New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-27
GLADSTONE LYING IN STATE
THE COMMON PEOPLE AS MoURNERs m
WESTMINSTER HALL.
AN IMPRESSIVE THRONG PASSES BY HIS Brrn
WITH BOWED HEADs-INARTIsTIC FEAT
rRFS OF THE PREPARATIONS

UREs OF THE PREPARATIONS
(BY CABLE THE TRIBuNEl
| London, May 26-The gray walls OF Westmin.
! ster Hail. which have heard the debates OF the
earliest Paraments, the deposition OF Richard
| III. the death sentence Of Charles I. the proca-
nation Of Cromwell as Lord Protector. the vim.
| dication of the seven bishops, the acquttal OF
| Warren Hastings, and the revelry Of scores OF
| coronation banquets, listened to-day to the
| muffled sound Of the tramp OF thousands Of
mourners for Gladstone.
| The plain coffin had been carried into the an.
Client hall after midnight almost as secretly -
| Guy Fawkes's kegs Of powder were conveyed
to the vaults Of Parliament The Duke Of Nor.
folk and Canon Wilberforce had received It a.
representatives Of the State and the Church. and
entered the historic hall with two OF Gladstone's
sons and few Court herads and porters. The
coffin was placed the dais In the centre Of
the hail. and was left in charge OF small group
of watchers. The New Palace Yard had been
empty when all that was mortal OF Gladstone
had been taken. as 1t were. by stealth, into the
scene Of his historic triumphs. but when the
gates were opened at o'clock the solemn
march OF the masses whose leader he was began.
and continued without pause for fourteen hours.
II was a spectacle atHtere and almost grim In
its simplicity. The great NAIL Always oate ana
,,,re. stained was darkcncd by a long barricads
draped in black extending from enc 10 end
along the central line The glorious window Of
e. stephen's seemed 10 have lost IT'S radiance
NJ color and TO be powerless to relieve the mo-
notonous effect Of this continuous wall OF black.
The marvellous roof with its hammer beams
blackened with age, lent no color 10 the solemn
scene and the carved angels were lost In the
ms
90 or side were line Of royal mourners. begin
Ming With Queen Mary and ending with William
w ard moor as they might be as works OF art,
their white figures relieved the darkness and
gloom OF the funerea scene
High among them were the ashes OF the un.
crowned king among men who had died without
other title than the greatest Englshman Thers
WAS the oaken coffin. severely plain ana without
armament or flowers. under the oaKeh roof OK
William Rufus and Richard H. simple ofass
cross was at the head Of the cofiin ana tan can
dies in massive silver holders were a, the cor
ners OF the bier. A pail OF white SILK e'noroio'
cred with gold and coors. and bearing Arcn'
b,shon Renson's name. was thrown over mo
coffin.
Tbore WAS nothing artistic in this spectacle.
Whatever the English do must be done soiiaiy
and thoroughly There was the pracucai prop
lem OF police control over the crowd. II Was
solved by the erection Of a soNd oarrcaoe 40
strongly built az though hosts or rioters were
% no lion, under control Probably silken
cord would have suficed for dividing ana map
aging the quiet. orderly mourners VINO came "
the thousand. bu, this timber construction "as
considered necessary for police reasons. ana was
built as though for ali time. II was coVereo
with black cloth. and produced noticeaoly In
rrt.o al1
30 high that the coffin looked small
what was done AT Westminster Hall would
have been Impossible in artistic capital fke
pari. but the fine traits and sturdy virtues OK
Tho English people shone out with undimmed
,us,re In the Impressive demeanor OF the vast
throng OF mourners. II was only glimpse OF
an oaken box in venerable hall rch In trso'-
tions OF English history: but the reverence Ok
the masses for the man who had MADE tneir
country great In the moral force OF the hlshes'
civilization sanctihed ceremonial unique ID
simplicity among the pageants OF stored "es'-
minister
Even as early as o'clock the line OF mourn
ers extended from Westminster Bridge 10 the
main entrance OF New Palace Yard. Lady har-
court was among the first TO enter the man, pu'
nearly all working people waiting 70 pay
homae. 10 the leader who had made their cause
% direct the movement OF this procession OF toll
ers but there was no jostling nor CONFUSION nor
noise Signs OF mourning were lacking. yet
every man seemed TO have at least black tie,
and every woman to have put on her soberest
gown Quietly they tramped along from the
bridge into the yard without conversation ana
with serious faces. Long before the entrance
was reached every head was uncovered from an
intense eagerness 10 show respect even prema-
turely TO the ashes OF Gladstone.
The stream OF visitors was divided by the long
draped barrier into two currents. each moving
slowly toward the bier. 1nstinctively every
mourner slackened his pace and approached az
closely as he could TO the oaken coffin. passing
on at last with bent head. From morning till
evening there an impressive silence. IL
wa, not a procession OF sghtseers swayed by no
other motive than idle curiosity; II was solid
array OF the masses taking solemn leave OF their
champion with heavy hearts and reverent feel
ing
SATURDAYS service In the Abbey is reserved for
the classes. but to-day and Tomorrow Gladstone
lies in state among the people who have loved
to hear his voice. Hour after hour they have
rallied In force to pay the only tribute within
their power-dof',ng their hats and passing with
hating steps beside his coffin. All day long
Parliament Square has been densey thronged
with this motley assemblage OF sober-faced. sim
mourners, whose hearts had been touched
and saddened by the passing OF great man.
Estimates OF the number OF spectators In West
minister Hall to-day vary from eighty thousand
10 one hundred thousand What has been really
impressive Is not the continuous presence OF
multitude OF sightseers. but the sober demeanor
and unaffected sincerity with which the masses
have honored the memory OF their CHIEF nc
wanted very simple funeral. and his loss mss
been mourned to-day with democratic SIM
pcity. ~ E.
SIR ADOLPHE CARON IMPROVING.