Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-02-10
THE REMAINS OF THE HERO OF
THREE WARS FIND A RESTING
PLACE IN ARLINGTON.
SCENES AT THE SERVICES.
The President and All the Leading
Representatives of the Govern
ment in Attendance-The Caisson
Was Followed to the Cemetery by
Three THOUSAND Soldiers.

Church of the Covenant in this city,
where President H. NJ. Stryker, Of
Hamilton College, New York, delivered
a funeral grafton that has seldom been
equaled in beauty of expression, or
could it have been in more perfect ac-
cord with the spirit of the solemn oc-
casion that called it forth. Never in
the history of the capital has there
been a more representative gathering
of the nations official life to pay a
last tribute to a nations honored dead.
No mark of military pomp and cere-
mony that the regulations could pro-
vide was wanting to render the occa-
sion solemn and impressive. Nearly
all the available troops of the regular
establishment remaining in this couI-
try were called out. Three thousand
men, infantry, cavalry and artillery,
followed the fia%g-draped caisson to the
grave. But mere official formula were
dwarfed beside the deep popular DEM
o%nstration that the burial of the dead
soldier called forth. Every department
of the government paid it's official tri-
butte. Flags hung at half mast. The
President and his cabinet, representa-
tives of the Supreme Court, Of the
House and Senate, and of the army and
navy, all combined to fill the dark
ened church to it's utmost.
But these official representatives of
the people were
Lost in the Great Crowds
That surrounded the church and lined
the streets along which the procession
passed. Lawton was to the people the
ideal American soldier. whose ex-
ploits in three years made his name a
household word and who, being a SOL
der, first and only, died in the line
of duty, leaving nothing to his children
but the heritage Of an honorable name.
1t was in tribute to this soldiers ideal
that American generosity for weeks
past had swelled "The Lawton Fund"
beyond all expectations of it's origin
ators, and in further tribute to-day
that the great o%utpouring of citizens
filled the streets long before the hour
when the services at the Church of the
Covenant were to commence over the
hero whose remains had lain in state
under military guard through the
silent watches of the night.
Soft lights burned above the chancel
where flowers were piled railing high,
while the casket was buried beneath a
load of roses, lilies and white carna-
lions that overlooked their narrow
resting place and fell in a perfumed
avalanche to the floor. The guard,
cavalrymen from Lawton's own COM
mand, stood at each end of the cata-
falque, silent and motionless as uni
formed statues, and the hush Of the
church was broken only by the soft
tread of those who entered with bowed
heads to pay their last silent tribute to
the brave.
President Mckinley
was among the earlier corners, accom-
panied by the secretary of war. They
came to the church with Adj. Gen.
Corbin, who, assisted by Col. Bingham,
had charge of the official arrange
ments. The secretary of the navy, the
secretary of the interior and the post
master general, the attorney general
and the secretary of agriculture were
also there. The Supreme Court was
represented by Chief Justice Fuller and
several of the associate justices. Adj
m;ral Dewey is absent from Washing
ton, but was represented by Capt. A.
S. Barker. Ex-Secretary Alger was
also present by proxy. having sent
from Michigan Mr.. Victor Mason, his
secretary while in the war department,
who brought a great wreath of flowers
for the already overladen casket. The
military committees of both House and
Senate were present as well as all the
Senators and members who could gain
access to the church. Army and navy
officers in uniform filed most of the
forward pews and a press Of citizens
stood up at the rear and in the wide
vestibule beyond the doors.
The Presbyterian burial service was
read by the Rev. Tennis Hamlin, pas
tor Of the church, and President Stry-
ker then arose to deliver the Grafton.
when, in the name OF mankind, and
that peace might be real, we under
took, in 1898, to cleanse the seas, we
affirmed a principle and made a prece-
dent that I, for one. hold to have writ
ten the most honorable leaf in all our
history. But all that has been since
was corrolary to that. No special
pleading OF professional ma1contents
with whom wisdom viii not die, no q
priori abstraction, can unsay what this