Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-27
GLADSTONE LYING IN STATE
The Common People as Mourners in West
minister Hall.
sincerfty Of the Masses I'm Honorina
the Memory Of Their Chief
Notable Event.
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune
LONDON. May 2s-The gray walls Of
Westminster Hall, which have heard the
debates of the earliest pariaments. the
deposition OF Richard III. the death SEN
tence of Charles l. the proclamation of
Cromwell as lord protector. the yindica-
ton of the seven bishops the acquittal of
Warren Hastings and the revelry of scores
of coronation hanquets. listened today to
the muffied sound of the tramp Of thous-
ands of mourners for Gladstone.
The plain coffin had been carried into the
ancient hall after midnight almost as
cretly AS Guy Fawkes' kegs OF powder
were conveyed to the vaults Of parlia-
ment The Duke of Norfolk and Canon
Wherefore had received it as representa-
tives of the state and the church and en-
tered the historic hall with two OF Glad
stones sons and a few court heralds and
porters. The coffin was placed on the dais
in the center of the hail. and was left in
charge OF a small group Of watchers. The
new palace yard had been empty when
all that was mortal of Gladstone had been
taken, as ii 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.
1t was a spectacle austere and almost
grim in its simplicity. The great hall, al
by long barricade draped in black
tending from end to end along the central
line. The glorious window Of St. stephens
seemed to have lost its radiance of color
and to be powerless to relieve the monoto-
nous effect of this continuous wall OF
black. The marvellous roof. with its ham
mer beams blackened with age. lent
color to the solemn scene, and the carved
angels were lost in the murky air. The
seven marble statues on the east side were
line of royal mourners, beginning with
Queen Mary and ending with William ",
ana, poor as they might be as works of art.
their white figures relieved the darkness
and gloom of the funereal scene.
High among them were the ashes of the
uncroHned king among men who had died
without other title than the greatest Eng
lishman. There was the oaken coffin,
verely plain and without ornament or flow
ers, under the oaken roof OF William Rufus
and Richard IL A simple brass cross was
at the head of the coffin, and tall candles
in massive silver holders were at the cor
ners of the bier. A pail of white silk en-
broldered with gold and colors, and bearing
Archbishop Benson's name, was thrown
over the coffin
There was nothing artistic in this spec
tacle. Whatever the English do must DO
done solidly and thoroughly. There was
the practical problem of police control over
the crowd. 1t was solved by the erection
of solid barricade strongly built as
though hosts of rioters We're to be kept I'M
der control. Probably a siken cord would
have sufficed for dividing and manag ing
the quiet, orderly mourners who came by
the thousand, but this timber construction
was considered necessary for police rea.
sons, and was built though for all time.
1t was covered with black cloth, and pro-
duced noticeably inartistic effect. The
catafalque, too, pitched so high that
the coffin looked small.
What was done at Westminster Hall
would have been impossible in an artistic
capital like Paris, but the fine traits and
sturdy virtues of the English people shona
out with undimmed luster in the impress.
sive demeanor of the vast throng of mourns
ers. 1t was only glimpse of an cIken box
in a venerable hall rich in traditions OF
English history; but the reverence of the
masses for the man who had made their
country great in the moral force OF the
highest civilization sanctited a ceremonial
unique in simplicity among the pageants OF
stored Westminster.
Even as early as G o'clock the line Of
Tnourners extended from WeStminstJ-
Bridge to the main entrance of New Pal
ace Yard. Lady Harcourt was among the
first to enter the hail, but nearly all were
working people waiting TO pay homage 10
the leader who had made their cause his
own. There were long files of police IN
line to direct the movement OF this process
sion OF toilers, but there was no JostlinS
nor confusion nor noise. Signs OF mourning
were lacking, yet every man seemed to
have, at least, a black tie, and every wom-
an to have put on her soberest gown. Quiet
ly they tramped along from the bridge into
the yard without conversation and with
WAS reached every head was uncovered
from an intense eagerness TO show respect
even prematurely 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. Instinct
lively every mourner slackened his pace ami
approached closely he could to the
oaken coffin, passing on at last with bent
head. From morning till evening there was
an impressive silence. 1t was not a pro-
cession of sightseers swayed by no other
motive than idle curiosity; it was a solid
OF their champion with heavy hearts and
reYerent feeling.
Saturdays service in the abbey is reserv-
ed for the classes, but today 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-dofiing
their hats and passing with halting steps
beside his coffin. All day long Parliament
Square has been densely thronged with this
motley assemblage OF sober-laced, sincere
mourners, whose hearts had been touched
and saddened by the passing of a great
man. Estimates of the number Of specta-
tors in Westminster Hail today vary from
eighty thousand to one hundred thousand
What has been really impressive is not thu
continuous presence Of a multitude OF
sightseers, but the sober demeanor and un-
affected sincerity with which the masses
lie wanted very simple funeral, and his
cratic simplicity. l. N F.