The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-20
THE JOURNEY ENDED.
Life Rep1ete With Worldly HOnOrs
and the Love of His Fellow Men,
His Newly Made Grave Amounted
With a Peoples Tears.

With a Peoples Tears.
Cemetery, Canton, O., Sept 19.-The
line of the funeral march from the
church to the cemetery was about one
and one-half miles in length For
hours even before the time set for the
commencement of the funeral exercises
at the Mckinley home, the streets
along the entire length of the line of
march were crowded with spectators.
From the gates of the cemetery to the
doors of the church there was on each
side. of the street an almost unbroken
line Of soldiers, and on all the inter-
secting streets, attachments of the
militia were posted about 100 feet from
the line of march.
1t was exactly 4:04 o'clock when the
funeral car bore the remains Of the
dead President through the gateway of
his last resting place. Twenty minutes
after that time the brief services at
the vault were over, the members of
the family and the distinguished 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 men of the regu-
lar army. A sentry's measured
tread resounded from the cement
walk before 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 tonight was
pitched the tent of the guard, and
there it will remain until the doors
are closed tomorrow. Sentries will then
guard the vault every hour of the day
and night until the body has been
q borne to its final resting place.
For nearly an hour before the head
Of the funeral procession arrived at
the gate of the cemetery the strains
of the dirges played by the bands came
over the hilltop TO the watchers by
the vault, telling them that the pro-
cession was on its way. Behind the
Canton band came the Grand Army
posts, fully 500 of the veterans march
ing by. AS they passed along the flow
er-strewn path, many of them were
weeping bitterly, and they stopped by
dozens to gather the blossoms which
lay at their feet, and carried them
away as mementoes. The sweet pea
blossoms that were scattered along the
road were the offering of the school
children of Nashville, Tenn, and no
tribute of love that was seen during
the funeral exercises more amply full
filled its mission or more completely
carried its message of affection. To-
night hundreds of the blossoms are in
the possession of the marchers in the
parade, and are held by spectators who
came into the cemetery after the close
of the parade to carry them away.
From the first carriage that stopped
at the foot of the walk leading up to
the vault. President Roosevelt and
Commander Cowles of the navy alight-
ed. The President walked slowly to-
ward the vault and took a position on
the south side of the walk close to the
door, AS Secretary Root came UP the
walk he assumed a similar position
on the north side of the walk, and the
other members of the cabinet ranged
themselves by the side of the Presi-
dent and Secretary of War. With
barred heads the President and men,
bers of the cabinet, who were followed
by the officers of the army and navy,
stood on each side of the walk. the
lines reaching just to the edge of the
roadway. Within a minute after the
formation of the lines, the funeral car
came up to the walk. The coffin was
gently lifted from the hearse and
borne to the door of the vault, where
1T rested upon the catafalque.
Bishop Joyce of Minneapolis, read
the burial service of the Methodist
hut in
could be plainly heard by all who were
grouped around the vault. AS his
words ended there was brief pause
for it had been understood that a
quartette of the Knights Templar was
10 be present to render a hymn
Through misunderstanding, however
it had not arrived and after SATISFYING
himself Of this fact, Col. Bingham
waved his hand to eight buglers OF
the Canton band who had taker
station upon the side of the
mound above. and to the
south of the vault. Instantly
from the eight bugles rang out the
notes of the soldiers last call, taps. ri
II was beautifully done, and the last
notes of the bugles died away so soft.
~ that all who heard it remained list.
ening for a few seconds to hear if II
was really ended. When the last note
had fioated away, Secretary Wilson wa.
in tears, Secretary Hitchcock was al.
most weeping and the President was
gazing grimly at the walk Ii wa:
the last moment for the men who mao
been so closely asgociated with the
President for so long and the though
seemed greater than most of then
could bear. 1t was all ended at last
and Capt Biddle of Company C OF tn,
Fourteenth Infantry, who will com
mand the guard which is to be placed
around the vault, stationed sentries a.
the head and foot of the casket anC
in front of the vault.
The President, the members of III,
cabinet and the officers of the arm,
and navy then entered their carriages
and, followed by the members of IN,
family, passed out Of the cemetery anC
returned 20 the city. The delay caused
by the services at the vault being over
te procession resumed it's march. Ever,
man in the line save those in Uniform
who rendered appropriate honor IL
other ways. went to the casket witt
uncovered head. AS the head of tn
division containing the Knights Temp
lar wheeled into the cemetery
the quartette that had bee
h. delayed In reaching the plac
Tor the previous ceremonies took up