The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-05-30
LAST H0N0RS
Remains of Gladstone Laid at
Rest in Westminster
Abbey.
Possible Future Kings, Lords and
Statesmen Unite to Do Him
Honor.
1t Was the First Official Funeral
Held Since That of Lord
PalmerStOn.

England's greatest dead rest, the body
OF the late William Ewart Gladstone
was entombed with the ceremonies of
the nation he had served and of the
church he had loved.
HIS grave is beside that Of his life.
long adversary, Benjamin D:sraeli
(Lord Beaconsfeld) whose marble eff.
fgy looks down upon it, decked with
the regalia which Gladstone had re.
fused. Two possible future kings of
Great Britain walked beside the great
commoner's coffin, and all the nobility
and learning Of the state surrounded it,
though the wish Of the deceased had
been for simplicity.
This Official funeral, the first since
that Of Lord Palmerston, was rendered
an imposing spectacle by the magnif.
cence Of the building in which it was
solemnized. The coffin rested on an
elevated bier, before the altar, its
plainness hidden beneath a pail OF
white and gold embroidered with the
text "ReQuiescat in Pace
Six tall candles burned beside it, and
on either side, stood the supporters OF
the pail The Prince of Wales and the
Duke of York were at the head of the
coffin. and ranging behind them were
the Marquis of Salisbury, the Earl OF
Kimberley, 4. j. Balfour, Sir William
Vernon Harcourt, the duke Of Rutland,
Lord Rosebery aud Mr.. Gladstone
two old time friends. Baron Rendel
and George Armistead.
Within the chancel stood the dean OF
Westminster and behind him were
gathered the cathedral clergy. the
archbishop of Canterbury and the scar.
let and white surpliced choir fling the
chapel.
The mourners who sat III the stalls
nearest to the bier We're Mrs Glad.
stone, her sons Herbert and Stephen
and other members of the family, with
little Dorothy Drew, Mr.. Gladstone
favorite grandchild. The Princess o1
Wales and the Duchess of York occu
pied the deans pew, opposite.
The nave of the church was filed K
oyertowlng, and thousands thronged
the square outside in order to witnes:
the passage of the funeral procession
from Westminster hall.
The procession moved i'll the follow
ing order:
-Four heralds in court dress, bearing
the arms.
The speaker, the r. Hon. William
Court Gully; clerks and officers of tht
house OF commons. III robes aud wigs
carrying the mace in their midst.
-Four hundred mem bers of the hous,
of commons, marching four abreas
and wearing frock coats and high hat:
with the solitary and conspicuous ex
cep,ion of Mr.. John Burns, the labo
leader, who wore his usual derby la
and short coat.
Four heralds escorting half doze1
prlyy councillors, l-ot members of par
lament.
More heralds, usheriny the officers o
the house Of lords.
The lord chancellors in their robes
with mace bearer.
Two hundred members of the hous
of lords. attired lik2 the house Of com
mons with the exception OF the bishops
who were robed.
Then came Il group of members o
Mr.. Gladstone's last ministry, followe,
by representatives Of various royal fam
lies. and the foreign ambassadors, In
cludlng Colonel John Hay, the Amer
lean ambassador. After them cam
the Duke Of Cambridge and the Duk
of Connaught, escorted by equerrle
and the Earl Of Penn broke, represent
ing the queen.
Then came the funeral car, plainl,
draped with black and drawn by tn
two horses, preceded by the earl mar
shall OF the kingdom, the Duke of MOI
folk, the supporters OF the pail walkln
beside the car.
After the car walked Stephen Glad
stone. the chief mourner, and the nea
relatives aud friends.
In the meanwhile, the tolling Of tn
abbey bell had notified the waiting as
semblage within the editice that tn
PROCESSION was approaching. Tn
weird. dismal strains OF quar-
tette of trbmbones, playing Bee
thoyen's funeral hymn in reces
hioh above the head OF the congrega
ton. swept through the recesses OF tn
abbey. When these finally died away
the great organ took up Schubert
fnneral march, booming sonorously
and then changed to Beethoven's III
neral march with II clash OF symbal
in the orchestral accompaniment.
A choir of 100 male singers. whic
had awaited the coffin at the entranc
to the abbey, preceded 1t along tn
| nave. chanting II am the Resurrection
and the Life"
When the coffin was laid on the blel
pnrcelps funeral chant: Lord, Tho