The Washington times., 1901-09-18
BENEATH THE GREAT DOME
State Funeral of Mr.. Mckinley in
the Capitol ROtunda.

Impressive Ceremony Amid Historic
Surroundings-Mass of Beautiful
Flowers Around the Vast ChnmbeI
Sermon by Bishop Il. G. Andrews
| Although the religious services in the
Rotunda of the Capitol were expected to
take place within an hour after the fun
eraI proces ssion left the White House, 1t
was two hours after that time before they
were begun. Long before 10 o'clock per-
sons who held tickets of admission to the
Capitol began to gather. Eight hundred
chairs had been placed on the tesselated
floor. In the centre of the vast space
was the historic catafalque on which had
rested the bodies of Lincoln and Gar
field, in the same SPOT in which it was
placed for the body of William Mckinley
the exact centre of the Rotunda.
More than 200 feet above was the dome.
and the other dimensions of the place
were in proportion to the height. There
was no sign of mourning except in the
sombre crape-covered platform around
which the seats for the relatives. friends,
officials. and others We're placed. Moth
ing save the bier and the great masses
of floral tributes was there to remind
the spectator that it was an occasion of
sorrow. The great mural columns stretch
ed gaunt ard white upward. The paint
ings depicting historical scenes in the ma
tion's history bore no mark of mourning
on or about their frames. Through win
Gows a hundred feet above, streamed the
light of day. despite the clouds which
blighted out the suns rays 1t was all
So bare and simple that mental effort
was required to realize what the occa-
sion was.
On the stone floor around the walls, be-
hind the brass railings that prevent too
curious visitors from coming into close
contact with the historical paintings, were
most of the floral tributes. They form
| ed complete chain around the several
hundred feet of the Rotunda's circumfer-
ence. The most conspicuous was a huge
representation in red, white, and blue in
innmortelles of the emblem of the Eighth
Army Corps. 1t bore the inscription in
floral letters:
"A tribute from the army in the Phil
ippines.''
| Another conspicuous offering was a
| white cross of lilies, with blue crown
| of immortelies, which came from the
President of France. Tributes were re-
ceived also from the Emperor of Japan.
composed of lilies of the valley. and the
Presidents of Argentina, Costa Rica, and
Guatemala. The card accompanying the
| tribute Of Argentina's President was of
| silver, suitably inscribed. Sheaves of
| wheat, palms, and orchids, and wreaths
! Of laurel We're there in great number.
| Near the catafaique were number of
chairs On which the tributes of personal
| friends had been placed. Perhaps the
| most beautiful of these were from Mrs.
Garret A. Hobart. widow of the late Vice
President, and Secretary Hay. Mr.. Hay
sent a great bunch OF orchids and palms,
and Mrs. Hobart green wreath garnish-
cd with orchids and palm branches. A
| large wreath Of red and white roses and
lilies of the valley came from the mother
of the late John Addison Porter, first
Secretary to President Mckinley.
| Five statues of noted Americans adorn
the Rotunda. They are of Jefferson. Lin
coin, Hamilton. Grant, and Baker.
tAgainst the pedestal of each rested some
floral tributes. 1t was recalled by many
| of those present that three of the men
! whose effigies were there in bronze and
marble, had met tragic deaths in every
| case by bullet But all under different
| circumstances. Hamilton fell in his noted
duel with Aaron Burr; Baker, who resign
ed as Senator from Oregon 10 enter the
Union Army, was killed in battle at Balls
Bluff, and Lincoln fell as Mckinley did,
at the hands of an assassin.
Bishop Andrews Arrives.
Bishop E G. Andrews. of New York.
the oldest Bishop Of the Methodist Church.
! who delivered tie sermon, arrived about
| $50 o'clock. accompanied by the Rev. Dr.
| ]. NJ. Chapman. ncting pastor of the Met
ropol;tan NJ. + Chuich, and the Rev. DR..
H. r. Naylor Presiding Elder of the
Washington District.
Beneath the p.r1-co on the east front
| of the Capitol waited the guard of honor,
| the officers of the army and navy in the
| uniform of their ranks. bedecked with
gold and lace. On the hilt of their side
| arms was the badge of mourning. For
the army there were General Otis. General
Macarthur, and General Gillespie; for the
navy there were Admiral Dewey, Rear Ad-
miral Crowninshield, Rear Admiral
Charles ONeil, and Paymaster General
A. S. Kenny. and for the Marine Corps
Brig Gen. Charles Haywood. With them
waited a score of other officers of inferior
! grade of both branches of the service
| Back of them were bowers of floral trib-
utes presented by dignitaries from all
parts of the world, and by distinguished
men and notable women of America.
Awaiting the Remains.
Lined upon either side of the broad
| steps leading to the main entrance of the
Capitol were picked men of the artillery,
sailors. and a detachment of marines. On
the north side were the artillerymen from
the Nineteenth Company. Coast Artillery.
at Fort McHenry, under command of
Capt. w. E. Ellis; opposite them stood a
detail of swarthy jackies from the bat
tleship Illinois under Lieutenant DeSteg-
ler and below them the marines from the
Marine Barracks. under command of
Capt. ]. II. Russell. A space before the
Capitol was clear. Back of it stood the
vast multitude of people watching and
waiting for the approach of the funeral
cortege
in the same spice but few months be-
fore had stood other thousands of people
who witnessed the oath-taKinS and in
duction into office. and listened to the
second inaugural address, of William Nc
Kinley. Then they appauded him to the
echo and with smiling countenance he
Acknowledged the greeting. Yesterday
the scene was changed. The vast multi
tude was bowed with grief Their shouts
and joyous acclaims were hushed into
sobs and lamentations of sorrow and dis
tress. Nature wept with them; the skies
shed copious tears
The threatening weather of the morn
ing developed into rainstorm just as the
cortege was approaching the broad plaza
in front of the Capitol Ten thousand
umbrellas were raised, and the scene was
thus made the more sombre and dark
From the steps leading to the Rotunda one
a n St ai nf OH