The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-15
GIVEN OVER TO THE GRAVE.
CANTON PAYS ITS TRIBUTE TO THE
PRESIDENTS MOTHER.

The Casket Surrounded by Beauti-
full Floral Tributes From Every
Section of the Country.
Canton, O., Dec. 14.-While the family
and friends and neighbors of the late Mrs.
Nancy Allison Mckinley were paying their
last tribute of respect, and while the
earthly remains were being laid to rest at
West Lawn cemetery by the side of her
husbands and other members of her fam
lily, who have preceded her over the river
OF life all else was abandoned in Canton.
Business houses closed at 1 o'clock, to
remain closed until after the services. The
public schools closed at noon for the re-
mainder of the day. and business of all
kinds was practically suspended. The
city council, at meeting last night ar
ranged to attend the funeral in a body,
and ordered all the offices in the city
building closed during the hour of the
funeral. The court house closed at noon,
and the officials and clerks, together with
other members of the bar, attended the
services in a body, as decided upon at a
meeting this morning.
Rain began last evening, and has con-
tinued almost every moment since, and
everything is dismal and gloomy in con-
sequence. But regardless of the weather,
the streets early began to fill with those
who desired to attend the services, and
the large church contained only fraction
OF those who sought admission.
All during the morning express wagons
continued to unload the magnificent floral
remembrances brought by every train
from sympathizing friends in all quarters,
and to these were added the richest blooms
of local hothouses, the remembrances of
nine relatives and friends at home
The First Methodist Episcopal church,
in which the services were held, is the
largest church in the city. 1t is on West
Tuscarawas street, about four blocks from
the Mckinley homestead. 1t is a modern
structure, seating in the auditorium
proper some 500 people, and with the audi
torium accommodations for nearly 1900
are furnished.
AS early as II o'clock the congregation
began to assemble, and long before the
hour set for the services every seat was
occupied and extra seats were placed in
the aisles
4lS 4IOiAN SGet1 VI tie HllOule I0F were
reserved for the family and those attend
ing the services at the house By the time
the remains arrived at the church there
was no longer possibility of gaining admis-
sion, and the people lined the sidewalks
all about the church, waiting for the time
when those within had viewed the remains
and passed out to make room for them to
pass through the church and take a last
look at the one whom all had loved and
admired.
The church was beautiful with the
wealth of flowers sent by the people of
the nation and with the rich drapery of
mourning with which it had been decked
by the officers of the church The chan
Gel rail and the pulpit was buried in a
cluster of flowers, and the pulpit proper
was entirely hidden by delicate blooms
from many hot houses. AS a background
to all of the flowers there We're drapings
and festoons of somber black, caught up
here and there by cords and bows of white
The large loft, ordinarily occupied
by a chorus choir, was occupied on one
side by the officers of the church and on
the other by the clergy of the city.
At o'clock the carriages containing the
family and immediate friends of the fam
lily began arriving a the church.
At Les o'clock to the strains of the great
organ, the body was carried to the front
of the chancel rail. 1t was literally covered
with flowers.
was tenderly placed in front of the chan
eel rail the Aeolan quartette, of male
voices chanted SILL Still With Thee"
Slowly the family were shown to the
seats reserved for them as the peals of the
organ slowly died away in a sweet har-
mony.
President Mckinley occupied the first
pew of the central section of the church,
directly in front of the pulpit. The same
remarkable self-possession characteristic
of his whole life was manifest on this oc-
casion. He with the other male members
of the family, sat with uncovered heads,
ignoring the old time custom for church
funerals under which the immediate
mourners sat during the whole ceremony
with heads bowed down and covered with
crepe bound hats Members of the imme-
dlate family were at either side of the
President, and back of these were the
members of the cabinet and the more dis
tant relatives.
Rev. E. p Herbruck of Trinity Reform
ed church. whose pastorate in Canton Is
of the longest in the local clergy, offered
a fervent prayer This was followed by
the reading of hymn, Jesus, Lover of My
Soul" by Rev. Milhgan of the First Pres
byterian church and the singing of the
same by the quartette.
Rev. Dr. Hall of Trinity Lutheran
church read a scriptural lesson from First
Corinthians, part of fifteenth chapter
Methodist Episcopal church, Hon. r. A.
Cassidy, one of the directors of the church,
read a memorial adopted by the board of
officials, reciting briefly the life of Mrs.
Nancy Allison Mckinley and her connec-
ton with the congregation.
The quartette then sang, Lead Kindly
Light"
Rev. DR.. McMasters who was a comrade
I'm arms of the President during the war,
member Of the famous Twenty-third o.
V. l., and who has been the pastor of the
First Methodist church for several wears
delivered a short grafton in which he
dwelt upon the character of
the beloved departed, and spoke
OF her as she was known by
neighbors and friends in Canton. Almost
overpowering emotion was manifest in his
voice, and a he recalled the lovable traits
by which the beloved woman was best
known by her immediate neehbors, the
eyes of ell in the vast congregation filled
with tears.
When the pastor had concluded his elo-
quent tribute TO the departed, another