The herald., 1895-05-29
GRAPE FOR A STATESMAN
Washington in Mourning For
Secretary Gresham
ALL FLAGS HALF MASTED
Not Only America But Europe Mourns
the Loss
Funeral Services Of q Semi-Officini Character
to Be Held at the White House.
Letters of sympathy
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON. May Washington
was hardly prepared for the announce
ment of the death of Secretary of State
Walter q. Gresham, which occurrd at
such a late hour last night that it was
not known to the public until read in the
morning papers today, for although the
fatal termination OF the serious illness
hau been forecasted there was no general
apprehension that the end would come
so soon. Flags were lowered to halfmast
on all public buildings and many bust
ness houses. Official business was for the
time laid aside by the higher officers OF
the govern ment and the membe of al!
official circles, together with prominent
people in private life called at the Arl-
ington hotel, where the Greshams have
made their home in this city, to leave
their cards and messages of coincidence.
The president and Mrs. Cleveland called
during the morning and were for half IN
hour with Mrs. Andrews, the daugh ter
of the dead man, and Mr.. Otto Gresham,
the son. Afterward the president an
several membe of the cabinet held a
conference at the White House to consider
the arrangements for the funeral and
later in the day the president issued
proclamation paying warm tribute to
the character of his late secretary OF
state. There was also meeting Of the
diplomatic corps at the British Embassy,
where appropriate action was taken.
The funeral ceremonies in Washington
will be of semi official character. to
be held in the east room of the White
House, with the president and his cabi-
net, justices of the supreme court, am
bassadors and ministers, representatives
.lzvNn ptt ,ar,fl and fItn
navy and other departments and all Off
cial business will be suspended for tn
day.
Major General Ruger will command all
Of the military forces stationed about the
capital, which will act as an escort for the
funeral party from the White House to
the depot, where special train will be
in readiness to convey the party to Chi
oago., The train will leave Washington
shortly after noon and will have on
board President Cleveland and all of Sec
retary Gresham $ colleagues OF the cabi-
net, who will follow the body to the grave.
The seven cabinet officers. with Assstant
Secretary Uhl, who is acting secretary of
state, will oificiate rs active pail bearers.
If Secretary OF tbe Treasury Carlisle does
I he will join the funeral party at some
point on the route. Hon. Wilson S. Bis
sell. postmaster general, has also been
invited to accompany the remains to Chi
caso, and il is expected he will start from
there. While the details of the ceremonies
in Chicago are yet incomplete, it IS said
that brief services will be held on Thurs
day afternoon at the cemetery to which
the pody will be borne, accompanied by
a Military escort in harmony with the
day and Secretary Gresham s well-known
LOYALTY to his old time war mpanions
The body will be placed temporarily in a
vault in Oakwood cemetery, pending
the decision by the family regarding its
final resting place.
At the department Of state a
knot of crepe hung from the doorbell and
across the square were to be seen the
flags of the White House, treasury, state,
war and navy departments at hall-mast
sFIonting the sssae square and hardly q
hundred yaids distant, theater was
building ON the site of the historic man
sion where the life of James G. Blaine
bad ended soon after his resignation from
the premiership of the preceding admin
istraton. The line of callers who drove
or walked to the Arlington today in
Guided representatives Of the official cir
cles OF Washington. Most OF the callers
left their cards with the attendants who
stood at the doors. Justice Harlan, of
the supreme court. who at one time sat
upon the same bench with Secretary
Gresham, was admitted to the family
apartments and talked for some time
with Mr.. Otto Gresham. lie was visibly
affected when he lett Mrs. John W. Fos-
ter. wife OF the secretary of state who
held that office during the last year of
the Harrison administration and who is
native of Indiana, came in. The Chi
nese minister and his interpreter issued
from q coach shortly afterwards. Most
of the assistant secretaries and heads of
government bureaus were among the
AT the conclusion or the cabinet meet
ing held this morning Secretary Lamont
Ia hrIA Cfnfn FE VA ftyt,. Al
arrangements. The remains of the secre-
tary will be taken from the Arlington
hotel to the executive mansion tomorrow
and placed in the east room, where fun
eral services will be held at 10 o'clock.
They will be conducted by Bishop Hurst
of the Methodist Episcopal church. Seats
will be reserved for the mem bers of the
diplomatic corps. the members of the
United States supreme count such sena-
tors and members of congress as may be
in the city and chiefs of the wal and
navy departments.
The president and all the mem bers of
the cabinet will accompany the rema ins
to their last resting place. Secretary Car
Isle. who will arrive IN this city today 1.
Secretaries Herbert Lamont, Smith,
Morton, Attorney General Olncy and
Postmaster General Wilson will act s
honorary pail bearers at the funeral and
the body. bearers will be a squad OF ma
rines from the marine barracks in this
city.
The funeral train will leave the Balti
more and Ohio station about noon and
arrive in Chicago Thursday. The cere-
monies in that city will be held on Fri
day. Beyond this no arrangements for
the burial have been made.
1t has not been decided in what ceme-
terry Secretary Gresham vii! be buried.
nor where the services in Chicago will be
held.
The casket was brought to the Aring-
ton during the afternoon and the remains
placed therein. 1t is plain and heavy.
made of red CEDAR with heavy metal
casing of copper and the whole covered
by black cloth. held by oXldized silver
nails. The plate bears the inscription:
WALTER QuJNTIN GRESHAM,