The Washington times., 1901-09-17
At THE PRESIDENTS BIER.
A Guard Of Honor Stationed All
Night in the White House.
mrs. Mckinley Occupies Her Old
Apnrtment~, Little Fatigaed by the
Journey From BunaIo-The Dead
Executive Resting in East Room.

1t was few minutes before 9 O'Clock
last night when the late Presidents pri-
vate carriage, in which he had so often
traVersed the streets of Washington, was
driven rapidly iato the White House
grounds and under the north portico.
Mrs. Mckinley, surprisingly little IA
tigued by her journey. alighted, assisted
by DIR. Rixey. and entered the mansion.
She retired Immediately to the private
apartments of the Presidents family on
the second floor of the house. A few
minutes after this several carriages bear
Ing flowers that had been brought on
the train drove in and the flowers were
carried to the Blue Room
Several thousand persons were crowded
around the great iron gates between
Pennsylvania Avenue and the White
House grounds, and outside the ropes
which the Police Department had estab-
lished were crowds of men, women. and
children. The strange and solemn still
hess which pervaded the crowds farther
down the Avenue was especially impress
sive In the near neighborhood of the
White House.
Fully half an hour after Mrs. Mckinley
had arrived the funeral procession turned
enarpfy at the junction of Fifteenth
street and Pennsylvania Avenue. A pia-
toon OF mounted police entered the
grounds. the troops OF cavalry We're
orawn up on the north side of the street
racing the house, and the hearse bearing
the body OF the dead President was slowly
or1ven through the semi-circular drive
and stopped under tho broad porch.
Ihe crowds were kept outside the
grounds. but several hundred persons
were within ten feet OF the hearse as It
passed into the private drive. Among
these were many coiored people. and their
groans and sobs and cries as the hearse
passed into the grounds were the only
audible expression OF the deep grief of
the people
The military pallbearers appointed by
the joint order of the War and Navy
Departments drew the casket from the
hearse and bore 1t to the East Room.
walking after the body were President
hooseveif and the members of the Cabi-
net, the President walking beside Sec
retary Hay. and the other Cabinet Minis
tiers walking in their regular order of sue
cession. In the solemn procession from
the hearse to the East Room were also
the guards Of honor representing the
army. the navy, the Grand Army of the
a III.
The casket was placed on low pedestal
in the centfedf the room directly beneath
one of the great crystal chandeliers The
lid was lifted from it and President
Roosevelt, tthe9 members of the Cabinet,
and the members of the guard of honor
looked for d moment on the features of
the late President. No one spoke while
the casket was being placed in position
and no sound but the muffied sobs Of sew
eral of thE witnesses broke the silence
of the great room.
At the end oftwo OF three minutes all
except the guard of honor passed out of
the room, -Four. sentries in charge of a
officer from the army and
one from the Ravy took their places at
the four coraeT1 of the casket. There
was naval ~bfuejacket. a private of ar
tiiisry and two privates OF the marine
corps. u 5,shia7r 4-=F fG4 =
The watch was relieved once an hour
all night, the sentries standing motion
ess and silent at parade rest The mem
oers of the several guards of honor re-
mained in the Green Reem,s the apart
ment adjacent to the East Room
After President Roosevelt and the Cab
met retired from the East Room Mrs.
Mckinley. attended by her sister. de-
;cended from her private apartment and
sntered the room. She stood for two or |
-hree moments at the side of her dead |
husband and was the led away, back |
through the broad corridor where she has |
'een the hostess SO may times and !
inaily TO her own apartments.
The East Room Is entirely undecorated |
except by palms and ferns, one great |
cluster Of which stands at each window
md in the spaces between the great oil
paintings of Washington, Lincoln and
)ther Presidents. The casket is covered
~ the Stars and Stripes and two wreaths.
me of white roses and the other IL white
rest on the top.
Iii the great corridor adjoining the
Green. Blue and Red Rooms Is spread out
he great profusion of flowers sent by
'arious persons in honor CT the late Presi-
lent. Nearly every department of the
Government has sent its token of love
md esteem. There were also floral offer
ngs from the various members of the
a magnificent wreath of orchids
rom the Secretary of State being con-
picuous. and many beautiful flowers
rom foreign delegations and private citi-
ems.