The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1901-09-27

Canton, o., Sept. 2O.-out under the
whispering oak trees Of WestIawn
cemetery, in a uncovered vault. all
but buried in a sloping hillside, all
that is earthly of William Mckinley
rests. About the fower-strewn
slopes a picket line Of soldiers stands
silent In the shadows.
End OF the Tragedy Has Come.
The end OF this third tragedy Of
assassination has come. The pomp
and ceremony attending the burial of
president of the United States is
now Of the past. The administration
Of the new chief magistrate has be-
gun.
Whole Day Given to Grief.
All day muf1ed drums have beat
their reqUiems, brasses have walled
out the strains of marches of the
dead, great men of the nation have
followed q funeral car in grief and
tears. Through solid banks of bare
headed men and weeping women and
children, fringed by the wall of sol
diers, marching military and civil
lans have passed with the mourners
Of the distinguished dead. First
among those who followed the dead
during the journey from the home
to the tomb was Theodore Roosevelt.
Widow Near Utter Collapse.
Out In the dark frame house on
North Market street, the one who
has suffered the greatest loss, Mrs.
Mckinley, is lingering on the point
OF utter collapse. The services of
song and prayer in the church were
not heard by her; she did not see the
marching columns that twined
through the city's streets from noon
until darkness settled down. While
the last rites were being said she re-
NAMED in a room of the family home,
dazed, not realizing that death had
come to her husband, almost para
lyzed mentally.
Sits Alone Beside Her Dead.
During the morning, at her urgent
request, she sat alone for time be-
side the coffin as it lay in the south
parlOr of the house. No one seeks
TO lift the veil that789OS. IN. N.
this scene about the bier of the last
earthly sleep. The casket was not
opened. But she was near the one
who ever had cared for and protected
her; near the dead for whom grief
has burned into the soul of a coun-
try the lessons of manliness and
benefcence taught by his life.
Final Ceremonies impressive.
The last ceremonies of the late
president were marked with a dignity
that struck dumbness to the tens of
thousands who watched the funeral
column make the journey from the
home to the cemetery. From the
south parlor of the frame house
which had so long been the family
home the casket was borne to the
First Methodist church here, with
statesmen, diplomats, great men of a
nation, representa- es of the world,
gathered with the sorrowing mem
bers of the family. Ministers of five
religious denominations said the sim
pie services.
Great ThrOng Joins in Hymn.
Troops banked the streets about,
but the thousands who had crowded
near and stood in places for five
hours held their ground, catching up
the broken strains of Nearer, My
God, to Thee The silence of calm
had come; the silence of supreme ex-
element had passed. cit was not at |
him. said the minister of the church,
all but hidden from sight by the |
mountain of blooms and floral pieces !
that bound In the pulpit and choir
loft, ''that the fatal shot was fired, !
but at the heart of our government
Then he added: 'In all the coming
years men viii seek, but viii seek
In vain, to fathom the enormity and
the wickedness Of that crime"
New President In Tears.
These words brought home with
crushing force the warning that the
last scenes were being enacted. |
Among those who sat with bowed |
heads was President Roosevelt. The !
tears we1led into his eyes as he heard |
the petitions that God might guide his |
hands Alright. Then came the last |
stage of this journey to the city OF |
the dead. Members of the United I
States senate, those who sit In the /
house of representatives officials, and 1
citizens from practically every state
in the union, soldiers, military organ
izations-a column of more than 5000 /
men followed the funeral car on this
last journey.
Path Is Carpeted in Flowers.
The skies were hidden by clouds of /
gray, but not drop of rain fell. The
path. Of tagging leading to the iron
gated vault was buried beneath a
covering OF blooms. This carpet of /
flowers came an an Offering from the |
school children Of Nashville, Tenn. /
But the men Of the war days of 40 1
years ago, with whom the martyred 4
president had marched In his youth, /
passed up this road before the funeral /
car approached. They caught up the +
llr,rrers came as an Offering. from the /