The Washington times., 1901-09-17

one of the memorable incidents of tn
! whole affair occurred. Some one starte'
the opening bars of Nearer. My God
to Thee" TIE ideaINread rapidly and Ii
soft tones as the hearse moved past th'
melody of President McKinleys favorit'
hymn, which found utterance almost IL
his last words, rose from hundreds o
throats and ceased only when the hears.
| had moved quite distance beyond. Those
| members of the funeral party who hat
been SO near when the end came at th'
Milburn house were quite affected by thu
incident.
| Following the first two carriages con.
tanning the President and members of the
Cabinet, came an open surrey with Secre-
tary Wilson and Mr.. Cortelyou.
| Senators Kean. Burrows and Fair
banks occupied another carriage. After
then came Colonel Bingham. Assistant
Secretary Sanger, of the War Depart
ment; Commissioners MacfarIand and
Ross. of the District Government; Major
James Parker. who had charge of the
arrangements TT the railroad station. and
"A large number of army and navy Of
ficials of high rank.
The escort of officers of the Army and
Navy and of the Marine Corps. together
with the general stan of the District OF
Columbia National Guard, marched next
with the ranking officers at the head OF
the column. After that came large
number of carriages and the crowds
swarmed onto the streets unrestrained at
last by the sidewalk ropes
The first halt was ordered when the head
of the column was opposite G Street on
Fifteenth northwest. The delay was but
momentary. however. and the order to
march was soon given. All along the line
of march there had been almost utter
silence among the crowds on the side
walks As the police leading the column
turned into Executive Avenue, the broad
thoroughfare leading past the White
House grounds, the silence was more pro-
nounced than ever. The thousands SEEM
ed to feel the effect of the solemnity of
what was for the third time in its history
TO be made a house of death through the
hand of an assassin. After the cavalry
had clattered past the silence was intense.
The broad avenue which, four months
ago. then the Court of Honor of the in
auguration ceremonies. resounded with
shouts for the President again installed
in his high Office was now undisturbed
save by comments in low tones. the scrap
ing of hoofs on the asphalt, or the COM
mards of officers.
With their backs to the curb on the
north side OF the street. the cavalry form
ed in troop front. At the order sabres
sprang to present" In front OF the line
the police stood facing the White House.
Every eye was bent to look for the hcarse
and the carriage containing the notables.
The carriages containing the floral
pieces entered the gates first, and then
followed several closed carriages. The
nodding black trappings of the funeral
horses could be seen above the heads OF
the crowd. and the straight line of the
veterans escort turned into the driveway
and marched between the policemen who
guarded the entrance TO the grounds from
a seemingly imminent rush of spectators.
Then. after the veterans. the grooms led
the magnificent horses through the gate,
and the seamen at the wheels and the ar
tillerymen and infantrymen kept pace.
as did the escort of Signal Corps men be-
hind. Every head was uncovered as the
hearse passed by. The only touch Of
color relieving the sombre aspect was the
bit of flag that drooped from the caskets
top against the glass sides of the hearse,
a mere suggestion of red and white
stripes. Thousands of eyes followed the
slow course of the hearse uD the SEMI
circular driveway, and gazed in sorrow-
ful expectancy when at just $3.50 o clock
the horses were halted, the black doors
swung back, and the body was taken into
its one time home
Across the Avenue. as the crowds surged
along the park and pavement near the
Lafayette statue, breathing it's atmos-
phere of lofty ideals and heroic devotion
to the cause of liberty and sympathy be-
tween man and man, there arose again
the sweet harmony of Nearer. My God.
to Thee" carried by voices deeply express
sive of the sorrow and sincerity inspired
by the most mournfnl occasion the nation
has known in two decades.