Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-09-19
FUNERAL SERVICES
over DEAD CHIEFTAIN
IN Solemn Pomp the Body Is
Borne to Capitol.
A MILITARY-CIvIC ESCORT

neral day of the late President McKin-
ley opened as sombre as the occasion
| The sky was overcast with dark, slow
moving gray clouds, occasional spasms
of rain fell, giving way at momentary
intervals to CLEANS of dull sunshine and
a soft wind barely stirred into relief the
signs of mourning on building fronts
that told as we'll as the subdued air of
the public that this was day of sorrow.
Thursday the last that was mortal of
William Mckinley will be committed
to earth at Canton with ceremonies as
personal as the national character and
/ interest in it's executive will permit.
| Today was the occasion when the ma
ton was to pay its last tribute of re-
| Bpect and admiration aG the bier of the
| dead president.
All the country had sent here its rep
| resentatives 60 testify that the dead held
| his place deep in the nations heart.
| Other nations had ordered their diplo-
matte and military representatives TO be
| present as a token that they mOurned
with America its loss.
Cleveland Pays Tribute.
Ex-P President Cleveland was here to
| take part in the ceremonies. and like
| President Roosevelt, paid his tribute
| first in private at the White House and
later at the public services in the ro-
tunda of the capital The king of Great
| Britain was present in the person of
| Mr.. Gerard LOwther, charge of the
| British embassy. whom Edward VII
| had specially commissioned to partici-
pate in the services as his personal rep.
resentative. Captain Louis Bailey of
! the royal navy represented the embassy.
The other embassies and legations
! likewise had sent on their representa-
| tives Many Of the states had sent on
| their chief executives and part of their
| staffs All branches of the national
| government legislative, executive, ju-
dicial and military, were represented.
Senator Frye, president pro tenn of the
| senate arrived from Maine this morn
| ing With him was Chief Justice Fuller
| of the supreme court.
David B. Henderson, the last speaker
Of the house of representatives, attend
| ed as the representative of the popular
| legislative branch, as well as the long
| time personal friend and associate of
the dead man. Many others were pres
| ent also of the legislative and judicial
| departments.
The army and navy had their highest
officers within reach of the city in at
tendance and all officers within the linn
| its of the national capital took part un-
der orders directing them TO participate
| in the service of their late commander
in-chief.
The south sent General Longstreet
and other former leaders of the Confed-
eraCy.
Soldiers and Sailors on Guard.
About the White House the patrol of
soldiers and sailors guarding the en-
trance and grounds told the sad story.
The night there had been a quiet one.
A vigil over the dead had been main.
| tanned throughout the watches Details
| of cavalrymen, artillerymen and in
| fantrymen, sailors and marines, were
on guard around the grounds. A sem
tryman paced back and forth on the
| pOrtiCo.
Inside the house others did duty. In
| the East room, sombre with its drawn
| shades and dimly burning lights, and
! its heavy black casket in the center of
the room, the guard Of honor watched
over the dead. Members of the Local
Legion and the G. A. r. performed this
sad duty. silently giving way to others
every two hours
Mrs. Mckinley had retired by 10
o'clock and at that hour all the private
| apartments in the White House were
| locked for the night There were no
untoward developments in Mrs. Nc
| Kinley's condition and the night gave
| way to day without incident having
| broken the sorrow.
| The second stage of the late presi-
! dents journey toward the waiting grave
at Canton was begun just few minutes
after o'clock. An hour before that
time the chief officers of the govern
ment, civil, military and judicial, began
| to arrive, and many others whose names
are familiar the world over, came singly
and in groups to pay their tribute at his
| official home to the nations illustrious
| dead
Several members of the diplomatic
corps in court costume were among the
early callers.
President Roosevelt arrived at $3.50
| o'clock, accompanied by his wife and
sister, and went Immediately to the
Blue par1or, where they were Joined by
the members of the cabinet. The presi-
dent wore fpock coat with a band of
crepe on the arm.
No Sign of Collapse.
Mrs. Mckinley arose earlier than
usual to prepare for the ordeal She
had rested quite we'll during the night,
| but her pale face told plainly of her suf :
| ferings. She gave no sign of collapse,
however, and her physician confidently
| believes that she will keep up her
strength and courage to the end.
During the night and morning a por-
tion of the many beautiful floral tributes
| sent to the White House were placed
about the funeral casket. Conspicuous
| among them was a massive cushion
| floral tribute in the form of an army
badge from the G. A. r. and offerings
from the Loyal Legion and other soldier
organizations A design of over 6 feet
diameter, composed Of galax leaves and
| American beauty roses, about which was
| entwined the American flag, came from
the mayor and council of Richmond,
| Va. Many other beautiful tributes were
| sent, among them one from Mrs. James
A. Garfield, widow of another martyred
president
The escort, under command of Major
General John r. Brooke, was formed
| imEn ediately in front of the White
House. Besides regular soldiers, sail
ors and marines, an escort was made up
of detachment of the National guard,
members Of the G. A R., Loyal Legion
and kindred bodies and civic organiza-
tions and representatives of all branches
of the national government and the
| governors of states and their stats.
At precisely 9 o'clock command was
given and the body bearers silently and
reverentlv raised to their stalwart
shoulders the casket containing all that
was mortal of the illustrious dead. They
walked with slow caf6Hced steps, and
after they appeared at fI1e main door of
the White House, the marine band sta
toned on the avenue 9posite the man
sion struck up the hymh the dead presi-
to Thee"