The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-10
In the Vast COncOurse That Saw tho
Remains of Mai. WiIkinsOn and
His Comrades Consigned to Earth
No Kinship Was Present Save
That Which Makes Nation
Great-That of Patriotism,

| pealed so directly to the hearts of SO
many as that of yesterday. A genial.
kindly, chivalrous gentleman than
whom no man in the Twin Cities was
more popular was laid to rest with
five Of his gallant men. In their cas-
kets they looked as peaceful as though
they had merely fallen asleep. Each
looked as though he was conscious Of
having died in the performance Of his
duty, and, knowing that, was salts
fed.
1T was a historic scene. The chapel
at the fort, in the rear Of the adminis-
tration building, was draped with
American flags, and the walls of the
building were hidden behind the folds
Of the Stars and Stripes. At the west
end Of the building, below the altar,
were the caskets containing the bodies
Of the men who fell in battle with the
Chippewas at Leech lake. From left
to right the bodies were ranged in the
following order:
Private Alfred Ziebel.
Sergeant William Butler.
Mai Cary Wilkinson.
Private John Olmsted
Private John Schwalenstucker,
Private Edward Lowe.
PROPULSION OF FLOWERS.
From early morning until the hour
of the funeral the undertakers were
kept busy arranging the floral offer
ings which were sent by friends Of the
dead soldiers for the occasion. Mrs.
John M. Page, wife of the colonel of
the Third, was about the chapel all,
the morning attending to the decora-
ttons and draperies. The doors Of the
chapel were thrown open about noon,
and the public was then allowed to
view the bodies. corporal was de-
tailed to explain to visitors the rank
of each man and the nature of his
wounds, and for several hours a stream
of visitors entered the building and
passed among the caskets.
The altar was handsomely decorated
with floral pieces. Directly behind
Maj. Wilkinson's casket was a large
scroll of red and white roses on a back
ground Of green leaves, bearing the in
scription in red roses: "3rd Inf" It
was a tribute from the officers Of the
post. Suspended from the chandelier
above the casket was an oak leaf
wreath from the Minnesota command
cry Of the Loyal Legion. Two white
and red rose wreaths rested upon the
casket lid, and below these were two
red rose wreaths from the Mrs Van
Cleve Tent No. 1, of the Daughters of
Veterans. There was also a star Of
red roses from Joseph E. McWilliams,
formerly of Company A, One Hundred
Seventh rpOiT11nnf OrlY al
unteers. Maj. Wilkinson's helmet rest
ed upon the casket, and at the foot
was folded the regfmentaI flag.
THE MEN REMEMBERED.
Each Of the other caskets was dec
GRATED with red and white rose wreaths
and with the helmet Of the deceased.
Resting against the altar and behind
the collins Of Privates Lowe and
Schwallenstucker was a large floral
piece from Champion and Capitol
lodges, Knights of Pythias, and behind
the casket of Sergeant Butler and Pri-
vate Ziebel was a floral triangle of red,
white and yellow roses and ivy bearing
the inscription: "Ivy Lodge" Sergeant
Butler was member Of that lodge.
Each casket bore a plate with the in
scription, "At Rest"
During the early hours the chapel
was visited by many soldiers at the
fort, but toward noon outside visitors
began to arrive. A great many came
on wheels. The visitors were allowed
to pass among the caskets and view
the bodies, and as they passed out of
the building they were shown the dead
soldiers arms, which were stacked in
the rear Of the chapel. They were
viewed with much curiosity They
were the guns the men held in their
hands when struck down by Indian
| bullets, and there was something al
most uncanny, yet fascinating, in the
association.
Later, when the crowd became great,
the arms were removed to a corner
and stacked beside brass cannon, a
relic Of other days.
GUARDS ON DUTY.
Until O'clock visitors continued to
straggle into the chapel, but after
| that hour they arrived in a steady
stream. They blocked the doors and
the space about the caskets, and it be-
came necessary to check them. Guards
were stationed at the entrance to reg
| ulate the crowds.
There was a lull of ten minutes to
allow photographer to take view of
the interior Of the chapel but after
that there was a steady stream Of
people passing through the place. They
| represented all classes. There were club
men, friends Of Maj. Wilkinson and bus
mess men who knew him, men, women
| and children who were familiar with
| his genial figure. The range of his
popularity was seen at a glance in the
various kinds of people who wanted to
take last look at his body There were
many in the crowd who knew the other
men In life. Hardly an eye was dry as
the visitors looked upon the peaceful
features OF the dead, and there were
many expressions Of disapproval of
the policy which sent so few troops in
the beginning to cope with an Indian
| resurrection. All deplored the sacri-
fee which was made.
AS the hour of approached the
crowds became larger until the chapel
was so crowded that it was impossible
to get another person into the hall
thousands Of visitors who were unable