Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-12-06
FREE MASONS PREPARING.
Anniversary Of washington's Death to
Be Remembered.
Burial Program Of the First President to Be
Closely Followed.

Alexandria, the postoffice town OF
| George Washington. which so lateiy
celebrated the sesqui-centennial OF It's
survey by the immortal leader OF the
Revolutionary army and first Presl-
dent of the republic, has begun elap-
crate preparations for memorial eXer-
ciSes to commemorate the hundredtn
| anniversary of his death. The men,
bers of the Grand Lodge of Virginia
| of Free Masons and the members of
Alexandria Washington Lodge. No. -.
are taking the leading part in these
preparations.
The memorial services are to be held
December IA. the day of Washingtons
death, but they are to conform as
nearly as possible to the burial pro-
gram that was observed when the body
of the illustrious man was committed
to earth on December IS. 1899 The
program has not been fully agreed
upon but it is the fixed idea of the
committees having it in charge that
the Grand Lodge shall assemble at the
least side of the mansion and march to
the old vault. where Washington was
first buried, in the order observed Il
century ago--that is. the officers of the
dTduu LouSe illSt. lIltu x
Lodge No. 4. and WashingtOn-Alex-
andria Lodge. No. %. third. the Grand
Lodges of other Jurisdictions and other
bodies following in the order of their
institution.
The services at the old tomb will
consist of a dirge, prayer by Bishop A.
| NJ. Randolph. of the diocese of South :
ern Virginia. who is a member of the
| fraternity: music by double quartet.
consisting of members of the Grand
Lodge of Virginia, and an address by
the grand master Of Colorado. That
honor is conferred on the master of one
of the youngest Grand Lodges because
it was that body which in 1893 started
the movement to have memorial SER
vices on the one hundredth anniversary
of the death. The procession will then
move to the new vault. farther back
from the Potomac. where the bodies of
Washington and his wife We're laid on
April 10. 1881. the seth anniversary of
the battle of Lexington, rendered still
more famous day in American history
by the adoption of the resolutions
which caused the Spanish American
War The transfer to the new tomb
was made an impressive occasion. for
that marked the end of efforts by Con-
gress to have the bodies, encased in
marble sarcophagi, placed in the crypt
Of the Capitol, where they would have
been placed had the eloquence Of Clay.
Webster. Haynes and other oratorical
giants of the first third of this century
and any effect on the members of the
Washington family.
| To show the irrevocab BILE character CT
the decision, the family, on the occa-
sion of the transfer, had the key
thrown into the Potomac by an old ne
gro servant who was one of the few
genuine body servants of the illustri-
Gus general. Since that time no propo-
sitiOn to move the bodies had been
made in any serious spirit. The only
disturbance of the last sleep of the
dead has been offered by vandal SOL
diers during the Civil War. One of
them climbed over the high irOn-barred
gate and broke one of the talOns off the
eagle that surmounts the sarcophagus
in which lies the body of General
Washington After that a guard was
kept on duty all the time and for 80
Years after the war, until a little more
than year ago. The guard was
Bob" an old colored man. who was a
slave in the family of one of the Wash
lingtons until freed by the war.
The old tomb was visited by grave
robbers for the purpose undoubtedly of
carrying away the bones of the famous
| Washington. The resurrection man
was so ignorant that he took away the
skull of a woman. for the old vault. as
well as the new one. was a family
|sepulcher.
| After the guard was set upon the new
| vault the tomb of Washington was
| common ground. where the soldiers of
| the Union and of the Confederacy met,
paid their homage and turned each to
| their own camp without any thought
of hostile demonstrations. There was a
good deal of skirmishing around Mount
Vernon in the early days of the war
before the armies of the Confederacy
We're pushed back by the bloody ad-
vance of the Union troops. Both
armies crossed the Washington estate.
but no fighting was done on the plat
that surrounds the mansion.
| The ceremonies at the new vault will
be altogether Masonic. the Grand
Lodge of Virginia conducting them.
That body will form a circle around the
| vault and be assisted by the Grand
Lodge of the District of Columbia and
other jurisdictions. which will take sta
| ton in front of the tomb. The Fred
ericksburg Lodge will have station on
the right. Westinghouse Alexandria on
the left and Federal of Washington in
| the center in the rear of the grand
| lodges. The prayer and benediction
will be by the grand chaplain of Vr-
gina.
Immediately after these services the
| whole party will assemble on the east
front of the mansion to listen to an adj
dress by Brother" William Mckinley.
| in his capacity of President Of the
! United States. Virginia Masons look
upon the President as one of them. for
he took his entered apprentice and fell
| low-craft degrees during the war while
his regiment was serving in what is
now West Virginia. He never took the
Master Masons' degree. and there was
some talk that he would take it dur
ing the session Of the Grand Lodge just
before the memorial services, but the
suggestion was frowned upon as SAVIOR
ing too much of an advertisement of a
solemn ceremony.