The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-26
FAITHFUL
ADMIRERS
OF the Late Col. IngersOll For
the Last Time
Assemble About the Coffin of
the Deceased.
FUNERAL SERVICES
- -
FUNERAL SERVICES
Consist Of Readings From the
COIoneI's Own Writings.
Family Has Not Yet Consented
to Give Up theRemains.

New York, July 26.-The funeral of the
late Robert G. IngersOll took place yes
terday afternoon from Walston, Dobbs'
Ferry, where he died on Friday last.
No clergyman was present to conduct
the services; there was no music and
there were no pail bearers. The body
lay on a cot in the room where he died.
1t was enshrouded in white and Just one
red rose placed on the breast. About
the cot were banks of floral tributes
sent by friends, wreaths and punches
of blossoms.
The services were held at 4 o'clock.
Mrs. Ingerson sat beside her dead, and
beside her We're her daughters. Mrs.
Walston H. Brown and Miss Maud In
gersOn. They were very much agitated
and Wept almost continuously.
Mr.. and Mrs. c. p. Farrell were
present and Charles Broadway Rouse,
Colonel IngersOlls Oldest friend, occu-
pied a chair by the side of the bier.
There were some forty others present
and they remained standing throughout
The intense silence was then broken
by DR.. John Clark RIdpath, who in a
voice full of emotion said:
My friends, it is very sad duty to
read in the presence of the dead the last
poem written by Colonel Robert G. In
gerson, entitled Declaration of the
Free" This poem Colonel Ingersou had
read and altered in some Of its parts
only few hours before he was stricken
down"
Major o. J. Smythe, who resides in
Dobbs' Ferry and who was a close per-
sOnal friend of Colonel Ingerson, then,
without preliminary words read another
extract from Colonel IngersolIs writ
ings, entitled My Religion
Dr. John Elliott of New York read the
funeral Grafton delivered by Colonel IN
gerso1 over his brothers dead body.
This concluded the short and simple SER
vices. Nearly all present then took a
parting look at the dead and passed out.
After they had gone Mr.. Rouse arose
from his chair. as he is totally blind,
passed his hand over the face of his de-
parted friend and said:
Perhaps he is better now. No one
can understand it,.
Mrs. Ingersol said to him: 1.-The col
onel wanted you to put your hand upon
his heart" and suiting the action to the
word, she directed his hand to the left
breast of the deceased.
Mr.. Rouse asked what she was going
to do with the remains.
I can't give him up" she said. Ct
can't put him in the ground. I can't
bear to think of it. We're going to
bring him back home"
The body will probably be taken to
Fresh Pond Thursday for cremation,
but this arrangement IS subject to
change.
During the morning there were many
visitors to look upon the face of the de-
ceased. Among them were several old
cOlOred servants of the family who had
come from Washington, took four days
off and paid their expenses to do honor
to their great benefactor. Among these
were two former buffers Of the family.
One old man, who was a baggageman
on the railroad came from down on
Long Island, others came from Chicago,
! Syracuse and Buffalo.
/ Many additional kilograms Of sympa-
( thy were received, one of them being
4 from General Miles.
| Floral tributes were received all the
| morning and there were two rooms full
| Of them.
| A photograph of the body was taken
! just as it lay surrounded by these flow
| ers. It took a three-quarters view OF
4 the face.