Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-09-16

4
cap. In the other window was a sailor
in the Loose blue blouse of the navy.
| The family had taken leave of their
! loved one before the others arrived
Mrs. Mckinley had been led into the
chamber by hey physician. DR.. Rixey.
and sat awhile alone with him who had
| supported and comforted her through
al. those years of welded life Dry
eyed she ga@ed upon him and fondled
| his face She did not seem to realize
! that he was dead. Then she had been
led away by DR.. Rixey and had taken
up her position at the head of the
stairs where she could hear the ser
| vice.
| Mrs Hobart the widow of the Vice
President during Mr.. McKinley's first
| term. Mr.. Lafayette McWillams of
| Chicago, who is her cousin, Miss Bar
| Der. her sister Miss Mary Barber hel
niece and DR.. RiXey remained with
her there. The other members of the
| family. Mr.. and Mrs. Abner Mckinley.
Miss Helen Mckinley. Mrs. Duncan.
Hiss Duncan, Mr.. and Mrs Barber.
Miss Barber and DR. and Mrs. Baer.
had withdrawn into the library To the
north of the drawing room in which
|
| other friends when the service was
! held.
The friends and public associates of
the dead President all had opportunity
| to view the remains before the service
| begun. The members of the cabinet
| had taken their leave before the others
arrived. They remained seated beside
,heir dead chief while the sad process
sion viewed the body. They were on
the north side of it. A place directly
at the head had been reserved for
| President Roosevelt Secretary Root
sat alongside this empty chair. Then
came Attorney General Knox, Secre
taly Long. Secretary Hitchcock. Secre-
| tary Wilson and Postma ster General
Smith in the order named.
About 100 in all saw the remains.
Some were so overcome with grief at
the sight of the thin. placid counte-
nance that their frames shook in con-
vulsive sobs. Several chung to the side
of the bier and with difficulty could be
persuaded To leave. Almost every face
was tearstained.
Among those in the procession We're
Senators Fairbanks and Burrows. Coy.
Yates of Illinois, Comptroller Dawes.
/
Representative Littauer of New York.
ex-Postmaster General VIM. Bissell
and the consulting physicians most of
whom had met President Mckinley
personally for the first time after he
was stricken.
Senator Hanna entered the room at
his time. but did not approach the
casket His face was set like an iron
IA
the barriers of his grief. The senator
spoke to no one. His eyes We're va
cant He passed through the throng
: and seated himself behind Gov. Odell.
sinking far down into his chair and
resting his head upon his hand. Dur
ing all the service he did not stir.
Just before II O'Clock, President
E Roosevelt entered, coming into the
room from the rear through the
library. There was an instantaneous
movement in the room as the Presi-
dent appeared. The procession was
still passing from the south side
D around the head of the casket and
u back between it and the members Of
; the cabinet seated at its side. Every
u one rose and all eyes were turned to-
Ii ward the President.
He moved forward again with the
). tide of the procession to his place at
the head of the line of cabinet officers
y He held himself erect, like a soldier
u his left hand carrying forward his silk
!, hat. Those who were coming toward
him fell back on either side to let him
pass. He paused once or twice tc
silently shake hands, but there was
no smile to accompany his greetings
II He. too. like the man deep down in MS
seat against the wall and who had for
% gotten to rise when the President OF
Z the United States entered. seemed tC
be restrained in a great grief.
IL When President Roosevelt reached
the head of the line of cabinet officers
- he kept his face away from the caske'
" but appeared to be steeling himself fol-
look at the face of the dead. The
=. tension in the room was great. Per
- haps it might have been GO seconds
y 1t seemed longer Then the President
" turned and advanced step. He
bowed his head and looked down n
:. :, the impassive features OF the maj
whose burden and responsibility ht
- had taken up. Long he gazed. stand
-, ing immOvable, the muscles of his face
:. only betraying the strong emotion un
- der which he labored. At last III
stepped back
Col. Bingham. the aide to the Presi
, dent. standing 10 feet below the foo
~ OF the casket. at the side of Mr.. Cor
no telyou, glanced in the direction of Rev
Charles Edward Locke of the Della
ware Avenue M. h. church, who wa
ne TO conduct the service
u The pastor was at the door leading
.e INTO the hall, a station whence hi
~ words could be heard at the head o
the stairs The signal was given ant
40 the beautiful words of Lead Kindl.
=. Light" We're sung by a quartet.
!. was President McKinleys favorit
w hymn. Every one within sound of tn
- music knew it and as the voice
swelled through the house sobs wer
~ heard on every side. President Roose
welt himself swayed to and fro as j
IL his footing was insecure.
Is When the singing ended the minis
far.