The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1901-09-26


Was the Absence of Mrs. McIxin-
ley, Who Was Too Weak to At
tend the Services.
Canton, Ohio, Sept. 21.-With majes-
tic solemnity. surrounded by his coun-
trymen and his townspeople, in the
presence of the president of the United
States, the cabinet, justices of the
United States supreme court, senator's
and representatives In congress, the
heads of the military and naval estab-
lishments, the governors Of states and
a great concourse of people who had
known and loved him, all that is NOR
tai of the third president to fall by an
assassin's bullet, was committed to the
grave. 1t was a spectacle OF mournful
grandeur. Canton ceased to be town
and swelled to the proportions OF
great city. From every city and ham
let in Ohio, from the remote corners OF
the South and from the East and West
the human tide flowed into the town
until 100000 people were within Its
gates, here to pay their last tribute to
the fallen chief.
The final scenes at the First Metho-
dist church where the service was held.
and at the beautiful Westlawn ceme-
terry, where the body was consigned to
vault, were simple and impressive.
The service at the church consisted or
brief Grafton, prayers by the minis
tiers OF three denominations and sing
ing by a quartet. The body was then
taken to Westlawn cemetery and
placed In a receiving vault pending the
time 1t shall be laid to rest
Beside the Dead Children
who were laid to rest years ago. The
funeral procession was very imposing
and included not only the representa-
tives of the army and navy of the
United States, but the entire military
strength of the State of Ohio and hum
dreds of civic, fraternal and other or
CARNATIONS. 1t was two miles long.
There was no greater reverence shown
to any man, living or dead, than to this
dead president yesterday. : AS the
funeral procession passed women
sobbed convulsively. 1t was wonder
laful tribute of surprising love that was
rendered yesterday in his native place
to the memory of William Mckinley.
and 1t will be long before greater or
more reverent honor is paid to any
man. 1t was exactly four minutes at
ter when the funeral car bore the re-
mains of the dead president through
the gateway Of his last resting place.
! Twenty minutes after that time the
brief services at the vault was over,
the members of the family and dis
tinguished men Of the nation who had
come so far to do him honor, had
passed through the gates on their
homeward way. One hour and forty
minutes after the hearse had entered
the cemetery the place was clear and
the dead president was resting alone
under the watchful care Of the men OF
the regular army. A
Sentry's Measured Tread
resounded from the cement walk be-
fore the vault another kept vigil on
the grassy slope above, and at the
head and at the foot of the casket stood
armed men. Before the door. which
was not closed. was pitched the stent OF
the guard, and there 1t will remain un-
til the doors are closed to-day. Sem
tries will then guard the vault every
hour of the day and night until the
body has been borne to its final rest
ing place.
Nature was kind In selecting the last
resting place for President Mckinley
westlawn cemetery is on high knoll
overlooking the peaceful valley, with
the busy little city of Canton laid out
below. If 1t was not for an intervening
church spire one might get from this
elevation a glimpse of the Mckinley
home. Here looking out on his native
city and his native state the body or
William Mckinley is laid to rest. The
beauty OF the grounds here attracted
the country's landscape gardeners who
have journeyed here to study It's at
fractions Yesterday 1t was doubly
beautiful with the rustling trees giving
off their first yellowed leaves OF fall
and adding a golden touch TO the green
clad slopes. Just inside the stately en-
trance stands the gray stone vault
where for a time the casket Will re-
pose Its dreary exterior was relieved
yesterday by
Great Masses of Flowers
banked all about until the gray walls
were shut out from view. But IN due
time it will be taken from the vault
and committed to the little plot Of
ground lying further on. This Is the
Mckinley lot, and here lie his father.
whose name he bore, the mother he
guarded so tenderly In life. his brother
James. his sister Anna and his two
children. And when that time comes q
stately shaft of granite will arise above