Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1893-02-04
Mr.. Blaine's Funeral Could Not
Be Private.
Thousands Pressed Around the Bier
to Honor His Memory,
For tho " hole Nation Mourned Hint he
Caskct Showered With Floral Offerings
Mid tho Tol!ing OF the BELL the
Eemains Borne to the Grave.


interest swept over the barriers i'm
posed and made his private funeral one
OF the most impressive OF public dem
onstrations in honor of the dead The
most eminent men in the nation stood
around his bier.
All business in the nations capitol
was suspended during the period when
the funeral services were in progress.
The presence OF the president and the
cabinet and supreme judges and high
matte corps was not more significant
than the homage of the waiting crowds
who, in respectful silence, lined the
streets through which the funeral cor
tcgc passed, The parlor on the second
floor, where the body lay in its cedar
casllct, closely sealed, was fairly en-
powered with floral tributes.
The caskct itself rested on huge
ferns sent by Mrs. Emmons Blaine,
about nine feet long by four feet wide,
the flowers artistically giving the COM
bination OF colors and designs of an ori-
entail rug. A large ship Of state sent
by the Knights of Reciprocity was near
| by and around the pedestal on which
the coffin rested and tho coffin itself
| were a wreath of orchids and roses from
President Harrison, u wreath of white
roses and violcts from Mrs Zach Chand-
| Ter, a simple wreath of violcts tied
| with ribbons from James &. Blaine
| jr, a garland Of violets from Mrs. Eu-
rcnc Hale (Which was placed on the
| casket). wreath of roses and violets
from Mr. Louis Dent, consul to Kings
ton, Jamaica formerly Mr.. Blaine's
private secretary; large wreath Of
violcts and white orchids from Mrs r.
r, Hit; an immense wreath of white
flowers with long strcamcrs OF ribbon,
from the diplomatic corps; a cross of ivy
leaves and violcts. from Henry Cabot
Lodge; wreath of lilies of the valley
md palm leaves, from Mrs. Whitclaw
| Reid. a wreath of roses from Mrs, Em-
| Nons Blaine; a large cross and spray of
| lilies from Mrs. Dr. Loring; bunch of
,olms and violcts from Secretary Tracy;
| w cross, sprayed with white roses
| rom Mrs. Andcnreid wreath of ivy
| prayed with rcd roses from Mr.. and
Mrs John L, Mclean, and many more.
The pai''or, not at any time very com
| n0duus one was far too small for the
| distinguished mourncrs who by invita-
| ion, sought access to it.
1t is now known definitely that
Blaine did not die a Catholic Although
ic sent for Cardinal Gibbons, he was
| dnablc to talk to him, and the prelatt
| lid not offer to administer the consola
ion of the Catholic church. DR.
| yGormon, OF the Catholic university,
states positively that the statesman die
not receive the last sacrcment
Shortly before II o'clock Presiden'
Harrison entered the Blaine mansion
accompanied by Mrs. Mckee and Pri
yate Secretary Ilalford and Lieut.. Park
rr The vice president was acco n
panicd by Mrs. and Miss Morton. Ther
came the members Of the cabnet-Sec
rctary Of State Foster, Secretary of thu
Treasury Foster and family, Secretary
Elltins and family, Secretary Tracy ant
family, Secretary Noble and family
Postmaster General Wanamaker ant
family. Atty-Gcn. Miller and family
secretary Rush and family.
The chief Justice of the United States
icwly arrived from the funeral of hi
ate associate, Justice Lamar, was ac
.ompanicd by Mrs. and Miss Fuller
Closely following them came Mrs Hit
Miss McComb, Miss Loring, Mr. ant
Mrs. Andrew Carnegie, Senator ant
Mrs. Cameron, Miss Cameron, Senate
and Mrs. Chandler Gen. and Mrs Parke
Mrs, Eugene Hale, Mrs. Il. S Harnlin
Mrs. Alex. Rodgers, Senator an'
Mrs. Wolcott, Mr.. and Mrs. Johl
lR. Mclean, Gen. r. A. Alge
and Mrs. John A. Logan, Mrs JOIN
Hay, Mr. and Mrs. +. c. Newlands, Mr.
and Mrs, Theodore Roosevelt Mr. an'
Mrs. Gordon Cumming, Representative
and Mrs. Henry Cabot Lodge, Mr.. an
Mrs. Howlands, Mr. and Mrs. Marcellu
Bailey, Mrs. Audenreid, Mr. and Mrs
III. Dunnell, of Minnesota EX-Gov
and Mrs. Perham, of Maine; Sir Julial
and Lady Pauncefoote, Mr. and Mrs
Francis Il. Loring, Senators Gordon
and Voorhees,, Speaker Crisp
Representative Holman and M
IlJ. T. Devine (Mr. Blaine
stenographcr in the preparation
of his Twenty Years Of Congress-
Representative Blount and Mr. Charlie
Emory Smith, editor of the Philadelphia
Press and ex-minister to Russia; Repre-
sentative and Mrs. Dingley, Reprcsen
,ative Milliken, Mrs. Frye, the Main
delegation of fourteen gentlemen
} headed by Gov Cleaves. and Mrs. s L
Fesscnden, of Connecticut; Senator ant
Mrs. Manderson, Senators Allison Nc
phcrson and Sherman, Senators Cockrel
and German, Senators Aldrich and Nor
. ril, Senator and Miss Dawes, Senate
.. Iloar, Senator and Mrs. Washburn
Senator Ransome and Gen Blair
Judge and Mrs. Wylie, and many others
Not all Of those who had been re
nucstcd or had received invitations t
the house could obtain admission in tn
mansion, and many perforcc remaine'
, in the long line Of carriages which fille'
the adjacent streets. The immediat
. mourners grouped around the caske
, were the widow, her married daughter
, Mrs. Damrosch, Miss Hattie Blaine
Mr.. ]. G. Blaine, jr, Mrs. Emmon
Blaine, Miss Abigail Dodge Gail Ham
ilton), Mr.. Blaine's cousin, Mr. X Z
Blaine, brother of the dead statesman
, and his wife and daughter; Mr. lamp
ION Dcnman. of Missouri, cousin
Mr. Blaine; Frank Henry and Augustu
Stanwood, and Walter Stonston, an
w. II. Hatch, all nephcws Of the &c
/ ceased cx-secrctary.
Though concourse Of several thou
sand people occupied Lafayette square
facing the blaine residence, and thoug
the doors and windows Of the house ao
: ,olninr ,werc thronged with spectators
and the double line of carriages 1000
more in Misunderstanding far aion
the broad surface Of pennsyivani