New-York tribune., 1901-09-18

rBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l ]

fBT TELEGRAPH TRIBUNE.1
Washington, Sept. 1f.-At the close Of the
funeral services over President McKinley's body
IN the rotunda OF the Capitol the lid Of thel
conn was removed in order that the Immediate
friends of the dead President might have last
glance his features. and that the people he
loved and who loved him might pass the bier
for the same purpose AT 1870 O'Clock theI
crowds began to file through the rotunda. and inI
the six hours while the body was lying in state
it is estimated that hfty-fve thousand people|
viewed it.
At i o'clock a frightful calamity was mar
rowly averted at the east front of the Capitol
For hours the vast throng of people had beenI
massed in front of the Capitol awaiting an op-
portunity TO enter the rotunda. When the doors
were opened. tens of thousands of people rushed
almost frantically TO the main staircase. Thel
police and military guards were swept aside
and almost in a twinkling there was a ire
niendous crush at the foot of the great stair
case. The immense throng swept backward andI
forward like the surging of a mighty sea
in arms. caught in the crowd. and many
were badly hurt. Strong men held children
and women high above the heads Of the
surging crowd to protect them from bodily in
jury. Despite the force of the military andl
the cooler heads in the throng about a hundred
people injured Some Of the more seri
ously hurt were carried into the rotunda, and|
various adjoining apartments Of the Capitol
where first aid treatment was given TO them
number were hurried to hospitals in ambu-
lances. but the majority either We're taken to or
went unasssted to their homes. After thej
crush had abated on the staircase and the
plaza Immediately in front of it were found
tattered pieces of mems and women's wearing
apparel of all kinds crushed hats. gloves and
even shoes. Watches. pocketbooks. keys and
knives were picked up.
PASSING BY THE BIER.
Many of the Congress contingent recoiled
from the last token of respect and passed out
without giancing at the dead. The line of Sena !
Tors that filed by the bier and looked and shud-
dered was led by Senator ]. B Foraker, and the
Charles H. Grosvenor. After these came the
general crowd without reference TO rank title.
and after them the endless lines of men and
women who for hours had stood in the rain for
tne privilege of paying to the dead leader the
last token of honor and sorrow
The scenes without. as well as within, the
great rotunda of the Capitol that marked the
FUNERAL exercises profoundly impressive
ny Their very smpcity--a simplicity entirely In
harmony with the blameless Christian life of
'he martyred President Accommodations
WITHIN could be provided for only about eight
hundred people, but in spite of foreknowledge
VI this fact and OF the drizzing, misty rain that
oescended gently from inky clouds all day. a
around the huge granite structure from the
'Vep OF dawn 10 the sad hour ar night that
ifafkea the removal of the bier from the cata-
'@ioue under the wondrous dome to the hearse
aha' bore II back to the Pennsylvania Railroad
s-aooa for the final journey OF all that is
mortal Of William Mckinley TO the grave nestled
among the resting places of those he loved in
"a cay OF quiet and restfuI outing with bracine
entcn an en- slronment Of complete beauty, may be
scensTv on M, LAY line one day excursion Grand