Evening star., 1901-09-19

were symptoms Of typhoid. The disease
progressed rapidly, and soon his condition
became alarming. At his bedside almost
continually were his wife and daughter.
Mrs. Col. w w. Bliss familiariy known as
Miss Betty Some Of the members OF
the cabinet were also In constant attend
John NJ. Clayton. Secretary of State; w.
M. Meredith. Secretary of the Treasury;
G. w. Crawford. the Secretary OF War;
w. P. Preston, Secretary of the Navy;
Thos. Ewing, Secretary Of the Interior.
Reverdy johnson, Attorney General, ana
Jacob Collamer, Postmaster General.
As the end approached Mrs. Taylor sat
at the bedside and the dying man, ciasping
her hand, said: II am not afraid to die;
have done my duty" and she realized that
she was about to witness his separation
from earth Mrs. Taylor was for the time
being unconscious. Mrs. Bliss, mourning
her fathers death, then little thought that
in few months she would also be q WIDOW
The end came at 1880 o'clock sunday,
July 8, and soon the bells were tolling, con-
veying the sad tidings to the public. Con-
gress was in session at the time, and for
the season there was large number or
strangers in the city. many attracted py
the debate on the Missouri compromise.
General Scott, who had succeeded General
Macomb in the command of the army, was
summoned to command the funeral escort.
AS 1t was intended that the remains would
be finally buried near his home, the Presi-
dents coffin was of lead, incased In ma
hogany with silver plate and trimmings.
The old hero rested in 1t upon a catafalque
of black velvet trimmed with white satin
and silver lace. placed in the center of the
east room. This was open to the public,
and thousands viewed the placid features
before the funeral.
Rev. Smith Pyne, the rector of st. johns
Church, officiated at the funeral, July 13.
In addition to reading the Episcopal burial
service, he preached sermon. There were
present the members of the cabinet and the
principal officers of the government, the
members of the Senate and House, and of
the diplomatic corps, and at the conclusion
Of the services the attendants followed the
body and the family and relatives to the
Congressional cemetery, where it was
placed in vault.
Body Borne ON Funeral Car.
The body was borne a funeral car
drawn by eight white horses, each led by
negro groom attired in oriental costume
The platform was covered with black cloth
and over the coffin was a canopy of black
silk surmounted by a gilt eagle, draped
After it came "Old Whitley the horse
which had borne Gen. Taylor in Mexico,
fully caparisoned, with the boots reversed
in the stirrups The animal was led by
two soldiers, one veteran of the Florida
war and Jthe other of the Mexican war.
The military preceded the funeral car
and following came the mourners-the rela-
tiVeS anu members or the CaDlnet. InlS
was the largest funeral ever witnessed here
and was notable for the many prominent
persons taking part, in addition to the rep
resentations from other places. The pa
geant included the volunteer companies
of the three District cities and no less
than thirteen companies from Baltimore
and one each from Catonsville, Md; Will
mington, Del: Richmond, Va, and York.
Pa. The government troops consisted of
two companies of marines with band, fodr
companies of artillery as infantry and Ma
jor Sedgwick's Light Battery from Fort
McHenry.
Slowly, with mournful music and revers-
ed arms, the procession traversed the ave-
nue. to the cemetery, while the bells
churches and engine houses tolled. Reach
ing the cemetery the military took posi-
tion in E street. the Light Battery to the
commons north, and at the conclusion of
the services at the vault salutes were fired
by artillery and infantry.
The deaths of Generals w. H. Harrison
and Zachary Taylor were the only ones
from natural causes Of Presidents during
their terms of office, and not until 1866
when Lincoln was aSSa sSinated, was there
an attempt on the life of the executive
other than that made by intoxicated
lunatic noted above.