The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-01-14
SENATOR KENNA'S BODY
Arrives at Charleston and Lies in
State in the Capital,
AFFECTING SCENES WITNESSED
AS His Old Friends File Past His COT.
1ln-The Body Has All tho Appear.
ancs of a Man in Peaceful Sleep.
Arrangements for the Funeral Ser
vices To.Day-Mapy West vlrgipisns
Present.

l 1AAfNAeehAhNFfN W. eNt NNs@f
special train bearing the remains Of
the late Senator John E, Kenna arrived
here at half past one o'clock this after
noon, three-quarters Of an hour late,
The train consisted Of three Pullman
coaches and a combination baggage and
passenger car, the casket containing all
that was mortal Of the dead senator
being in the forward car,
When the train pulled into the depot,
the committee from the state senate and
house, the Kanawha bar association, the
city council, the board OF trade and
many leading citizens Of this city
greeted 1t. A long line OF carriages was
In waiting for those who arrived on the
train. The first to alight from the train
were the members OF the joint commit
tee OF the national senate and house OF
representatives. The committee was
headed by sergeant-at-Arma Valentine,
OF the U. S. Senate. These were fol-
lowed by the joint committee Of the
state legislature, which had acted as an
honorary escort from Washington and
number OF West Virginians from
Washington, including F. II, Park, 4.
Keller and others.
Senator Kenna's family occupied a
private car, and remained in it until
the casket had been transferred from
the baggage car to the hearse through a
double line oil distinguished men, They
then left the car, aud after all had
taken their carriages in waiting the
procession moved across the Kanawha
bridge to the residence OF the deceased
senator's mother, Mrs. r. ]. Ashby.
Here the cortege disbanded, the con-
gressional committee being conveyed to
tho Hotel Ruffner,
Two hours later the body was taken
to the state house, whore it is now lying
in state in the senate chamber. Dur
ing the afternoon and evening fully
5000 people filed into the capitol build.
ing aud looked reverently upon the face
OF the dead. The black, silk-covered,
silver-mounted casket rests upon q
catafalque surrounded by an array Of
lovely floral tributes from friends from
all parts Of the country. The face OF
the dead Is not unnatural and wears q
peaceful expression, Hundreds who
gazed upon 1t tonight expressed sur.
prise at the naturalness OF the expires.
sion. Il seemed to all that John Kenna
was simply resting in quiet sleep. But
for tho surroundings one could scarcely
believe that he was in the presence OF
death. The senate chamber was heavily
draped in mourning. Broad widths Of
crepe were festooned from corner. 10
corner across the room and from win.
dow to window on the walls. Over the
presidents desk hung the emblems Of
mourning, and pail covered the re.
porters stand in front, on which were
arranged the beautiful and costly floral
tributes which had been brought from
Washington.
All these offerings surrounded a
splendid floral pieco composed OF o
great bank OF roses and rare flowers Of
varied colors, surrounded by ferns. 1t
10 Of gigantic proportions and Is mount
ed by this semi-olrcular inscription In
immortelles: "West Virginia"
On card attached to the splendid
offering are the names OF Josephs.
Miller, John Sheridan, Alex. +. Mat
thews, ]. J. S. Hassler, Richard Ran
dolph McMahon, Cecil Clay, George R,
Tingle, Theophilus Gaines, Andrew
McGarrell, Frank ]. Park, Thomas
Keller and Jacob S. Cunningham. Two
great floral columns from the two
houses OF the West Virginia legislature
were added tonight.
Many touching scenes were witnessed
this afternoon and tonight as the
hundreds OF people filed through the
senate chamber and looked for the last
time upon the sleeping form that had
been SO familiar 10 them all in life.
Aged men and women wept like chill
dren and strong men foundit dificultto
suppress their emotionR Little chill
dten by the score passed the bier. They
did not thoroughly comprehend 1t all.
but they knew that the lifeless form Of
one who had been kind to them lay
there, and their sorrow, expressed in a
childish way, was touching. While
the body was being conveyed to the
senate chamber one old man pushed
through cue crown Huu luslateu upOu
looking at the face Of the dead before
the doors were ready TO be opened to the
public.
best friend ever had. Let me see him
first Poor John, his death means a
great deal to many a poor man in tho
Kanawha valley"
More than one scene like this was
witnessed before the night was over.
After witnessing what had transpired
here this afternoon and tonight and
hearing the stories that are told about
tho great hoartedneiB Of the man, ono
can better understand why II was that
John u. Konna had such a hold on the
hearts Of tho common people OF West
Virginia.
The final funeral services will be con.
ductod at tho Catholic church to.mor-
row At 0l30 o. nj. by Rev. Father j. w
StengeF, and tho remains will be laid to
rest in tho Catholic cemetery. The
pail bearers will be Capt Robert Bal.
lard, Capt. ]. II. Van Buren, Con. o. o.