The morning times., 1897-03-05
MCKINLEY SWORN IN.
The Ceremony Witnessed by an I'm
mense Crowd.


mense Crowd.
The Presidential party left the Senate
chamber at lis O'Clock. They came out
by the main door Oh the east side and
passed around the corner by the column
left and through the big corridor 10
the entrance to the stand just u I the right
of the big colonnade OF the Senate entrance.
Capt Garden had a good deal Of trouble
keeping the big corridor clear during The
half hour just preceding the close OF the
ceremonies in the Senate chamber He
became good deal excited and more than
one person remarked that he appeared to
have lost his head. He finally got the
way open. 1t was about 1915 when a
party OF ladies came out OF Secretary Cox's
room, not knowing that they were passing
upon forbidden ground. A detachment
of police, led by Capt. Garden, moved upon
them and would not allow them TO -eturn
to the Secretary's office. They were sent
on to the rotUnda.
Outside about the same time il was
difficult to keep the crowds quiet
mounted policeman moved up against the
line near the Metz opolitan car stand where
the crowd was piled up on the roof The
horse became Interchangeable and backed
into the crowd. 1t was by scratch that
serious hurt 10 some one did not occur.
Just then at a Ioint on the walk near
the Washington statue the crowd surged
forward on the open space, and with a
yell broke half way across. More po-
lice, more police" was the cry from
that point, and for ten minutes IL was
an even thing whether the crowd would
finally move back. The policemen won.
Before PRESIDENT Cleveland, with MIR
Mckinley on lis arm, came Mrs. Nc
kinlcy and Mother Mckinley. They Were
preceded by two maTshals in full uniform
and carrying their badges Of office. Mrs.
Mckinley leaned upon the arms Of Pri-
Vate Secretary Porter on the left and
Chairman Bell at her right. Mother Nc
Kinley was tenderly assisted to a place
by old Ohio friends. With them were
more than a hundred friends entitled to
the stand. Towering among these was
Gen. Greely, of Arctic fame.
The first feature of the ceremonial was
the administration OF the oath of office
The Bible upon which the President took
the oath Of office was radically different
from any that had previously been used
on similar occasions. Heretofore the book
has been of the style known as ''pocket
Bibles" and was easily held in the hand
of the Chief Justice in administering the
OATH But yesterday the Bible was an i'm
mense affair, large family Bible, weigh
ing fully twenty pounds. 1t was a mag
nificent specimen of the topographic and
bookbinder's arts; bound in flexible covers
of black seal In one of the lids was in.
rtn1 Il I,
Mckinley, President of the United States
inaugurated March 4, 1897"
Clerk Mckenny, of the Supreme Court,
whose duty it was to convey the Bible
to the stand was 1.-THE observed of ell
Observers as he bore the huge tome from
the Supreme Court to the Senate Cham
Der and thence to the platform.
The Bible was prepared for the bishops
Of the African NJ. E. Church. 1t was con-
veyed to the Capitol in a handsome satin
lined oak casket, with brass trimmings,
the whole package weighing about fifty
pounds. 1t is the intention Of the bishops
to formally present the Bible to President
Mckinley.
The tumult was SO great that the cere
mony was mere pantomime, the voices Of
the Chief Justice and President being
wholly inaudible to those within few
feet of them.
In the midst of confusion, President
Mckinley read his address, standing with
barred head, while his predecessor sat
at his right, beaver tile on head, gave his
attention, not so much to what was be-
ing said, as to the noise and tumult about
him. The situation was somewhat re-
lieved by some of the crow d moving away
and giving more room to those near the
speaker.
The platform from which MI Mckinley
delivered his inaugural address extended
along the east front of the Capitol, from
the south end of the Senate wing to the
center OF the building. 1t projected out
ward distance of fifty feet, and so care
fully was the space economical that it
could easily seat 500 persons Near its
extreme right was a raised dias, en-
closed with a railing, covered with red
and blue bunting. 1t was here that Mr..
Mckinley stood as he addressed his
| audience. The outer surface of the plat
form was hidden under a profusion of
national flags, artisticaly draped, while
| directly in front of the Presidential stand
was a mammoth national shield.
| rear the open space was filled with chairs
reserved for distinguished guests. Here
was Mark Hanna, Sherman's successor in
the Senate and McKinley's friend and man.
ager. Here was also the new Vice Presi
dent. Garret A. Hobart, of New Jersey, "a
| fine type OF the American business man.
| To their right and Immediately behind the
| President sat Chief Justice Fuller in his
| sIlken robes Of office, to whom was dele
| gated the constitu tional privilege of ad-
ministering the oath to the President-elect
In his immediate vicinity sat group Of
| men distinguished in the political and ju-
dicial world. To their left and wearing
| the brilliant court uniforms which added
! a pleasing light of color to the scene in
| the Senate chamber a few minutes pre-
| viously, sat the members of the diplo-
matte corps, their secretaries and attaches,