The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1901-09-26
.TH[ PRESIDENTS LAST 0B}[QU|E}.
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! Dut these tributes from foreign coun-
| tries were buried beneath the floral
! tribute of Mckinley's countrymen.
! There were tons ami tons Of them and
a list Of those who sent them would be
almost a complete roster of those
prominent in the Official, commercial
and social life OF the United States.
! AS the time approached for bearing
! the body of the dead President from
! the Mckinley home to the church, the
! little cottage on North Market street
( was the centre OF a vast concourse o.
/ people Regiment after regiment OF
soldiers. acting as guards. were in tri-
pie lies IRON the curbs to the lawns.
The walks had been cleared and the
multitude took refuge in the great
sweep Of lawns where they formed a
solid mass o? humanity surging for
ward TO the lines Of soldiers. In front
OF the Mckinley cottage were drawn
up the two rigid files OF body-bearers.
eight sailors OF the navy and eight
soldiers to so within and take up the
casket
Just at l o'clock the black chargers
of the Cleveland troop swept down the
street, their riders four abreast, in
their brilliant husSar uniform, with
flags and banded by crepe and every
sabre hilt bearing its fluttering emblem
of mourning. Their coming was the
signal for the approach CT President
Roosevelt and the members Of the cab
inent. The presidential party moved up
the walk 20 the entrance Of the house
and formed in a group to the left. The
Presidents face looked very grave and
he stood there silently with uncovered
head awaiting the body of the dead
chieftain. Beside him stood Secretary
Gage, Secretary Root. Secretary Will
son and Secretary Hitchcock and just
across Attorney General Knox, Post
master General Smith. Assistant Secre-
tary of State Hill. representing Secre-
tary Hay, and Secretary Cortelyou.
Extending further down the walk was
the guard of honor, the ranking gen.
erals of the army on the right and the
chief figures Of the navy on the left.
Lieutenant General Miles. in the full
uniform of his high rank. with his
sworn dl HIS SIuG anu lLlS Duhu VI ~ Wv
about his arm, stood alongside the
members of the cabinent and with him
were Major General Brooke, Major
General Macarthur. Major General
Otis and Brigadier General Gillespie.
Across from them was ranged Rear
Admiral Farquhar. representing Ad-
miral Dewey, ranking head of the ma
w; Rear Admiral Crowninshield, Rear
Admiral O'Neil. Rear Admiral kenney
| and Brigadier General Haywood, the
latter commander-in-ch.ef o. inc Ma
rine Corps.
AS the presidential party came up
the black chargers Of Troop A swung
into battalion front facing the house
and the long line Of flashing sabres ad-
yanccd to salute. Now the deep-toned
wall of the church bells began and
every steeple in Canton gave forth its
dolorous plant. 1t was l:l5 oclocK,
and the time had come for taking up
the body. 4 brief private service had
been held within the darkened cham
while the relatives gathered around
while the relatives gathreed around
and Mrs. Mckinley listened from the
half-open door Of her adjoining room
{ The double file of body-bearers now
stepped into the room and raising the
fag-wrapped c2sket TO their shoulders.
bore it through the open entrance. a
solemn hush fell upon the multitude
as the bearers advanced with measured
tread. Not a a bugle blast went up
not a strain OF the hymns the dead ru-
/ Ter had loved 50 well. The scene was
majestic in its silence. As the casket
was borne along above the line o.
heads could be seen the enfoiains
Stars and Stripes and on top great
masses of white roses and delicate Ia
/ ;ende~ orchids Tenderly the coffin was
committed to the hearse and the silence
was broken, as the order TO marcA
passed from officer to officer.
! II was about 10 o'clock when the
procession passed the court house ana
! turned into Tuscarawas street 10 the
stately stone edifice where the tuner
al services we're TO be held. At the
church entrance were drawn up deep
files of soldiers with bayonets advanced
keeping a clear area for the advancing
! casket and the long train OF mourners.
! The hearse halted while President
Roosevelt and memters OF the CABINET
alighted. Again they grouped them,
selves at either side of the entrance ana
with uncovered heads awaited the pas
sage of the casket. Then the cofIin was
/ brought from the hearse and taken IN
to the draped entrance. the cabinet
following the President. The mourners'
too. passed in, but the stricken WHO"
was not among them. She had remain
ed behind in the old Zone, alone WIN
her grief.
| The scene within the church when