Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-09-27
EARTH TO EARTH.
The Tomb Now Contains the Body
of William Mckinley.

Final Services at Canton Attended by 1Oo.-
900 People from Every Walk In Life
Mrs. Mckinley Not Able to At
tend the Funeral
Canton, O., Sept. 2O.-With majestic
solemnity, surrounded by his coun-
trymen and his townspeople, in the
presence of the president of the
United States, the cabinet, justices
of the United States supreme court,
senators and Representatives in con-
gress, the heads of the military and
naval establishments, the governors
of states and a great concourse of
people who had known and loved him,
all that is mortal of the third presi-
dent to fall by an assassin's bullet
was committed to the grave. 1t was
spectacle of mournful grandeur.
Canton ceased to be a town and
swelled to the proportions of a great
city. From every city and hamlet
IN Ohio, from the remote corners of
the south and from the east and
west, the human tide flowed into the
town until 100000 people were within
its gates, here to pay their last trib-
ute to the fallen chief.
The final scenes at the First Metho-
dist church, where the funeral serv-
ice was held, and at the beautiful
WestIawn cemetery, where the body
was consigned to a vault, were sim
pie and impressive. The service at
the church consisted of a brief ora
ton, prayers by the ministers of
three denominations and singing by
a quartette. The body was then
taken to Westlawn cemetery and
placed in receiving vault, pending
the time when it will be finally laid
to rest beside the dead children who
were buried years ago. The funeral
procession was very imposing and in
cluded not only the representatives
of the army and navy of the United
States, but the entire military
strength of the state of Ohio and
hundreds of civic, fraternal and other
organizations. 1t was two miles long.
One of the most pathetic features of
the day was the absence of Mrs. Nc
Kin1ey from the funeral services at
the church and cemetery when the
body of her husband was laid to rest.
Since the first shock of the shooting,
then of death and through the or
OSo1 VI oOctOC Gel C1uOn1cS, SIG udO
borne up bravely. But there was a
limit to human endurance and when
yesterday came it found her too weak
to pass through the trials of the final
ceremonies. Through the open door
of her room she heard the prayer of
the minister as the body was borne
out of the house. After that DIR
Rixey remained close by her side and.
although the full force of the ca
1amity had come upon her, it was be.
ieved by those about her that there
was a providential mercy in her
tears, as they gave some relief to
the anguish of the heart within.
The line of the funeral march from
the church to the cemetery was about
~ miles in length. The route was
north on Tuscarawas street from the
church to Lincoln street, west on
Lincoln street to West Third street
and north one square to the gates of
the cemetery. For hours even before
the time set for the commencement
of the funeral exercises at the Nc
Kinley home the streets along the
entire length of the line of march
were crowded with spectators. From
the gates of the cemetery to the
doors of the church there was, on
each side of the street, an almost
unbroken line of soldiers and on all
the intersecting streets detachments
of the militia were posted about 100
feet from the thoroughfare upon
which the cortege was to go and no.
body was permitted to pass in either
direction.
There was not a window that COM
manded a view of the line of march
that was not filled with faces, the
numerous stands were crowded to
their utmost capacity and on the
roofs were hundreds of people. From
nine o'clock in the morning until five
in the afternoon, by which time the
last of the parade had passed the
church on it's way to the cemetery.
this condition prevailed.
1t was exactly four minutes past
four when the funeral car borne the
remains of the dead president
through the gateway of his last rest
ing place. Twenty. minutes after
that time the brief services at the
vault were over, the members of the
family and distinguished men of the
nation who had come so far to do
him honor had passed through the
gates on their homeward way. One
hour and 40 minutes after the hearse
had entered the cemetery the place
was clear and the dead president
was resting alone under the .watchful
care of the men of the regular army
A sentry's measured tread resound-
ed from the cement walk before the
vault, another kept vigil on the
grassy slope above and at the head
and lat the foot of the casket stood
armed men, Before the door, which
was not closed last night, was pitched