The Washington times., 1901-09-18
GATHERING OF THE Gro WD
Throngs About the Capitol Wait
Patiently in the Rain.
Tears Brought to Many Eyes by
the solemn Dirges-ArrivaI of the
ProcessiOn-Carryi the Casket
Up the Stairs-The Song of a Child.

Tears Brought to Many Eyes by
the solemn Dirges-ArrivaI of the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS the Casket
Up the Stairs-The Song of n Child.
1t seemed early in the morning If
everybody in Washington were directing
his steps toward the Capitol. While
the crowd that assembled at the White
House was big one, blocking the streets
and sidewalks in all directions, it could
not be compared to the tremendous as
semblage of people i'm and about the
Capitol. They began to arrive hours
before :he time at which the funeral was
scheduled to start and took up points of
vantage on the terraces, the balconies,
the STEPS leading to the House and Sen
ate Chambers. a'ong the walls and at
every point where it was possible to get
a view either of the procession of the
Capitol steps up which the casket was to
be carried to the Rotunda.
Long before o'clock every available
point had been taken from which a good
view could be obtained. ana the late ar
rivals had to skirmish around to find
places. The roadways leading from
Street to the Capitol Grounds. both in
front of the Capitol and near the Con-
gressional Library. We're lined with peo-
Pile 1t was a patient crowd. and every
one was considerate of his neighbor.
The rain that had been falling during
the morning came down heavy just before
the funeral procession reached the foot
of Capitol Hill. A quick glance along the
line showed nothing but a sea of UNI
brellas, but there were thousands who
had neither umbrellas nor raincoats, yet
they did not move Some of them were
wet through, but they kept their places
in the lines, eager to catch even a glimpse
of the funeral procession. The police
had no difficulty in keening them in line,
although there were no rope barriers as
on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Trying to Gain Admission.
Various ruses were resorted to to gain
admission to the Capitol Police passes
within the lines, letters from Congress-
men, cards of prominent politicians, and
anything else that might possibly be ac-
cepted was used, but without avail the
police were inexorable: their orders were
strict, and they obeyed them literally.
1t seemed as If every window on the east
front of the Capitol held dozen figures,
squeezed tight and their faces glued
against the panes. The stairway to the
dome was crowded and the balcony at
base of the fiagpole directly over the
centre doorway held a dozen, who SEEM
ed all unconscious of the dangerous posi-
tion they were occupying.
a squad of mounted police kept the
roadways clear, but there was no neces-
sity for anyone to keep the crowd in or
der. They were perfectly quiet and the
only expressions to be heard were those
of sorrow and grief at the death of the
President and sympathy with the strick-
en- wife. The rumor that Mrs. Mckinley
was i'll was passed from mouth to mouth
and ran through the crowd quickly.
Nothing except the Presidents death
could have aroused the sympathy of the
people SO quickly, and the two combined
formed double cause for the same eX-
pressions of grief that were so numerous
when the Presidents body was brought
home The same outward manifestations
of the sorrow that filed all hearts could
be seen. All ages and conditions of peo-
pie were represented in the throng as
sembled about the Capitol.
Standing on the terrace on the west
front of the Capitol was group of sew
eral hundred, who could see down Penn
sylvania Avenue, and watched the process
sion as it moved slowly toward them.
ers, but they apparently paid no atten-
tion to it. Every voice was lowered and
tone subdued as they waited patiently for
the head of the line TO appear. Down to
the base of Capitol Hill the crowd was
stretched They were held back there
by ropes but number had climbed up
the Peace Monument and secured posi-
tions near the base of the figures.
But despite this desire for vantage
points the general air of the crowd was
one of hushed expectancy. A great many
wore Grape tied on their arms or carried
small flags draped with Grape. There
We're many emblems of mourning worn,
and this. combined with the gravity of
the people, gave an air of solemnity to
the gathering. 1t was tremendous out
pouring of people Sent on showing their
respect and paying the last sad tribute
of love to their murdered President.
sad and Patient ThrOng.
The centre stair of the Capitol was
kept clear and a guard OF soldiers, ma
rines and artillerymen were lined up on
either side All eyes were centred on
this point and positions were taken with
a view not so much of seeing the process
sion as of seeing the casket being c=r
ried into the Capitol
As the hour, came for the head Of the
column to arrive all We're attentive. There
was no sound save the occasional clatter
ing of the horses of the mounted police
as they galloped up and down the plaza.
The multitude was a patient one and no
word of complaint was heard as the rain
poured down. The stiffness was broken
by the faint tones of the band which LED
the procession. and the column ap-
preached nearer, the waiiing notes of
dirge stirred the crowd.
If seemed to afft ct them strangely and
as the wild pathos of the music was car
ried on the wind, eyes became moist and
Iips moved as ii in prayer. The crowd
in and around the Capitol seemed made
OF stone and listened with eager intent
ness to the music. the sadness of which
reflected their own feelings and the gloom
that shroudCd their hearts. The theo-
rist who holds that tn is a commercial
age and that hearts b. at responsive only
to those things that bring gain or power
would find little to substantiate his theo-
rics in the demeanor of the men and
women and even the little children who
gathered at the nations Capitol to pour
out their love and sympathy at the bier
of their dead leader.
The sorrow that oVerhunS all and the
gloom that enshrouded as with n veil the
happiness of the nation was transmitted
to tears by the music whose pathos and
tenderness although significant of grief
and death. opened the wells of sorrow
and gave relief to aching hearts. The
ske ptic who doubts the ability of any man
to gain the love of his fellowmen would
have been convinced had he seen the ef-
feet of the music. coming as it did from
a distance. on the sorrowing people
grouped about the Capitol.
Outward Tokens of Grief.
Nature itself seemed to reflect the sad
ness in the hearts of men as the grey
clouds scudded before the winds. The
drizzling chilling rain, the sombre sky,
the deathlike silence and the solemn but