Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-12-13
WHEELING VA. MONDAY, DECEMBER ID 1897

almost every Sunday morning, only
serious indisposition or important cir
cumstances keeping her away. Three
weeks ago to-day she was in her pew,
as usual, and though she was nearly
eighty-nine years of age, her attend
ance had been regular all the while.
This is also the congregation with
which the President has always been
associated. 1t was at this church that
he was superintendent of the Sunday
school thirty years ago, and here he
has always attended services when in
Canton, usually going with his moth
err They last attended together last
September, when the President was
here during his summer vacation.
| The President is member of the
board of trustees of the church.
At daylight this morning, at the
suggestion Of some of the older men,
bers Of the congregation that an old
time custom, 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. McKin
| ley died at almost the identical hour
of the day as did her husband on
| Thanksgiving Day, five years ago.
President Mckinley remained up until
about 8: 80 o'clock, a little more than
an hour after the death, and then re-
| tired for a few hours sleep. During
! the forenoon he and his brother spent
the greater part of an hour walking
about the more secluded streets near
home, securing much needed exercise
and fresh air. The President was
! greatly refreshed by the exercise, al
though even before he seemed little
the worse physically for the trying
ordeal of the past few days, during
which, except when he went to Wash
i ington to attend to official duties, he
kept an almost constant vigil at the
! bedside CT his mother.
In the afternoon President Mckinley
and his brother Abner drove to beau
tiful West Lawn cemetery, about
mile west of the home, to attend per-
! sonally to arrangements for the inter-
ment which will be made in the fam
! lily lot, where lies the remains of the
husband and father, and which adj
( joins the lot which for more than
!
/ of the two children of the President
and his wife, under carefully Kept
mounds that are
STREWN WITH FLOWERS
whenever the parents come to Canton.
To-day the President tenderly and
, tearfully laid clusters of flowers on
the graves, while the site of the
mothers resting place was being Sc
| lected.
| Messages of coincidence are pouring
into the telegraph office from all quar-
| tiers and many friends have already
called at the house to offer sympathy.
Mr.. Stewart L. Bowman, of Lorraine,
the husband of one of Mrs McKinley's
grandchildren, joined the family circle
this morning.
The children and grandchildren, ex-
cept Mrs. George B. Morris, of San
Francisco, daughter of the late
David Mckinley, and all of the imme-
date family, were here for
THE CLOSING SCENES
I of the life. Other relatives will come
for the funeral.
Assistant Secretary of State Day has
remained as an old friend of the Pres
! ident, and is assisting in making the
funeral arrangements. During her life
Mrs. Mckinley showed a fondness for
visiting with her children, and be-
sides having them at her home as
much as possible, frequently visited
at their homes. She spent one winter
with her son David, in California,
! shortly before his death, and frequent
~ went to Somerset, Pa, home of her
son Abner. as we'll as to Pittsburg and
later to Cleveland, the home of the
Duncans
From reports received here this eve
ming, it is expected that Secretary
Bliss, of the Interior Department.: Sec
rotary of War Alger, Attorney General
McKenna, his wife and his daughters:
Postmaster General Gary, and Secre-
tary to the President Porter and his
wife, will reach here Tuesday morn
ing over the Pennsylvania lines to at
tend the funeral services of Mother
| Mckinley.
MEMBERS OF THE CABINET TO GO.
Washington, D. c., December II =
All the members of the Cabinet, whose
official duties will permit their leaving
Washington at this time. viii start for
Canton tomorrow evening 70 attend
the funeral of Mrs. Mckinley.
The party Will include Secretaries
Alger, Bliss, Wilson. and Gary. At
torney General McKenna and Secre-
tary Sherman, if the latter is feeling
we'll enough TO make the trip. Secre-
taries Long and Gage are detained in
Washington by pressing departmental
duties. Vice President Hobart will also
remain here. his presence being neces-
s3ry as the presiding officer of the Sem
ate. The ladies of the party will be
Mrs. Mckenna. Mrs. Gary, Mrs Alge-
and Mrs Porter. The ARRANGEMENTS
for the journey are being made ,.2ca
/ by Mr.. Porter, Secretary to the Pres;-
dent.
The party will have two private cars
at their disposal. They will leave
Washington at 40 p. m. over the
Pennsylvania railroad, reaching Canton
about 10 o'clock the following morning.
After an informal luncheon and a brief
rest. the party WIFI attend the funeral
services and return by the evening
train TO Washington. The Presidents
car will probably be added to the train
and he will return at once to the White
House.
The President on his return will de-
vote himself TO disposing of the large