The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-18
AT TIL
The Brief but Beautiful Ceremonies
at the Grave.

The last sad rites accorded to General
Harrison at Crown Hill Cemetery yester-
day afternoon were exceedingly brief and
simple, the entire service at the grave oc-
cupying less than fifteen minutes. A short
burial service was read, a simple prayer,
three white lowers dropped on the casket
and then the body of Indiana's greatest
citizen was laid to rest forever.
Every circumstance and every environ
ment bore mute witness TO the greatness
of the dead. Around the grave were grouped
the immediate family, the President of the
United States, men who had been officers
of General Harrison's Cabinet, United
States senator's. the Governors of various
States of the Union and some of the fore
most citizens of the State of Indiana and
the United States.
A space nearly seventy-hve yards square
had been roped off around the grave, and
back of these ropes as far as the eye could
reach there stood in silent and sorrowful
array more than fifteen thousand people
who had to pay a last tribute to
their honored fellow-citizen. Among the
vast concourse were women who had stood
for four hours, some with children in their
arms, apparently unmindful OF fatigue or
the long wait that ensued before the COM
ing of the cortege. There were old men who
grew so tired from standing that they had
to hold on to their neighbors to keep from
falling; there were children who had be-
come lost from their parents; some were
there with empty sleeves, but whatever
their degree or station in life, and what
ever might have been the discomfort at
tending the long wait, they all remained TO
the last, silent and accomplishing.
ASSEMBLING OF CROWD.
The crowd began TO assemble at Crown
Hill as early as l o'clock and within an
hour from that time a conservative esti-
mate placed the number at 10000 people.
Two hours later the size of the crowd had
been almost doubled.
The main avenue leading from the west
gate of the cemetery 10 the grave was con-
stantly patrolled and kept free from travel
by a squad of soldiers. The burial lot be-
longing to the Harrison family is situated
on a rising knoll, the monument occupy
ing a position almost i'm it's center. Just
! east of the monument and parallel witt
the grave of the first Mrs. Harrison an
underground stone vault had been built for
the body OF General Harrison. The grave
of Mrs. Harrison was completely covered
with a mass of American Beauty roses.
At 4:S0 y. m. the wagon OF the florist con-
tanning the magnificent floral gifts arrived.
and the beautiful emblems were placed in
a semi-circle on the knoll. just west of the
grave.
The funeral cortege. which came from
the church without incident. did not arrive
at the cemetery until $40 o'clock. In ad-
vance were the mounted patrolmen. They
were followed by the carriages containing
the ministers and the honorary and active
pallbearers. When the hearse arrived at a
point opposite the grave the procession
came to a halt. and the whole party imme-
diately descended from the carriages and
formed In line for the final march TO the
grave. in the same order that had been
previously observed. The casket was placed
on a bier al the south side OF the grave