The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-15
"ASHES TO ASHES"
SERVICES OVER THE REMAINS OF
THE MOTHER OF THE
PRESIDENT.
NATURES TEARS MINGLED.
THOUSANDS AT THE CHURCH IN
SPITE OF THE DISMAL
RAIN.
TRIBUTES OF LOVING FRIENDS.
Church, Casket and Grave Robbed
of SOmberness by a PrOfusion
of Flowers.
TRIBUTES OF LOVING FRIEND

CANION, u, Lee. 14.-AlInOuSH IL
rained almost necessarily all day. the
crowd attending the funeral of Mrs.
Nancy Allison Mckinley was number
ed by thousands. The First Methodist
Episcopal church, doubled in capacity
by throwing open the Sunday school
rooms and gallery, was filled to over
flowing long before the beginning Of
the services. The great rostrum Of the
church was a bank Of flowers. After
the simple ceremony thousands passed
through the church, each stopping an
instant at the altar to take last look
at the remains. The procession was
composed of 1900 people, who had gain
ed admission to the church, and thou
sands of others who stood outside in
the rain, waiting the time when they
could get in one side door, pass the
altar and get out the other side. When
this had continued an hour 1t was
found necessary to close the side doors
and remove the casket to the funeral
car, as 1t was feared that the inter-
ment would be delayed until after dark.
During the services and until after
the remains had been viewed the family
and close friends occupied the front
pews of the central section Of the
church. With the president in the first
pew was his sister, Miss Helen. and
his brother Abner, with their sister,
Mrs Duncan, of Cleveland. Immedi-
ately back Of them was the aged SIS
ter of the departed, Mrs. Osborne, of
Youngstown, surrounded by grandchil-
dren and other near relatives. Back of
these were members Of the cabinet and
the Washington visitors, Congressman
Taylor, representing this district; Hon.
Whitelaw Reid, Of New York; II. H.
Kohlsaat of Chicago, and many other
intimate friends of the family from
various points.
When the cortege reached the ceme
terry the burial ground of the Mckinley
family was surrounded by an immense
crowd, who seemed to give no heed to
the Indictment weather. A canvas can
opy had been erected near the open
grave for the shelter Of the family and
those assisting in the last sad rites.
Here the beautiful wreaths of flowers
which the president and Mrs. Mckinley
had placed upon the graves Of the
children they lost long time ago and
of the presidents father, brother and
sister were literally covered with the
numerous floral offerings sent by SYM
pathizing friends from all over the
country. Hundreds Of floral offerings
included, besides the beautiful pieces
sent by the cabinet and the Washing
ton friends, a large emblem Of the G..
A. R., in which the flag was worked
out In red and white carnations, sent
by Canton post, of which the presi-
dent Is a member; a beautiful piece
from the presidents old regiment, the
Twenty-third o. V. T., and another
from the knights Templars.
AT THE CHURCH.
Promptly at 1 o'clock the carriages
containing the family and immediate
friends of the family began arriving
at the church, and with difficulty
passage was made through the dense
mass of humanity which surrounded
the building for the pail bearers with
the casket and sorrowing friends who
followed them. At los. to the strains
of the great organ, the casket was
carried to the front Of the chancel rail.
It was literally covered with flowers,
a wreath of lilies and violets being
given the most conspicuous place.
Slowly the family were shown to the
seats reserved for them in the front
rows of the center section, as the peals
Of the organ slowly died away in
sweet harmony Then the Aeolian
quartette chanted Still, Still With
Thee" Rev. E. p. Henbruck, pastor of
Trinity Reformed church, senior mem
Der of the local clergy, by reason of
the longest pastorate, offered prayer.
commencing the sorrowing family to
the Ruler Of the Universe for comfort
l.1I., L, ~
ding them not to look upon her as in
the shroud and In coffin, but as in
heaven.
After the prayer, Rev. o. B. Milligan,
pastor of the First Presbyterian
church, read one Of the hymns Of which
Mother Mckinley was particularly
fond, Jesus Lover of My Soul" and
it was sung by the quartette to
special quartette arrangement. Rev.
DR.. John M. Hall, pastor of Trinity
Lutheran church, read a scriptural les
son, selecting portion Of the fifteenth
chapter of Corinthians, teaching of
the resurrection.
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 occasion. He showed
no outward evidence of the sorrow he
experienced in this his hour Of be-
reavement He, with the other male
members Of the family, sat with I'M
covered 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 immedi-
ate family were at either side of the