The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1903-07-24
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM
ALL WALKS OF LIFE PAY
TRIBUTE TO POPE LEO.
CODY LIES IN STATE AT ST. PETERS
IMMENSE CROWD ON HAND WHEN
THE GATES ARE OPENED AT
SIX IN THE MORNING.

Rome, July 24-All day the form OF
Leo Kill lay in state In the basilica
OF St Peters. while thousands of
persons from the ordinary walks of
life filed past to pay their last tributes
Of love and veneration. The impress
sive ceremonies Of Wednesday were
viewed by only favored few of the
nobility, aristocrats and the highest
clergy, but Thursday the doors were
opened to the entire public. Many re-
NAMED on the piazza throughout the
hot night in order to gain place at.
the head Of the line. BY o'clock in
the morning there was a crowd of sew
eral hundred, which had increased by
o'clock to several thousand. Elab-
crate preparations had been made to
guard against accidents in the crush.
All converging streets were cleared of
vehicles. leaving them free for foot
passengers. while six ambulance sta
tons had been erected, including one
al the entrance to the piazza and an
other beside the door of st. Peters.
Exactly at 6 O'Clock the bells of the
great cathedral began tolling mourn
fully and two regiments of Italian
grenadlers marched smartly across
the piazza to the stone steps and soon
the east portico swarmed for the first
time in years with Italian troops-300
on the portico and 1900 surrounding
the colonnades. They stood in double
column at parade rest, the lines eX-
tending from the threshold of the
church through narrow gateway of a
temporary wooden structure which was
holding back the crowd.
Gate Opened to the Crowd.
At Cos the gate was opened and the
human tide began to flow In. The jam
al The narrow entrance soon became
terrific. threatening serious results TO
the struggling mass of half fainting
women and children. Although the
crowd was not extraordinarily large
the steady movement into the funnel
like enclosure made the pressure ter
rihc. Many women had their dresses
or wells torn off and some were lifted,
exhausted, over the wooden enclosure
and out of the crush. Fortunately
there were no serious accidents and the
ambulances were not summoned.
Within the church temporary rail.
lngs had been erected to keep the peo-
pie in straight line leading directly
TO the bier This was the center to
which all eyes turned. The body lay
on catafalque ten feet high so that
all could see it, 1t was slightly in
ciined, with the head raised and fac
Ing the passing throng The visage had
cnalky WhiteneSS and appeared TO be
unnaturally shriveled 1t was robed
IN the full vestments as the Roman
public knew the pontiff in life. Around
The bier burned thirteen high candles,
while on each side stood the noble
guards. motionless. Further back
were kneeling priests and acolytes,
softly lntoning invocationS.
All Glasses Represented.
All ranks and stations of life We're
represented in the throng. Many were
working people; there also were groups
oi convent girls under the care OF
nuns. and OF schoolboys headed by
priests.
Al $3.50 a. m. a solemn pontifical
requiem mass was celebrated in ST.
refers for the repose Of the soul OF
Leo Kill The crowd was kept con-
stantly moving within the wooden bar
Iiers, but other entrances were pro-
vided for those desiring to assist at
the mass on the other side of the
church. Several thousand persons
We're present, although in so vast a
church. capable of containing 10000,
they appeared to be a mere handful,
especially as they were all standing
During the hot hours of the day the
crowd at St Peters decreased and lit
Tie dificulty was experienced In view
Ing the body.
An extraordinary significant element
was introduced later in the morning
Uy itahan soldiers entering the church
tor the maintenance Of order, in full
UNIFORM. wearing their caps and side
Arms. They lined the aisles Of the
basilica and stood two deep in front
OF the body itself until the whole
church assumed an aspect almost more
than religious.
The event. which was unprecedented,
Created widespread comment.