Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-09-26
Military Management Of the State Frn,raIs.

m0U0uGUlCUt VI tuC StoAC III ~
A Washington correspondent of the
Baltimore American has most
c2ustic review Of the manner in which
the army officials who had charge OF
the Mckinley state funeral at Wash
ington performed the duties assigned
to them. If the statements made in
this article are correct. the scathing
criticisms il contains are certainly
neritcd. 1t summarizes its charges as
follows:
\ congressional investigation of the
a:myS management of the state
funeral Of the late President Mckinley
is not improbable. y number of the
members OF the Senate are so in
censed at the manner in which they
We're treated. and so chagrined and
mortified over the way III which the
ceremonies at the Capitol We're con-
Quoted that. unless something super
venes to prevent. resolutions inqui ing
into the whole matter are almos- Ger
tain to be introduced very shortly
after Congress meets, in December. II
"
army has undertaken to manage
great public function. of other than a
strictly military character it has gen
orally made mess of it, The state
funeral in this city On Tuesday. which
was exclusively under the control Of
the army. was no exception to this
rule. Not only was the affair bungled
from beginning TO end. but many high
"a.
extensively treated. The matter has
already assumed the proportions of u
scandal. and while respect for the dead
President and a reluctancy to inject
any harsh note into his funeral obse-
quies have thus far prevented any
airing Of the scandal. the time is
rapidly approaching when the full de
tails will be made public.
Even should no official action be
taken by Congress- the matter has had
one Very positive effect-never agaia
will the army be permitted 10 have
charge of any public function at the
National Capitol. The great dome
capped structure a the eastern end OF
Pennsylvania avenue is under the
direct control of Congress. Fly its
authority the building is in charge of
the sergeant -at-armS Of the Senate.
On the occasion of the state funeral of
President Mckinley. Sergeant at-Arms
Ransdel stepped aside and let official
of the war department take charge.
The result was deplorable in the eX-
treme. Confusion prevailed within
and without the rotunda: many
scenes disgraceful on such an occasion
| occurred. there was lack of system in
| the assignment of seats and the seat
| ing of the ticketholders; members o.
| Congress We're insulted: high officials
| of the government We're given the cold
| shoulder. while the small fry of the
| army made themselves oonoXiously
| conspicuous. and. to cap the climax
| the disgraceful rush in which 50 many
people We're injured took place outsidr
| the Capitol.
| This general assertion is followed by
| to afford it ample justification. 1t j.
stated that the wives and daughters Of
| the justices of the supreme court, who
came to the .rotunda in a body. as
cunning. as a matter of course. tina
they would be given seats in the sec
| ton reserved for the supreme court
We're stopped at the rotunGa en-
trance by one Of the lower grades of
army officers and brusquely informe /
that they could not enter withou
Ccsletss. These they did not have. TIL =
| var department hadsgiven but one
ticket TO each member Of the court.
The wives and daughters of the jus
tees were thus turned back. and were
| about to leave, when the assistant
| Sergeant-at-arms of the Senat .
stepped up to the door where they
were standing. took the army officer b.
the shoulder, thrust him aside. AMI
said:
Stand. aside. l represent the ser
geant- a farms, who is in charge of this
building. These ladies are a part Of
the supreme court and have right t
enter here"
After this the officer lapsed into a
gate of Jess ohiciousness. and th2
ldtlSS we're pei IiiIlteU ~ eutel- SliIilla |
trouble was experienced at other
doors, even members of the Senate be-
ing turned back by the army official ;
until finally members of the Capitol
police force were detached by the as
sistant sergeart-at-arms and placed !
charge of the doors. with orders T.
admit those who We're known by then,
to be entitled to admittance whethe
they were provided with tickets cl
; not
Then came the funeral cortegc
Those who had followed the remain.
from the White House entered TIE
rotunda in the order of their arrival
. AS has been stated. 40 seats were re-
served for the officers of the navy
These officers came into the rotunda .
: q part Of the guard of honor. and wbe.
the casket had been rested upon RI,
'atafalpne tGcy went to the scctio