Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1901-09-21
THE STATE FUNERAL.
Services at the Capitol Over >the
Dead President.

Tho Observation Car nsaring the Remains
Flooded with Light, 30 That In the Night
People Could Sec the Casket ms the
Train Sped ON 70 Canton.
Washington, Sept. 1s.-The state
funeral day of the late President Nc
Kinley opened as somber as the oc-
casion. The sky was overcast with
dark slow-moving gray clouds, occa-
sional spasms of rain fell, giving way
for momentary intervals to CLEANS
of dull sunshine and a soft wind bare
ly stirred into relief the signs OF
mourning on building fronts that told
as well as the subdued air the pub
lie that this wassa day of sorrow.
Thursday the last that was mortal
of William Mckinley will be commit
ted to earth at Canton with .ce<sR o-
MES as personal as the nationot r-
acter and interest in its exec BE
will permit. Tuesday was. th8 n
sion when the nation was " N rs
last tribute of respect and Sadbo}ra-
ton at the bier Of the dead presi mt.
All the country had sent here its
representatives to testify that3the
dead held his place deep in the ma
tions's heart. Other nations had or
dered their diplomatic and military
representatives to be present as q
token that they mourned with Amer
lea in its loss. Ex-President Cleveland
was here to take part in the cere-
monies, and like President Roosevelt,
paid his tribute first in private at the
white house and later ut the public
services in the rotunda Of the eapi-
toll.
The funeral services at the capitol
were simple and beautiful. They
were of the form prescribed in the
Methodist church. Two hymns, a
prayer, an address and benediction
comprised all of it. yet the impress
sion left at the end was of perfec.
ton.
After the funeral services almost
20 minutes was required to clear the
rotunda sufficiently to permit the
opening of the doors for the admis-
sion of the general public. At 1883
the people began to file by the casket.
coming into the building ut the east
door and passing out through the
west door.
At one o'clock, while the ire
mendous crowd was surging toward
the east entrance of the rotunda
thousands of people, many of them
women and children, were caught in
q crush at the foot of the main stair
case. Inadequate arrangements for
handling the crowd seem to have been
responsible for the crush. Scores of
women and children tainted and many
were borne into the capitol, where
medical aid was rendered.
The last chapter of the sad cere-
monial, the removal of the remains
of the late president to the grave at
his old home ut Canton, o., began
Mt $500 o'clock last night, when the
funeral train left here over the Penn
sylvania railroad. The great bronze
doors of the capitol, in which the
body had lain in state, had closed
while there was still thousands of
people waiting to get last glance
at the caslet. The guards at the
capitol, who had patiently through
out the long day held the crowd in
leash, were permitted q hurried look
at the face of the deceased; the cover
of the casket was screwed down by
the undertakers; it was lifted once
more upon the shoulders of the body
bearers and by them borne to the
hearse at the foot of the east steps
of the capitol.
At the Pennsylvania railroad station
there was a dense throng and the
remains were received by large dele
cations of army and navy officers.
There the soldiers and seamen car
ried the casket from the hearse to
the observation car, placed in the sec
ond section of the funeral train. The
casket was placed on standards
draped with the national colors. It
was covered with floral emblems. No
less than 90 cars were required for
the transportation of the funeral
party to Canton
President Rooseyelt's arrival at the
train occurred at 1850 and was un-
marked by incident. His brother-in-
law, Capt. Cowles, Of the navy, &c
companied him.
1t was just before eight o'clock
when Mrs. Mckinley was driven to
the station. Fearing the firing effect
of the long walk from the carriage
entrance to the car set apart for her
next to the head of the train rolf
ing chair had been provided for her.
She declined this, however, and
walked with surprising firmness to