The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-17
LYING IN STATE.
Remains Briefly Rest in State in
East Room of Capitol Before the
Last Journey to Canton.


East Room of Capitol Before the
Last Journey to Canton.
Washington, d. c., Sept. 16.-Under
the great chandelier in the center of
the East Room in the executive man
sion, not far from the spot where he
often stood to welcome thousands of
fellow citizens who helped to make him
ruler of one of the mighty nations of
Christendom, lies the body of William
Mckinley.
In an upper chamber in which every
article of furniture or ornament is ia
milar to the grief-stricken widow
is spending the hours that must pass
before the nation pays it's last tribute
to her dead husband. His body had
been placed in the big chamber known
by name to at least a million Ameri-
cans, and it was not until she had gone
to her room that Mrs. Mckinley fully
realized the greatness of her loss. Then
it came to her with crushing force.
But the frail and grief-crushed woman
bore up even under this realization
with a wonderful fortitude.
Save for the footballs of the sentries
stationed in front of the executive man.
sion, quiet prevailed in the park in
which the executive mansion stands.
Four hours before the funeral train ar
rived all persons, except the members
of the Loyal Legion guard of honor
and the members of the White House
staff, were excluded from the mansion
and grounds. Assistant Adjutant
General Barry, representing the war
department, took charge of everything
pertaining to the reception of
the body, both at the Pennsyl-
vania station and at the White
House. Even the newspaper men
were excluded from the executive
mansion. 1t was the desire of the
family that the reception of the body
in the place where the murdered
President lived would be as nearly a
private matter as possible.
The East Room where the body lies
is a mass of palms, cut flowers,
wreaths and other floral expressions
of sorrow and sympathy. From all
over the world came orders to-day di-
recting that flowers be sent to the
White House and placed on the casket.
Cities and states. the army in the
Philippines, the army in Cuba, King
Edward, Emperor William, Car Mich
olas and President Loubet directed
lndl WIGdlIS D6 Sctil lOI ltltHl per
sonally. Diplomatists sent flowers as
the tributes of the countries they rep
resented. All the great of earth as
well as hundreds of humble station
sent these expressions of the sorrow
they feel. A notable fact was that
many Southern cities which the late
President visited only last spring or
dered flowers for the beir of the man
they learned to love and esteem for
his generous sentiments towards those
once arrayed against him in arms.
AS the shades of evening began to
fall, the guards around the White
House were doubled. The gates were
closed and policemen were stationed
at the various entrances with positive
instructions to allow no one to pass eX-
cept those on actual duty in an official
capacity. In the meantime the inter-
ior of the East Room had been robbed
of its barren and empty appearance by
the placing of a number of potted
plants and palms around the room and
the recesses of the windows. In addi-
ton to the floral decorations from the
executive green house, the floral trib-
utes from the foreign and domestic Of
ficialS converted the room into a beau
tiful and fragrant floral bower. The
display of floral tributes deposited in
the East Room, appropriately marked,
perhaps was never equalled in the his
tory of a public or private funeral in
the United States.
In this chamber, given over to the
sacred dead the lights burn low, bare
ly revealing the forms of the four sem
tries who keep watch for the army and
navy, six men representing the Loyal
Legion, constituting a guard of honor,
are also keeping guard over the COM
panion upon whose breast the insignia
of their order is the only decoration he
wore either in life or death.
The White House officials were kept
advised of the progress of the train,
and it was not until $50 o'clock that
Secretary Cortelyou's private carriage,
containing DR.. Rixey and his wife,
drove hurriedly up to the White House
door. The members of the press rec
ognized the carriage and it's occupants
and Immediately the news spread
through the crowd outside of the gate
that the members Of the family had
arrived. A moment later the White
House landau, with the well-known
family coachman and footmen came
slowly zap to the White House gate.
In this carriage was the invalid wife
of the dead President, accompanied
by her brother-in-law Abner Nc
Kinley: her sister, Mrs. Barber, and
her faithful French maid. The curtains
of the carriage were partly drawn, but
in the bright glare of the electric light,
the occupants were easily recognized.
A death-like stiffness came over the
crowd, and the heads of the multitude
were uncovered as the carriage drove
slowly up TO the front door. Mrs. Nc
Kinley was assisted from the carriage
by Abner Mckinley and DR.. Rixey. A
number OF army, naval and marine Of
fcers in full uniform were assembled
on the portico, but they fell back to
a respectful distance and bowed their
heads reverently as Mrs. Mckinley
passed on into the White House, and
1contlnued on FIfth Page.I