Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-07-26
SIMPLE CEREMONIES
Over Remains of the Late
Col. Rob't. G. |ngerso||.
Reading Of Extracts from Poems and
Writings the Only Ceremonies.
About Forty Friends Gather to PAY Last Re
spects 10 Deccased's Memory.

New York, July 25.-The funeral of
the late Robert G.. IngerSoll took place,
TINS afternoon, from Walston-
Hudson. 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 cot in the room where the
colonel died. 1t was enshrouded in
on the breast. About the cot were
banks of floral tributes sent by friends
Wreaths and punches of blossoms.
The services We're held at o'clock
Mrs. Ingersoll sat beside her dead and
near her We're her two daughters, Mrs.
Walston II. Brown and Miss Maud
lngersoll. They We're very much agi-
tated and almost continuously Wept,
Mr.. and Mrs. c. p. Farrell were pres
ent and Charles Broadway Rouss, Col.
lngersoll'S oldest friend, occupied q
chair by the side Of the bier There
We're some 40 others present and they
remained standing throughout.
The intense silence was broken by
| DR.. John Clark Ridpath, who in a
voice full of emotion said: My
| friends, it is my very sad duty to read
! in the presence of the dead the last
poem written by Col. Robert G. Inger-
soil entitled "Declaration of the Free.
The poem Col. Ingersoll had read and
altered in some of its parts only few
| hours before he was stricken down.
| Major q. j. Smith of Dobb's Ferry. a
close personal friend of Col Ingersoll,
then read another extract from COL.
lngersolIs writings. entitled My Re
ligion."
DR.. John Elliott of New York. read
the funeral Grafton delivered by Col.
| lngersull of his brothers dead body.
This concluded the short and simple
service. Nearly all present then took
a parting look at the dead and passed
out. After they had gone Mr.. Rouss
arose from his chair. and as he is total
~ blind, passed his hand over the face
Of his parted friend ana said: Per-
haps he is better now. No one can un-
derstand it.
Mrs. Insersoll said to him: The
colonel wanted YOU u put your hand
upon his heart" ana sutinG the action
to the word she directed his hand t.
the left breast Of the deceased.
Mr.. Rouss asked what she was going
to do with the remains
|. Il can't give him up" she said Il
can't put him In the ground. | can't
hear to think Of it, We're going To
bring him back home.
The body will probably he taken to
Fresh Pond. Thursday. for cremation.
but this arrangement is subject to
change.
During the morning there were many
visitors u look upon the face Of the
deceased. Among them were several
nId Colorcd servants Of the family
Who had come from Washington and
taken four days off and paid their own
expenses to do honor to their benefac-
tor. Among these were tWofnrmer but
lerS of the family. one old man. who
was baggage man on the railroad.
came from down on Long island, others
came from Chicago. syracuse and Buff
falo.
Many additional kilograms of sympa-
thy were received. today. one Of them
being from Gen. Miles.
Floral tributes We're received all the
morning and there We're two rooms full
Of them. A photograph of the body
was taken. this afternoon, just as it
lay surrounded by these flowers.