The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-19

them greatly. The crowd was admitted
four abreast, passing to the right and left
OF the casket by twos. No delay was per-
mitted and fully $50 minute passed the
bier.
Throughout the afternoon the human
tide pressed steadily forward to the bier
Four abreast in double line without q
moments halt, the people hurried by the
casket and then with tear-stained faces
passed out Of the darkened chamber into
the bright sunlight In the line were rep
resented all stations in life, all ages, all
conditions At one moment an old man,
bent and withered. who had known
Mother" Mckinley, tottered UP to gaze
upon the silent features. He was fol-
lowed by a man of middle age who had
gone to school with Mckinley. Over on
one side was the Knight Templar who
had marched beside Mckinley in parades
All who came had some recollection of
personal relation with the man lying
there cold in death. Fathers brought
up their children and held them over the
bier for fieeting glance at the upturned
face. A sleeping babe was reused by its
mother for a sight it's little mind could
not comprehend Toilers came from the
factories and, dinner pals in hand,
trooped by the bier of him whom they
called their benefactor and their friend
Now and then knots of school children
hurried past awe-struck at the gloom of
this chamber of death. Often the guard
ing soldiers were compelled to step for
ward and gently restrain hand that
sought a bud from off the tiower-decked
casket. 1t was plain that a great flood
of emotion was yelling up in the hearts
of these sorrowing people.
MANY WEPT.
Strong men made no concealment of
hni of fhnir nd
full eyes telling the sense of personal
bereavement which had come upon them.
Many women wept and during the after
noon one young girl gave way to her
feelings by loud walls which echoed
through the darkened corridors. AS the
people hurried by they gave expression to
suppressed EXPLANATIONS of anguish at
the sight Of the pinched face lying there
in the CONN. 1t was not the face they
had known so well, and almost without
exception the people turned away re-
gretful that they had not retained in THEN
minds that picture of manly vigor which
they knew so we'll. Many of his nearest
friends refrained from looking upon the
face, preferring to preserve the memory
of him as in life.
Late in the afternoon an aged man
leaning upon two clutches which he man
aged with difficulty, appeared at the door
through which the people were making
their exit He asked the sentry to allow
him to enter and when the soldier re-
fused, saying that he had received orders
to allow nobody through that door, the
old man stood back the picture of woe.
In short time he again asked the
young sentry in pleading tones to allow
him entrance through the doorway, say
ing that in his feeble condition he was
not able to stand in the line which at
that time was extending fully mile
from the entrance. Il
FOUGHT IN HIS REGIMENT
during the war; he said, land l just
want to lay this flag on his coffin and
then keep it as a reminder of the time
1 saw him last"
Take it in,' said the sentry, and the
veteran hobbled into the hall. When he
got inside he had more trouble and was
compelled to explain his errand several
times. Finally the line passing the coffin
W as stopped long enough to allow the
old man to step to its side for glance
into the coffin and to lay his tiny flag on
its glass front. Then he turned back
with the crowd, hugging the now sancti-
fed flag tightly beneath his coat.
At one time a group of school girls ap-
preached the casket. There were six of
them and they came three abreast. One
in the forward row leaned over for
look and gently diSengaging from the
bosom of her dress scarlet gera MUM,
laid it gently on the top of the wreaths
that were resting there. The others fol-
lowed her example and although the SEN
tries had orders to permit nobody to
place anything upon the coffin or to
touch the floral offerings that were
already there, the little tributes of the
girls Were allowed to remain and they
were still on the top of the coffin when it
was carried through the door on It's way
to the Mckinley cottage on North Market
street. All through the afternoon the
crowd passed the catafalque approx
mately at the rate of 100 every minute,
body lay in state total of 10000 people,
practically a number equal to the actual
population of Canton. When the doors
were closed at o'clock the line, four
abreast stretched fully one mile from the
court house and people were still coming
from the side streets to take their places
in line.
At o'clock the doors were closed to
the public and preparations made for re-
moving the body to the Mckinley resi-
dence on North Market street, seven
squares from the court house. Canton
commandery of the G.. A. R. acted as es-
cort and there was no following. Ar
rived at the house the escort formed in
line in the street. presenting arms, while
the coffin, borne by the body bearers, was
taken into the house. 1t was placed in
the front parlor, where it will remain
until it is removed to the church tomor-
row afternoon. Guards were posted
around the house tonight and a number
Of sentries were placed in the front yard.