Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1901-09-25
the streets behind the line OF troops

stood with uncovered heads
The procession began It's march to
the cemetery. n mile away. The
Grand Army band in the lead. played
continually Nearer. My God to Thee"
Under great black arches the hearse.
with Its glittering guard of honor,
passed to the strains OF the hymn
There were five OF these arches. On
the first 4 lithograph Of the dead Pres
ident. On another were these words:
He loved us. We loved him" On
another: He was our ideal American"
In twenty minutes the cemetery was
reached. 1t Is picturesquely set on
sloplng ground, rising from the street
In undulating waves of turf punctu-
Gted with marble and granite shafts.
There was n great concourse OF peo-
pie on the surrounding hills and the
streets. Within sight of the entrance
is the receiving vault. where the dead
Presidents body is to remain for n
time. This mausoleum Is OF granite.
green In design with a tower and
pointed peak
At the peak was set great oak
wreath. 1t was the Offering OF the
new President Of the United States.
over the facade was n wreath OF lau-
rels with splash of parma violets.
red with the Italian colors. This was
the offering OF the King of Italy. whose
father was aSsaSslnated as was Presi-
dent Mckinley.
Hanging to the two granite gables
Mt either end We're two more wreaths.
both OF oak. Ono was the Offering OF
King Edward VII. The other was
sent by the Ambassador of the Gar
OF Russia. 1t bore n card. In the
name Of His Majesty, the Gar"
a hn hn at
side OF the entrance were great masses
OF floral offerings. Altogether there
We're 80 floral offerings. the greater
part OF which came from foreign coun-
tries and State governments
AS the cortege entered the cemetery
the troops at the head OF it marched
by the tomb and disappeared over the
NH TO the street on the other side
The gravel walk on which the hearsc
anu carriages Were drawn was Uttered
with sweet peas. geraniums and car
nations. They had been scattered
there by the school children OF Canton.
PRESIDENT Roosevelt stood mt the en-
trance OF the tomb. Around him were
tne members OF the Cabinet and other
high officials of the Government
The hearSe was driven up to the en-
trance. and soldiers and sailors. fanked
by the guard Of honor. bore the BODY
on their shoulders 10 rest which had
been provided for it directly In front of
the vault. Behind them was the guard
of honor. General Miles and Admiral
Farquhar In the lead.
Following the guard of honor came
The Mckinley family, Abner McKin-
ley and Mrs. Abner Mckinley at the
head. AS the soldiers and sailors low
cred the casket from their shoulders
the boom of cannon was heard. There
were three SalvoS.
Bishop Joyce then read the burial
service or the Methodist Church In
Stantly from the eight buSles rang out
the notes of the soldiers last call
Taps" 1t was beautifully done. and
the last notes of the buglers died away
so softly that all who heard remained
listening for few seconds to see If it
had really ended.
The casket was then taken up again
by the bearers and borne into the in
closure. From over hill came the
throbbinG of the drums low and NUT
tering. At the last roll the casket was
placed on the rest reserved for 1t.
The Presidents carriage was then
summoned. and he entered Ii with
Commander COwles and was driven to
the Mckinley house.
For more than two hours the mill
tary organizations in the funeral pa
Seant marched by the vault
When the last of the procession had
passed the bier orders were given that
the cemetery should be cleared. The
order was quickly carried out, and the
dead President was left in the care OF
his guard OF honor. The guard that
has the honor of watching the bier of
the dead President is COmDonv a. oP
the Fourteenth Regiment of Infantry.
1t Is commanded by Captain w. s.
Biddle, Jr. The company includes sew
enty-siX men. and was ordered to Can.
ton from Fort Wayne. Detroit.
Nature has been kind in selecting
tie last resting place for President
Mckinley. West Lawn Cemetery is
on high knoll overlooking the peace
full valley. with the busy little city OF
Canton laid out below Here, looking
out on his home city and his native
State, the body of Mr.. Mckinley was
laid to rest. Just inside the stately
entrance stands the gray stone vault
where for time the coffin will repose.
But in due time the body will be taken
from the vault and committed to the
little plot of ground further on. This
is the Mckinley lot. and here lie his
father, whose name he bore, the moth
or he guarded so tenderly In life. his
brother James, his sister Anna and his
two children. And when that time
comes n stately shaft CT granite will
rise above the grave. telling OF the
civic virtues. the pure life and the
martyr death OF William 7icKinley.
LYING IN STATE AT CANTON.