The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1898-06-18

: of the grand old commoner reach
ed here on Sunday, Aug. Is, and
were met at the depot by COM
mittee of the most prominent
citizens Of the city, appointed by
Governor McLaurin, and a multi
tude of people of all classes and
degrees, who had turned out to
do honor to the dead. The casket
was placed in hearse and escort
ed to the capital, where it was
placed in the rotunda, and lay in
state for twenty-four hours. The
rotunda was draped in deepest
mourning and profusely decorated
with flowers. The flag on the
dome was placed at half-mast and
the entire front of the capitol
building was festooned with crepe.
Hundreds and hundreds of peo-
pie gathered at the bier to take
last look at the features of the
aIan who had done so much to
make Mississippi famous, and
whose name is Il part of the states
history for the past half century.
II guard of honor was detailed
from the Capital Light Guards to
watch the bier ut night. Next
day the body was escorted in
funeral pomp to the depot, and a
special committee of citizens, ap-
pointed by the governor, and
detail of the Capital Light Guards
took the train and acted us escort
of honor to attend the remains to
CarroIlton, where the senator was
buried Among the floral decora-
tions which we're brought to adorn
the bier while the body lay in state
was Il magnificent wreath inscrib-
ed, TO Mississippi's Honored
Dead. The daily newspapers
were full Of accounts of the fune
raj and the honor that was paid
to the great and lamented dead.
"The bills which were made to
make up this pageant were rs
follows: Heurse, hacks and SUI
perintending the funeral Gun
dertaker), Sill; floral wreath and
flowers, bought in Memphis, $35
crepe and draping of the rotunda
and capitol, $24.87; railway fare
and board of Capital Light Guards
to CarroIlton $65.
"These bills were all presented
to Governor .McLaurin and made
out against the state of Mississip-
pc. They were never paid by the
state of Mississippi, nor were
they ever brought to the attention
of the legislature. The bill for
The wreath and flowers bought
in Memphis was paid by private
individuals, who acted on the
committee some weeks af-
after the funeral. The others re-
mained unpaid until early last
week when they were incidentally
brought to the attention Of Mr..
w. g. George. The undertaker's
bill for hGarse, hacks aud superin-
tending the funeral was present.
cd to Governor McLaurin some
eight or ten times. He put the
collector off from time to time
and had it reduced to $87, finally
saying that there was no way to
pay it out of the states funds.
"When Mr.. w. G. George
came here as a soldier in the Sec
ond Regiment, he learned Of the
bills. Mayor Wharton, of this
city, fearing that the matter might.
stand as stigma upon the city Of
jackson, upon learning the facts,
went to Mr.. George and begged
him to put the bills in his (Whar-
ton's) hands in order that he
might see them paid. Mr..
George peremptoriIy refused the
mayors request and paid all
of the bills, except the one for
wreath and flowers, which he did
not know Of at the time. Mr..
| George subsequently got leave
of absence to go home, where he
learned of the billfor wreath and
flowers and sent check here to
pay the parties who had taken it
up.
"There is no comment necessa-
ry upon these facts. They speak
for themselves and form chapter
IN the history of the state, which
every true Mississippian Twill blush
to read. That the name and me-
mory of citizen 50 illustrions as
Senator George should have been
thus dishonored by the omission
or neglect of some one, is an un-
Ipardonable crime, which the
people of the state can never for
give and which will make Missis-
lsippi an object of scorn to all her
sisters of the union."
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