The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-01-18
AN IMPOSING FUNERAL
Congress Pays the Last Respects to
Representative Dingley.
THOUSANDS VIEW HIS BODY.
Amid n Magnificent Display of Floral
Tributes and with the Hall OF
the House Crowded the
Service Is Read.

Washington, Jan. 1.-THE remains Of
the late Nelson Dingley, Jr., congress
sional representative from Maine, who
died Friday night, were conveyed early
to the hall of the house of representa-
tives and there given a state funeral al
most majestic in it's impressiveness.
The president, his cabinet, distin-
guished members of the diplomatic
corps, members of the supreme court,
senate and house and distinguished
men in military and civil life were
ranged about his bier on the floor OF the
hall, while the galleries, to which ad-
mission could be obtained only by card,
were occupied by the families OF those
who sat upon the floor and other promi-
nent personages invited to be present.
Some of them, like a delegation from
the New York chamber of commerce,
had come from a distance to pay their
last tribute of respect to the dead
statesman.
Not since the late William d. Kelly
of PENNSYLVANIA was given a state flu
neral in the house during the Fifty first
congress, while President Mckinley was
chairman of the ways and means COM
mittee, has such an honor been accord
ed a member of the house. The remains
were taken from the Hotel Hamilton to
| the capitol and were borne into the hall
of representatives by squad Of capt.
| toll police under the direction of Ser
geant-at-Arms Russell. The casket was
placed on bier in the area in front OF
the marble rostrum of the speaker, and
| for an hour the public, which would
have no opportunity to witness the Of
fetal ceremonies later, was allowed to
view the remains as they lay in state.
Thousands of people streamed through
the main door down past the casket and
gazed upon the calm, serene features
of the dead during that hour. Some
could with difficulty be induced by the
police to move away from the casket.
Loved by the Employees.
The house pages and other employees
of the house entered the line and took
a last view of the revered statesman.
Mr. Dingley was well beloved by the
employees of the house, and there were
tears in many eyes. The decorations
of the hall were simple, but strikingly
beautiful.
Above the ornate gilded front of the
press gallery galaX leaves were fes-
TONED, while just above the clock how
cred a white dove with outspread
wings. Below, Immediately in front of
the white marble rostrum, the casket
lay, banked on either side with rare and
exquisite flowers, which concealed the
marble These included a few of the
most beautiful and most appropriate
floral offerings which had been sent to
the family.
During the interval before the funeral
almost every member of the house who
&c in tha pitU in and stood q
moment by the casket with bowed head
and gazed for the last time on the ia
miliar features. Many tender and chok-
ing words We're murmured, and the
deep grief of all was manifest. Mean
| time the galleries had filled, and in va
rious committee rooms and Hobbies the
distinguished personages in official life
| invited to be present were assembling
the president and cabinet in the com
mittee on naval affairs room; the men,
bers of the supreme court in their
chambers; the diplomatic corps, the
major general of the army the senior
admiral of the navy and the commits
sioners of the District in the ways and
means committee room; the pallbearers
and the committee on arrangements in
the house lobby. The speakers room
was reserved for the family and the
| ofhclating clergyman.
Speaker Reed attired in a black
Prince Albert suit, assembled the ros-
trum and called the house to order. An
air of deep sadness pervaded the hall as
the members rose to listen to the brief
and simple prayer of the chaplain. The
clerk read in full the resolutions adopt
ed on Saturday after the announcement
of Mr. Dingley's death. The clerk of the
senate announced the passage of SINH
lar resolutions by the senate.
The Senator'S Enter.
Immediately thereafter the vice pres
ident and the senate We're announced,
and the senators entered the chamber
in body, preceded by their officers.
They took seats on the right of the
speaker, in the rear of those reserved
for the members of the diplomatic
corps. They were followed by the dip
lomatic corps. With the diplomatic
corps came the members of the Anglo
American commission, of which Mr..
Dingley had been a member At the
head of the diplomatic body was the
venerable dean, the British ambassador,
Sir Julian Pauncefote, and his score
tary, Mr.. Tower.
Owing TO the entreaties of friends and
the imperative directions of the doctors
the afflicted widow remained at her
room during the official ceremonies, as
she was not yet over the prostrating
effect of the loss of her husband. Her
daughter Miss Dingley remained at
her side to comfort and assist
A deep hush fell upon the assemblage.
Buddenly out of the loft In the rear of
the press gallery the notes of an organ
pulsed and echoed through the hall. 1t
was the first time in the history of the
house Of representatives that music had
been heard in it. A quartet sang i'm
pressively Crossing the Bar" by Lord
Tennyson.
The services were conducted by the
Rev. s. M. Newman of the First Con-
gregational church of this city, assisted
by Rev. DR.. Couden, chaplain of the
house, They were very simple.
Rev. Mr.. Couden, the blind chaplain
Of the house, then made a touching
prayer, and the exercises were conclud-
ed with the singing by the quartet to
the organ accompaniment of Jesus,