Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-02-13
LAWTON LAID TO REST,
President and High Government
officials Attend the Services,
AN IMPOSING PAGEANT
Glowing EuIogy Pronounced by MIR.
SUPERINTENDENT at Airing
ton National Cemetery.

Washington, D. c., Feb. 9.-Maj Gen.
Henry w. Lawton was buried today in
the National cemetery at Arlington. The
services at the grave were preceded by
those at the Church of the Covenant in
this city, where President H NJ Stryker
Of Hamilton college, New York, delivered
funeral grafton that has seldom been
equaled in beauty of expression, nor could
1t have been in more perfect accord with
the spirit of the solemn occasion that
called it forth. Never in the history
or the capital has there been more
representative gathering of the nations
of1clal life to pay last tribute to the
nations honored dead. No mark Of
military pomp and ceremony that the
regulations could provide was wanting
TO render the occasion solemn and impress
sive. Nearly all the available troops Of
me regular establishment remaining in
this country were called out. Three
thousand men, infantry, cavalry and ar
tillery, followed the tiag-draped caisson
to the grave.
Popular Demonstrat ton.
But mere official formulas were
dwarfed beside the deep POPULAR demon
stration that the burial of the dead sol
der called forth. Every department of
the government paid its official tribute.
Flags hing at half-mast The President
and his cabinet, representatives of the
Supreme court, OF the House and Senate,
and Of the army and navy, all combined
to fill the darkened church to it's utmost.
But thes 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 exploits in three
years made his name household word
and who, being soldier first and only,
died in the line Of duty, leaving nothing
to his children but the heritage of an
honored name. 1t was in tribute to this
soldiers ideal that American generosity
for weeks past had swelled 1.-THE Lawton
fund.- beyond all expectation of Its orig
inators and in further tribute today that
the great outpouring of friends filled the
streets long before the hour when the
services at the Church of the Covenant
We're to commence over the hero whose
remains had lain in state under military
guard through the silent watches of the
night.
Scene in the Church.
Soft lights burned above the chancel
where flowers were piled railing-hgh,
while the casket was buried beneath
load of roses lilies and white carnations
that overfioWed their narrow restingplace
and fell in a perfumed avalanche to the
floor. The guard cavalrymen from Law
tons old command stood at each end of
the catafaluue, silent and motionleSs as
uniformed statues, and the hush of the
silent 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, accompanied by the secre-
80, g 20, IGrr al
with Adjt.-Gen. Corbin, who, assisted by
Col Bingham, had charge of the official
arrangements. The secretary of the navy
and the postmastergenera 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. Admiral Dewey is alb
sent from Washington, but was repre-
scented by Capt. A. S Barker. ExSecre
tary Alger was also present by proxy,
having sent from Michigan Victor Ma
son. his secretary while III the war de-
partment. who brought great wreath of
flowers for the already overladen casket.
The Burial Service.
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 filled most of the
forward pews and press of citizens
stood up at the rear and in the wide YES
thule beyond the doors. The Presbyte
rian burial service was read by Chaplain
Pierce of LawtOn's old command. assist
ed by Rev. Tennis Hamlin, pastor Of the
church, and President Shryker then de-
liyered the grafton.
The casket lightened of part of its
burden of flowers, was lifted to the shout
ders of the troopers borne down the aisle
to the street past the great crowd outside
and raised to the caisson waiting at the
door. The waiting ranks of cavalry
moved forward and closed about it as a
guard of honor. Orders flung from rank
to rank down the crowded avenue
brought troop after troop, and platoon
after platoon wheeling into line. Then
with rumble of wheel and clash of
trace chains. field and siege batteries
joined the procession and the hero of
three wars moved on his last march to
his final resting place on the Virginia
hillside beyond the Potomac.