The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-16

came into view drawing the hearse which
was to bear the casket of the dead Presi-
dent. 1t was a heavy vehicle, without
plumes or any trappings to relieve the dead
black. The horses, too. were not plumed
or caparisoned. and all four Of them were
black from nose to tip of tail. Two men
were on the box. the driver, with long lines
to the tandem pairs, and the groom, with
folded arms, sitting motioness. The hearse
halted at the corner to await the conclu-
sion of the services.
Outside the house there was a half hour
of silence and waiting. Within the house
of death was woe unspeakabe. In the
drawing room. to the right of the hall as
President Roosevelt entered, the dead chief
tair was stretched upon his bier. His head
was to the rising On his face was
written the story of the Christian forbear-
ance with which he had met his martyr
DOM Only the thinness of his face bore
mute testimony to the patient suffering he
had endured. He was dressed as he always
was in life. The black frock coat was but
toned across the breast where the first
bullet of the assassin had struck. The
black string tie below the standing collar
showed the little triangle of white shirt
front The right hand lay at his side. The
left was across his body He looked as
millions of his countrymen have seen him.
save for one thing. The little badge of the
Loyal Legion, the only decoration he ever
wore, which was always in the left lapel
of his coat, was missing. And those who
remarked it spoke of it, and after the body
was taken to the city hall the little badge
which he priced through life was placed
again where it had always been.
FLOWERS WERE FEW.
The body lay in a black casket on
black bearskin rug. over the lower limbs
was flung the starry banner he had loved
so well The flowers were few, as befitted
the simple nature of the man. spray of
white chrysanthemums, a bunch of Amer
lean Beauty roses and magnificent bunch
of violets were on the casket. That was
all. Behind the head against pier mir
ror between the two curtained windows
rested two superb wreaths of white. These
were the only flowers in the room.
Two sentries, one from the sea and one
from the land, guarded the remains. They
stood in the window embrasures behind the
| head of the casket. The one to the north
was a sergeant of infantry. In the other
window was the sailor garbed in the loose
| blue blouse of the navy.
| The family had taken leave of their loved
| one before the others arrived Mrs. Nc
Kinley, the poor. grief-crushed widow, had
! been led into the chamber by her physi-
| clan, Dr. Rixey and had sat awhile alone
with him who had supported and comforted
! her through all their years of welded life.
! But though her support was gone she had
not broken down. Dry-eyed she gazed
upon him and fondled his face. She did not
seem to realize that he was dead. Then she
was led away by DR.. Rixey and took up
! her position at the head Of the stairs. where
she could hear the services. Mrs. Hobart,
! the widow of the Vice President during Mr..
| McKinleys first term, Mrs. Lafayette Will
| liams, of Chicago. Miss Barber, Miss Mary
| Barber and DR.. Rixey remained with her
there. The other members Of the family,
Mr.. and Mrs. Abner Mckinley. Miss Helen
| Mckinley, Mrs. Duncan, Miss Duncan, Mr..
! and Mrs. Barber and DR.. and Mrs. Baer
had withdrawn into the library to the north
of the drawing room in which the casket
lay, and here also gathered other friends
when the service was held.
The friends and public associates of the
| dead President all had opportunity to view
the remains before the service began. The
members of the Cabinet had taken their
leave before the others arrived. They re-
the sad procession viewed the body They
were on the north side of it. A place di-
rectly at the head had been reserved for
President Roosevelt. Secretary Root sat
alongside this empty chair. Then came
Attorney General Knox, Secretary Long,
| Secretary Hitchcock, Secretary Wilson and
| Postmaster General Smith in the order
named. About a hundred in all saw the
body. Some were overcome with grief at
the sight of the thin, placid countenance
that their frames shook in convulsive sobs.
| Several clung to the side of the bier and
with difficulty could be persuaded TO leave.
| Almost every face was tearstained. The
great love for this man choked all in the
house.
SOME OF THE MOURNERS.
Among those in the procession were SEN
ators Fairbanks and Burrows, Governor
Yates of Illinois, Controller Dawes. General
| MandersOn and Mrs. Manderson, Repre-
sentative Littauer of New York, ex-Post-
master General William l.. Bissel and the
| consulting physicians, most of whom had
met President Mckinley personally for the
first time after he was stricken and had
! learned to adore him while he suffered so
gently and patiently on his bed of pain.
Senator Hanna, who had fairly worshiped
| MS uedu Iflenu Tor years, entered the room
at this time, but did not approach the cas-
ket. His face was set like an iron-willed
man who would not let down the barriers Of
his grief. The senator spoke to no one.
His eyes were vacant. He passed through
the throng and seated himself behind Gov
ernor Odell, sinking far down into his chair
and resting his head upon his hand. Dur
ing all the service that followed he did
not stir.
Just before IL o'clock President Roosevelt
entered coming into the room from the
rear through the library. After passing
into the hall he had made his way around
through the sitting room behind into the
library There was an instantaneous move
ment in the room as the President ap-
pesred The procession was still passing
! from the south side around the head of
the casket and back between it and the
members of the Cabinet at its side. Every
one rose and all eyes were turned toward
| the President He moved forward again
with the tide of the procession TO his place
at the head Of the line OF Cabinet officers.
He held himself erect his left hand carry
ing his silk hat Those who were coming
toward him fell back on either side TO let
him pass. He paused once or twice to
shake hands silently. but there was no smile
To accompany his greetings He too. like
the man deep down in his seat against the