The St. Louis Republic., 1901-09-18
LAST SAD RITES
At WASHINGTON.
continaed From Page one.

y
1 the funeral party wound down past the
| Treasury building and into the broad sweep
| OF Pennsylvania avenue amid profound 81
| lence that was awful to those who only
six months ago had witnessed the enthasi-
| astic plaudits which greeted the dead man
| as he made the same march to assume for
| a second time the honors and burdens Of the
presidential office.
The artillery band played a solemn dirge
| as, with slow steps. 1t led the sorrowful way
down the avenue. Ill the military organi-
cations carried their arms. but with colors
| draped and furled. The crowds we're silent.
! all was sad, mournful and impressive. All
/; heads were uncovered and many were
bowed in apparently silent prayer as the
| hearse passed along. The slow driZzlnS
| rain was falling.
After the carriages in which were the
| diplomats followed long line of others
| containing the Justices of the Supreme
| Court. the Senate and House committees
| appointed to attend the funeral, the local
| judiciary, the Assistant Secretaries Of the
| several executive departments, members of
| the several commissions and official repre-
| sentatives Of the insu1ar Government. The
remainder of the procession was composed
| of large representation of local bodies Of
| knights Templars, over thousand men,
! eers of the Grand Army of the Republic
the United Confederate veterans of the city
Of Washington and of Alexandria, Va;
various religious and patriotic societies, in
cluding the Sons of the American Revoiu-
ton secret societies and labor organization
and representatives Of out-of-town organi-
xations.
The Military Order OF the Loyal Legion,
| OF which President Mckinley was an hon
ored member, with a representation from
New YORK and Pennsylvania communicates.
formed conspicuous part in this portion
OF the procession, as also did the knights
! Templars of this city and of Alexandria,
Va. and battalion of the Uniform Rank.
knights of Pythias. The full force Of
letter carriers of Washington, each with a
| band Of black Grape around his arm. walked
to the solemn tread of the dirge. The BAN
ners OF all organizations were folded and
draped with black, and all the marching
civilians wore mourning badges and white
| gloves. Fife and drum corps bands rendered
! at frequent intervals along the route the
Presidents favorite hymn Nearer, My
God. to Thee"
The procession was nearly an hour and q
half passing a given point.
TREMENDOUS THRONG
WAITED AT THE CAPITOL.
For several hours before the arrival Of
the funeral cortege at the east front Of the
Capitol an impenetrable Gordon of humans
ty had massed along the walk and areas
fronting the plaza Thousands upon thou
sands Of sorrowing citizens had gathered
here to pay their last tribute of respect and
love to the memory of the dead magistrate.
The entrance to the Senate and House
wings Of the Capitol, and the great marble
staircases ascending from the plaza to the
respective entrances of the House and Sem
ate. were jammed with spectators. A good
rain was falling. but despite this the vast
crowds clung to their places. 1t was si-
lent throng. Scarcely even was the mur-
muir of whispered conversations audible
The police arrangements were perfected
early IN the day. Captains Cross and Pier
son, by direction of the Superintendent of
Police. Major Charles Sylvester, cleared the
plaza and threw around it a Gordon of Of
ficers. The main entrance to the rotunda
of the Capitol, in which the religious exer-
cises incident to the obsequies were to be
held. was reserved for distinguished guests
and Tor the entrance Of the funeral party.
Shortly after o'clock selected details from
the Nineteenth. Thirty-ninth and One Hun
dred and Thirteenth companies. Artillery
Sorps' under command of Captain W. E.
Eiils. arrived and were stationed on the
north side Of the main steps ascending from
| the plaza to the rotunda. A similar detach-
ment OF seamen from the United States bat
tieshfp Illinois. under command of Iieuten-
ant De Stirguer and Naval Cadets Williams
and Bruff. together with detail of marines
from Washington Barracks, under COM
~
toned on the south side Of the steps, Short
ly afterwards prominent officers of the
army and navy. in full dress uniform be-
gan to arrive in carriages. They did not
enter the rotunda at once, but remained on
the portfco to form. In accordance with
general orders. a part Of the guard Of honor
Of the Presidents remains.
Admiral Dewey was an early arrival. He
was attired in the brilliant uniform of the
Admiral OF the Navy, but wore the regula-
ton service sword. with its knot of Grape
at the hilt, instead of the handsome sword
presented to him by the American people.
He was given a most cordial reception.
BODY BORNE TO
CAPITOL ROTUNDA.
At 1919 o'clock the head OF the process
sion arrived at the north end OF the Capitol
plaza, but instead Of swinging directly into
tho plaza and passing in front Of the Capt.
toi as usually is done on the occasion Of
presidential inaugurations, the military con-
tfngent passed eastward on street, thence
south on First street east. Headed by Ma
jor General John r. Brooke and staff, and
the Fifth Artillery Corps Band, the troops
swept around to the south end of the plaza
and then marched to position fronting the
main entrance to the Capitol. AS soon as
they had been formed at rest, the artillery
band on the left and the Marine Band on
the right OF the entrance, the funeral
cortege with its guard of honor entered the
plaza from the north. As the hearse halted
In front OF the main staircase, the troops,
responding to almost whispered commands,
presented arms.
The guard of honor srended the steps,
the naval officers on the right and the army
officers on the left, forming a Gordon on
each side. Just within the ranks of the
artillerymen. seamen and narines
As the eight sturdy body-bearers, four
from the army and four from the navy,
tenderly drew the flag g-draped casket out Of
the hearse. the bands sweetly walled the
pleading notes Of Nearer. My God, to
Thee" Every head In the vast attendant
throng was barred. Tear-bedimmed eyes
were raised to heaven and silent prayer
went up from the thousands Of hearts With
careful and solemn tread the body.bearers
began the ascent OF the staircase with
their precious burden and tenderly bore It
to the catafalque in the rotunda.
The funeral services at the Capitol over
the remains OF the late President Mckinley
were simple and beautiful They were Of the
form prescribed by the Methodist Church.
Two hymns, prayer, an address and
benediction comprised all ofit yet the i'm,
preston left at the end was Of perfection.
IMPRESSIVE SERVICE
4 THE CAPITOL.
At 11:2o o'clock the Cabinet entered and
were seated to the south Of the platform.
and then to the strains of Nearer. My
God. to Thee" by the Marine Band outside
the casket was borne into the rotunda.
General Gillespie and Colonel Bingham led
the way. and every one arose. The guard
of honor on either side separated and the