The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-12-13
LAST HONORS TO HOBART,
Nations Grief Expressed at the Vice.
Presidents Funeral.
THOUSANDS THRONGED STREETS,

The President at All Three Services, In
tho House, in tho Church and at TIT
Cemetery-A Distinguished Gather
ing-simple and Impressive Character
Of the Exercises.
PATERSON, N. j. CSpecIaD. With entire
simplicity, and In the presence OF what wa'
undoubtedly one Of the most distinguished
gatherings Of public men ever seen In this
country, the last honors were paid to Gar
ret A. Hobart ,Vice-President OF the United
States. Each OF the three services were q:
simple as It could be made. Essentially, II
was not an official funeral. It was gath
ering OF men who had known and respect
ed, and loved, some OF them, Garret A. Ho'
bart, and the fact that among the number
were the President OF the United States
and bis Cabinet and most OF the notable
figures OF both parties in the National Gov
ernment was not permitted to alter In any
degree the nature OF the services.
In the city OF Paterson, where Mr.. Ho.
bart had lived so long, the day was de.
voted to mourning. Factories and stores
were closed during the hours OF the ser.
vices. All over the city flags draped IN
black foated at halfmast. streamers Of
crepe decorated tho fronts OF places OF busi-
ness, city and county buildings and resi-
dences alike. Men and women wore badges
OF mourning conspicuously. From early
morning the bells tolled from the church
towers.
The one respect in which simplicity was
not the keynote OF the ceremonies was the
flowers. Scores otorganizations, political,
social, military and business sent their
offerings; the city, county, State and
national officials filled the house with their
tokens, and the personal friends Of the
after room was filed and overfowed and
the house was bower Of fairy beauty.
It had been arranged that only the fam
lily, the intimate friends and tho national
officials should be present at the services
at the house. The services began shortly
after two O'Clock, and lasted twenty min
utes. A quartet sang Peace, Gentle
Peace" The Rev. DR.. David Magic, pastor
OF the Church OF the Redeemer, offered
short prayer, and read the twenty-third
Psalm.
The Capitol police, led by Captain sar.
den, bore the coffin on which was strewn
white roses, white gardenias and purple
orchlds, to the hearse, and the soldiers
formed guard of honor aroundtt. Presi.
dent Mckinley, Chief Justice Fuller and
the Cabinet officers went out the side door
and got into carriages waiting tor them
there. Mrs. Hobart and the family party
followed the hearse In carriages, and the
pallbearers and Senators and Representa-
lives marched to the church. As the pro.
cession passed the crowds stood uncovered
and mute. ,. ...r'. 49,. -
1t was quarter before 8 when the funeral
procession reached the church and marched
In to the slow solemn strains OF Chopln's
Funeral March. When the coffin was half
way down the aisle there rose above the
mufled beat Of the march the words OF the
promise OF Christ:
II am the resurrection and the LIE; he
that believeth In Me, though he were dead.
yet shall he live." ..,-. -
It was DR.. Magic, reading as he walked.
He stepped into the pulpit. The coffin was
set on the standards and the march
throbbed through the church as the long
line slowly dispersed and settled In the
seats. No more notable congregation ever
sat in IN American church. Through the
body OF the church the eye rested every
whore on the faces OF men OF national repu-
tation. 5000.
The Rev. DR.. Charles D. Shaw, pastor OF
the Second Presbyterian Church, read the
psalm: Lord, Thou hast been our dwell
Ing place in all generations" and the pas-
sage from Job beginning, "Man that Is
born OF woman Is OF few days" This was
followed by a prayer. As the last words
were spoken the strains Of Nearer, My
God, to Thee" Mr.. Hobars's favorite hymn,
pealed out from the organ and the notes
had hardly died away when the harmonies
were taken up by the Orpheus OluD,
splendid chorus OF mems voices, the sing
ers being almost concealed behind tho
palms and flowers at the front oil the
church. President Mckinley. who had sat
upright after the prayer, bent his head
again, and there we're many other heads
bowed all over the church as the music
OF the old hymn swelled and died, and
swelled again to the end. DR.. Magic rose
at the close OF the hymn and delivered the
oration. .....
DR.. Magic concluded with a prayer and
all Joined In the Lords Prayer, after which
the chorus Of the Orpheus Club sang to the
music Of German song, the hymn:
"Weary hands, o weary hand,
Resting now from life's endeavor."
Alters q few words of regret that Chap
laia Milburn OF the Senate should have
been prevented by Illness from attending
the funeral, DR.. Magic dismissed the con.
gregation with bsnedlctlon.
The family party followed the hearse d.
rect to Cedar Lawn Cemetery. For the
whole distance OF q mile and half the
roads were lined with people who paid
their last tribute to the dead In silence and
with uncovered heads. At the cemetery
several thousand persons were gathered,
but @ space OF about two acres around the
receiving vault had been roped on, and
there was no intrusion.
The last services were very short. Be.
sides the family there were present the
President and Cabinet, the Chief Justice
and Justices of the Supreme Court, the
personal pallbearers, General and Mrs. Al
ger, ex-Postmaster-G General. Gary and hts
daughter, Adjutant General Corbln, Con.
troller OF the Currency Dawes, DR.. Newton,
Mr.. Hobart's physician and Mrs. Newton.
The services were held In the receiving
vault, which was q mass OF flowers. DR..
Magic read from the Bible and went
through the form Of the commital service.
The Rev. DR.. Shaw pronounced the bene.
diction. After the service Mrs. Hobart aud
the family returned to the house. Prest-
dent Mckinley and his party started Tor
Washington by the special train tmmedta-
tely. Memorial exercises for Vice-Presi-
dent Hobart were also held In the Madison
Bark Methodist Church, the Broadway
Reformed, the Emanuel Baptist and the
African Methodist Episcopal Churches, and
the United Methodist Mission.