The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1900-02-14
LAWTON LAID TO REST.
President and High Government
officials Attend the Services.
AN IMPOSING PAGEANT
Glowing Eulogy Pronounced by Mr..
Acknowledgements at Airing
ton National Cemetery.

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 i'll
TINS city, where President H. M. Stryker
OF Hamilton college, New York, delivered
funeral grafton that has seldom been
equaled In beauty of expression, nor could
IL nave 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 a more
representative gathering of the nation
oH1clal life to pay a last tribute to the
nations honored dead. No mark of
military pomp and ceremony that the
regulations could provide was wanting
10 render the occasion solemn and impress
slve. Nearly all the available troops Of
tne regular establishment remaining in
thls country were called out. Three
Thousand men, infantry, cavalry and ar
tlllery, followed the f1ag-draped caisson
to the grave.
Popular Dem stration.
But mere official formulas were
dwarfed beside the deep POPULAR demon
stratlon that the burial Of the dead SOL
der called forth. Every department Of
me government paid its official tribute
Flags hing at half-mast The President
ana his cabinet, representatives of the
Supreme court, of the House and Senate
and OF the army and navy, all combined
to I'LL the darkened church to its 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 a household word
and who. being a soldier first and only,
died III 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 ''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
were 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.high,
while the caSket was buried beneath a
load of roses, lilies and white carnations
that overfowed 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 catafalque, silent and motionless as
uniformed statues, and the hush of the
silent church was broken only by the soft
Sc rhn aY0tn wit hnyx -a1
heads to pay their last, silent tribute to
the brave.
President Mckinley was among the
earlier corners, accompanied by the secre-
tary of war. They came to the church
with Adjt.-Gen. Corbin, who. assisted by
Col. Bingham, had charge of the official
arrangements. The secretary of the navy
and the postmaster-general,t 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 Ex-Secre-
tary Alger was also present by proxy,
having sent from Michigan Victor Ma
son, his secretary while in 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 a 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
ell by Rev. Tennis Hamlin, pastor of the
church, and President Shryker then de-
livered the grafton.
The casket, lightened of part of it's
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 Il
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 tc
his final resting place on the Virginia
hillside beyond the Potomac.