Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1895-05-30
THE LAST RITES.
The Body of Secretary Gresham
Taken to the White House.
THE FUNERAL PROCESSION.
The President and His Cabinet act as
Honorary Pallbearers-- Bishop Hurst
Reads the Service for
the Dead.


o'clock this morning the floral tributes
to the late ex-Secretary Walter Q.
Gresham began to arrive at the rooms
in tile Arlington hotel annex in which
the body of the departed secretary of
state lay, Most of these were sent to
the white house, where the funeral
service was to be held. Mrs. Gresham,
broken in spirit. exhausted by her
long vigils aud overcome with grief,
was in such nervous state that her
daughter and son prevailed upon her
not to undertake the trying ordeal of
attending the services at the white
house.
At exactly $3.50 O'Clock five red-coat-
ed trumpeters marched up Lafayette
place and stationed themselves outside
the line of mounted police to give the
signal when the cortege should de-
part. Thirty seconds later the
hearse, drawn by two black horses,
drew up at the door. The presi-
dent, followed by members of
the cabinet in the order of their rank,
acting as honorary pallbearers, de-
scended the steps ana stood with un-
covered heads while the eight artillery
men carried the coffin, shrouded COM
pletely in the folds of an American flag
and covered with flowers, to the
hearse. The death vehicle halted at
the corner until the president and
members of his official family in their
carriages had taken their position
ahead.
The funeral procession, preceded by
a squad of mounted police, moved
slowly down Lafayette square, fanked
on either side by line of policemen,
behind whom were thousands of peo-
pie, many of them with bowed
and uncovered heads. The process
sion swept around the great
bronze statue of Lafayette, at
the corner of the square, and up
the broad avenue, passed the drawn
up artillery and cavalry at the en-
trance of the white house grounds and
the carriages carrying the diplomatic
corps, members of the supreme court,
officials, members of congress and
other invited guests drove up at the
steps of the white house.
The coffin, preceded by the president
and cabinet, was borne by the artil-
lerymen to the east room, which was
deliberately draped. A few moments
before 10 o'clock the family of the de-
ceased, except Mrs. Gresham, were
ushered into the green room. Almost
Immediately at sign from Col. Will
son, the coffin, borne by eight SER
geants of the Fourth artillery, was
brought in. The floral tributes were
gathered by the ushers and heaped
upon the black surface of the coffin.
Bishop Hurst stepped forward and a
hush fell upon the company, while the
Clergyman said: 81 am the resurrec-
ton and the life" The service was
very simple and free from ostentation.
1t was the full burial service of the
Methodist Episcopal church, practical
ly the same as that of the Church of
England. The entire service lasted
but fifteen minutes
The bishop stepped to one side after
inviting those who cared to do so to
look upon the face OF the eminent de-
ceased. OF this invitation everyone in
the room took advantage, and long
line of people silently formed and
passed beside the casket, taking one
last look at the features of the late
secretary as he lay peacefully at rest
with his left arm crossed on his breast.
Meanwhile the president, the cabinet
and the diplomatic corps had retired
to make ready for their journey to
Chicago.
just at II o'clock bugle sounded as
the signal to move. A carriage with
Mrs. Gresham and her daugter joined
the funeral cortege at the executive
mansion. The military, which had
been drawn up on Pennsylvania ave-
nue., facing the white house grounds,
awaiting orders, was given the word
of command and the funeral party
with its military escort moved down
Pennsylvania avenue to the Baltimore
& Ohio station, from which the sad
Journey to Chicago was to be made.
The column reached the station short
ly before noon.
The funeral train was made up of
five Baltimore & Ohio and Pullman
coaches, and was drawn by one of the
"Western limited" engines. First was
the composite car Esperanza, occupied
by the body resting upon a low cata-
falque draped in black, with the mill
tary guard. Next came the Pullman
Columbia for the members Of the
cabinet and First Assistant Postmaster
General Jones. The Virginia was oc-
cupied by President and Mrs. Cleveland
and Secretary Lamont Neither Mrs.
Cleveland nor any of the wives of the
cabinet members were in the party.
The rear car, the Haslemere, was occu-
pied by Mrs. Gresham, her son Otto
and Mr.. and Mrs. Andrews, Mrs. Nc
Grain, Capt Fuller and the family
servants.
It was just 1915 o'clock when the
train started and if schedule time is
made it will reach Chicago at o'clock
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