Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-01-24

! Cowes. Jan. pa a. Nat II
o'clock this morning. the members of
/ the royal family will gather around the
/ body OF the late Queen, which lies in
a simple coffin, in the Chapelle Ar
( dente. festooned with red and white
/ hangings. The bishop of Winchester.
standing before an altar removed for
I the occasion from the private chapel,
/ will read a portion of the service for
! the dead.
The coffin rests upon a specially
erected platform, draped with royal
purple. the feet lying to the east. The
head faces the simple altar. over the
T features is u thin veil.
I For a few hours after the conclusion
of this service the public will be ad-
mitted to the room and allowed to view
7 the remains Of the sovereign who so
I longed reigned over them. The body
Will rest there until Sunday and it is
possible that no removal will occur for
/ 10 days.
The correspondent of The Associated
/ Press learns that the cause of the
Queens death as officially given was
"senile decay" The doctors have
adopted this expression as most suit
/ stbic anu II iltN dllllbulc ltlt
paralysis which attacked her as sec
ondary to the general weakness of her
condition, nor is it considered adVisa-
BILE for reasons of state to intimate
that her intellect was dimmed by this
particular form of the disease.
| Details of the dying hours We're not
obtainable until late last evening. 1t
appears that the Queen was moved
| Sunday. from her big bed into a small
cot specially built with springs. The
| cot was surrounded by a screen. This
was done to enable the doctors TO reach
the patient easily on both sides, which
was impossible when she lay in a bed
six feet wide. In this small bed she
passed away.
| When Emperor William arrived he
rushed without taking off his overcoat
to her bedside and the first words he
said We're words of regret that his
mother was unable to come.
Yes" murmured the Queen. Il wish
'Nicky' could be here" using a pet
name of her eldest daughter.
On Tuesday afternoon, all the mem
bers of the family were in readiness
for the end. At 4. the Prince Of Wales
was summoned. Half an hour later he
was joined by the other members of
! the family. At o'clock the Duchess of
York arrived and the Queen kissed her,
saying: Il am glad you have come.
The Bishop of Winchester began to
pray. The Queen slowly sank into un-
consciousness. At els p. NJ. the end
was thought to have come. The Prince
of Wales and several others walked out
of the room, but the vitality of the
Queen once more prevailed. For an
other Il minutes, with only the Prin-
cess of Wales and few others present.
the feeble spark of life was maintained
At $50, with Emperor William. the
Prince of Wales and the others absent,
death actually came.
Death has softened the face and the
thin veil conceals no terrible defects.
The hand of the mighty leveller dealt
with her lovingly and, as the last visi-
tation Of nature has been mercifully
mitigated, so also have been the pomp
and glory which accompany the sue
cession of the King.
Tuesday night. neither he nor his
wife would allow their encourage to
address them by their correct titles.
The large force of detectives present
from London is precaut1on against
any Anarchist attempt upon the life
of Emperor William and not on ac-
count of the new King.
Messages of coincidence do not cease
to pour in from all quarters of the
world. President Mckinley's early
cablegram created most favorable
impression. 1t was handed around
among the royal personages at the
breakfast. yesterday morning. with the
general comment that American sym
pathy was fifty the first to be received.