The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-09-19
CONSIGNED TO THE TOMB

earth in fact. came the directions to
aadorn the bier Of Mckinley with flow
ers whose fragrance might be symbol
! Hcal of the sweetness and purity of the
ended life. But these tributes from for
4 seign countries We're buried beneath the
Sfloral tributes Of AIcKinley's country
and list of those who sent them would
3 be almost a complete roster of those
prominent in the official, commercial
and social life of the United States.
A feature of the floral tributes was
the large number sent BY organizations
aof various character, fraternal, com
mercial and political
Toward noon the crowds in the vicin-
fifty of the Mckinley cottage had in
creased to tens of thousands. North
Market was a mass of humanity for
4 five squares below the house, and for
three squares beyond.
Several regiments of soldiers were re-
lquired to preserve a semblance of or
der. With guns advanced the men We're
posted along the curbs and within the
walks for half a mile in either direction.
A platoon Of soldiers was thrown across
1.-THE gate leading up to the door of the
Mckinley residence and only those with
la written permit from Secretary Cortei-
you were permitted to enter the
grounds. The vast throng was content /
ed however, to gaze at the curtained
windows and at rare intervals to see
some member of the family or an at
ltendant come to the porch outside
Within the chamber Of death all was
silence. No longer was the coming and
going of relatives and near friends The
curtains were closely drawn, enshroud-
ing the room in gloom, with no ray to-
light up the melancholy scene The
guards still stood motionless at their
posts, a soldier at the head of the cas-
ket and a sailor with drawn cutlass at
the foot Thus throughout the mornins
the vast multitude surged without while
the silence within was broken only byl
the weeping Of the stricken widow.
MANY PUBLIC MEN.
The number of prominent public mem
lin the city was augmented as every
train arrived, and the city numbered
among its mourning guests those whol
are most prominent in every walk of
public life. Among the arrivals this
morning were Speaker Henderson andI
a number of his colleagues of the house
had served in the house with Mckinley i
Justice NdcKenna, of the United Statesl
supreme court, who was a member oil
1.-THE ways and means committee Whenl
the Mckinley bill was drawn; Serene b.
Payne, present chairman of the waysi
|and means committee General Gros
Ivenor, of Ohio; Senator Bate, of Ten
|nessee: Governor Longino of NIissis
|sippi, together with delegations repre-I
senting states, cities, chambers of
commerce and innumerable civic or
ganizations. Secretary Root received al
dispatch from General Leonard Wood.
governor of Cuba, this morning. stat
ling that he was laid up by washoutsl
lin Georgia. and had been compelled tol
abandon all hope of reaching here inl
time for the funeral.
During the morning General Ell Tori
rance, commander-in-c chief of the @. "A.
r., sent the following message to Mrs.
Mckinley by Judge Day:
In behalf of the Grand Army of theI
lRepublic, wish to comfort you with
the assurance that you have the tenders
sympathy and unfailing love Of every
Surviving soldier of the union, and our
prayer is that the gracious Father Will
sustain you. ELL TORRANCE,
PROCESSION STARTS.
The funeral procession started fronlI
the Mckinley residence to the church.
The body of the president was takens
Into the church at 1:45 p. m.
CHURCH DECORATIONS.
The decorations of the First NJ. z.
church, where the funeral services weres
held, were elaborate and impressive.
lover A. 900 wards of drapery were used
lover the front interior as the funeral:
party entered covering the organ lOfts
There was stretched from wall to wall,
.paneled drapery black as midnight 1t.
WAS Of nuns yelling, 81 feet long andi
ll5 feet high The panels were fOrmed5
aOf white satin ribbons two inches wide
IThe choir loft railing was richly hungs
with nuns yelling arranged in festoonss
with silk drapery tassels between thes
lfestOons The pulpit rostrum was heav-a
Iily covered with black cloth and thea
pulpit itself was draped with rich silkS
lcrepe. An excellent portrait of the lat=H
president was fastened to the front off
the pulpit and was gracefully draped.
THE chancel rail and all of the wooda
work about the front of the church
were a mass of black. Five seats froms
THE front of the pulpit in the left midi
Idle aisle was the pew which was occu-a
pied by President Mckinley when mel
ATTENDED service. tt is covered Witha
heavy black crepe The side walls OF
the church were hung with streamersa
land the overhanging arches with blacka
streamers and festoons. The pillars anda
to the church uaidtoriuf proper and thes
Sunday school room were in a stately
black garb. relieved every five feet with
narrow bands of white silk. The bal
cony front was heavily draped ands
hung with festoons tied with white silk
drap perry tassels. The points of vantagef
lon the exterior and the tower We're alsoF
draped in black and white. For threef
days and three nights a large force off
men had been at work in the interior s
of the church arranging the decorations
for the funeral services. The last touch 1
es We're added to the work late last
night and then the doors We're closed tob
the public and a guard stationed to 2re
vent any of the eager visitors from en-
- tha adifna Until the hnl,r. set fc-.