence, the
wealth and the chiva'ry of the Southern
states. The town was drsped from one
end to the other with most elaborate show
ings of black. Business fronts and resi-
dences that were barren of mourning en-
blems yesterday were covered this morn
ing.
At an early hour this morning the
streets were thronged with soldiers and
6remsn In uniform, members of very
civic organizations and representatives of
every profession, avocstion snd associa-
ton, all en- route TO their respective
meeting stations, from whence, a few
hours later, they were TO concentrate In
LAFAYETTE Square As soon as the doors of
the City Hall were opened q stream of
visitors began TO pour through the death
chamber In take a farewell view Of the
remains of the famous Confederate
leader. The crowd of visitors was even
greater than that OF yesterday, there
being hundreds of people from abroad
whose visit to this city had zen delayed
until to-day. Ii was not until ll:30
O'Clock that the lid OF the casket closed
down forever upon the features of the
dead. The remains were then conveyed to
the front purtico of the City Hall build
ing, where the simple but impr, ssiye rites
of the Episcopal Church were performed.
Lafayette Square. 10 front of the City Hall,
and the Streets were densely packed with
people, and the balconies and every
available space from which the pageant
could be viewed was crowded In the ex-
treme.
A MILITARY FUNERAL.
By universal request Mr.. Davis was
given funeral In full accord with his su-
perior rank as a military Office, in addi-
ton to which the numerous civic and other
organizations combined to render the
cortege to-day in all respects most impos-
ing. not only in reference to numbers, but
in the pomp and circumstance of the elsbo-
rate ceremonial. Among those psrticipst-
ing in the obssquies of the father of the
confederacy to-day, besides the veterans of
the lost cause, who have again been called
upon to close up their decimated ranks,
were many gallant soldiers whose unhinch-
ing valor displayed on numerous holly
contested fields resulted, not frequently, in
both glory and victory to the 'stars and
stripes"
Half past eleven was the hour at which
the funeral ceremonies were to be com.
menced, but long -evious to that time the
great square Immediately fronting the
CITY Hall had become an unwieldy mass
of eager, sympathetic humanity. According
TO programme, the square proper was to
be reserved exclusively for the military.
In the enforc, ment of this Injunction, how
ever, the large, but by no means, adequate
police force on duty, experienced in
Vulnerable obstacles and il was with the
creates: difficulty that the swaying multi
tude was kept beyond the prescribed en-
viroEments. The streets and every avail
able space where 40 unobstructed or par
tial view could be had Of the portico of
the municipal building, were crowded
almost TO sufiocation. During all this
time the air was laden with funeral dirges,
the solemn requiem of the bells was heard
on every hand, and louder and deeper
were the sounds of the minute gur that
at intervals Numbered forth their eep-
mouthed tribute to the illustrious do !.
THE BODY.
The body, notwithstanding the very
warm and exceptionally oppressive
weather OF the past week, was remarkably
we'll preserves. The countenance pre-
sented an expression of "rapturous repose,"
and in no wise had decays efiacing
fingers" yet blotted out, much less tar
nished in the remotest degree, the noble
lines OF face strikiDgly attractive when
lighted by the fire oil genius, as it was
wont to be. Indeed, confederacy's be-
loved chieftain, as he reposed in his coffin
this morning, presented just such a pic
ture as those who knew and loved him Ia
life would like best to cherish In their
memory.
AT l2:i0 the casket was conveyed from
the memorial room 10 an improvised eat
sfalque in the center of the front portiso,
whose massive pillars were entwined with
a profusion OF crepe. Over the ca jket
was thrown the soft folds of a silken flag
of the ''lost cause" as also the glittering
saber with which the dead soldier had
carved fame and honor for himself and
glory and victory for his country on I he
crimson fields of Chapultepec and Monte
reg. Immediately surrounding the coffin
we're the clergy and armed sentries, they
being the only persons admitted 10 place
on the portico during the service. The
relatives of the deceased were assigned to
seats in the mayors psrler, from the win
dows of which they were enabled to wit
ness the ceremonies.
The obsequies, which were according to
the ritual of the Episcopal church, were
conducted by Bishop Galleher, assisted by |
five officiating clergymen of various de-
nominations, as follows: Father Hubert, |
Rev. Mr.. Thompson, Mr.. Davis, rector at
BILOXI, Miss, Rev. DR.. Markham, Rev. |
Mr.. .Brakevell. and Rev. Mr.. Martin |