The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-13
CLOSING SCENES AT CANTON.
FUNERAL SERVICES TO BE HELD
TOMORROW AFTERNOON.

Services to BE Held in the Church
of which the Deceased Was
Member and All the CIergymen in
the City to Be in the Pulpit.
Canton, O., Dec. 12.-Funeral services
over the remains of Mrs. Nancy Allison
Mckinley will be held in the First Metho-
dist Episcopal church of this city at
o'clock Tuesday afternoon. Interment will
follow in West Lawn cemetery, just west
of the city, and Tuesday evening, Presi-
dent Mckinley and wife, and officials from
Washington, who attend the funeral, will
leave the capital, arriving there about
noon Wednesday.
These are the arrangements so far as
completed since the death of Mother Nc
Kinley shortly after o'clock this morn
ing.
1t was at first thought by the family
that the services should be of a more pri-
vate nature, held at the old homestead. 1t
was soon learned, however, through the
pastor of Mrs. McKinley's church, and
members of the congregation, as well as
from other friends, that the number of
friends who desired to pay their last trib-
ute of respect to the beloved woman, by
attending the obsequies, could not be ac
commodated with such arrangements and
church services were decided upon. Rev.
DR.. Manchester, the pastor of the church,
has announced that 1t is his desire, and
that he will extend an Invitation to the
ministers Of all the other churches, of
which there are about thirty, to occupy
the pulpit and participate in the services.
From reports received here this evening
it is expected that Secretary Bliss of the
Interior Department, Secretary of War AL
gel, Attorney General McKenna, his wife
and daughters; Postmaster General Gary
and Secretary to the President Porter and
his wife, will reach here Tuesday morning
over the Pennsylvania line to attend the
funeral services.
The pall-bearers selected are from the
older members of the church, and those,
who, for years. have been close neighbors
of the deceased. They are: Judge William
r. Day, Hon. William A. Lynch. ex-Mayor
r. A. Cassidy L. L. Miller, W. w. Clark,
Judge T. j. Mccarthy, David collars and
ex-Mayor John f. Blake.
The First Methodist church, in which
the services are to be held is the one in
which Mother Mckinley worshipped dur
ing her residence in Canton, and in which
she was found almost every Sunday morn
ing, only serious indisposition or import
ant circumstances keeping her away.
Three weeks ago to-day she was in her
pew, as usual, and though she was nearly
SO years of age, her attendance has been
regular all the while. This is also the
congregation with which the President
has always been associated. 1t was in
this church that he was superintendent of
the Sunday school thirty years ago. and
here that he always attended services
~, oil r@gr,
mother They last attended together last
September, when the President was here
during his summer vacation. The Presi-
dent is a member of the board of trustees
of the church.
At daylight this morning, at the sug-
gestion of some of the older members of
the congregation that an Old-time Gus
tom, now almost obsolete be observed,
to publicly announce the death, the bell
in the tower of the church slowly tolled
off the years of her age.
1t is a coincidence that Mrs. Mckinley
died at almost the identical hour of the
day as did her husband on Thanksgiving,
five years ago.
President Mckinley remained up until
about $3.50 o'clock, a little more than an
hour after the death, and then retired for
a few hours sleep. During the forenoon
he and his brother spent the greater part
of an hour walking about the more Sc
cluded streets near home, securing much
needed exercise and fresh air The Pres
ident was greatly refreshed by the exer-
else.
In the afternoon, the President and Alb
ner Mckinley drove to West Lawn ceme-
terry to attend personally to the arrange
ments for the interment, which will be
made in the family lot where lies the re-
mains of the husband and father, and
which adjoins the lot which for more than
20 years has contained the bodies of the
two children of the President and his wife
under carefully kept mounds that are
streWn with flowers whenever the parents
came to Canton.
To-day the President tenderly and tear
fully laid clusters of flowers on the graves
while the site of the mothers resting place
was being selected.
Messages of coincidence are pouring into
the telegraph Office from all quarters, and
many friends have already called at the
house to offer sympathy.
Stewart L. Bowman, of LOrain, the hus-
band of one of Mrs. McKinley's grand
children, joined the family circle this
morning. The children and grand-chfl-
dren. except Mrs. George B. Morris of
San Francisco, a daughter of the late Da-
yid Mckinley, and all of the immediate
family were here for the closing scenes Of
her life Other relatives will come for the
funeral.
Assistant Secretary of State Day has
remained as the friend of the President
and is assisting in making the funeral ar
Engagements.
During her life Mrs. Mckinley showed a
fondness for visiting with her children,
and, besides having them al her home as
much as possible frequently visited at
their homes. She had spent one winter
with her son, David, in California, shortly
before his death, and frequently went to
Somerset, Pa, the home of her son Abb
ner, as well as to Pttsburg and later to
Cleveland the home of the Duncans
Almost two weeks had elapsed since the
stroke of paralysis, which was at once
pronounced fatal, prostrated Mrs McKin-
ley, and the wonderful vitality which had
kept death at bay so long had deuded
the friends and relatives into the belief
that the aged woman might perhaps re-
cover, despite the verdict of her physi-
clan. But unmistakable signs of an
preaching dissolution were perceived early
yesterday morning. and at nightfall 1t was
evident that death must come before
morning.
The demise of Mrs. Mckinley was pain
Tess. All night long the members of the
Iamily were watching and waiting for the