The Washington times., 1903-04-20
anniversary OF BURIAL
OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN
Only Two Of PaIIbeaIeTs at the Funeral
Still Alive.

/ place on april 90 1860 OF the disJiD-
guished men who carried 10 the grave
/ the body Of the martyred President but
two remain in life. and IN short cycle
Of time they. TOO. VIII be gathered 10
/ their fathers. One OF the two survivors
is resident of Washington. Henry G.
/ Worthington. who. at the time repre-
/ scented the comparatively new State Of
Nevada in the House Of Representatives.
The other is former Representative Con-
ruth, Of Bedford, Pa. The latter is get
ting well slongyin years. but is stiiI ac-
tive in the practice Of law in his homs
town Several years ago he was men
I toned in connection with the Demo-
cratic nomination for governor Of the
+ Keystone State. but his party took up
/ another standard bearer.
WorthiDgton is sim active although
time has whitened his hair and beard.
He is a familiar figure about the Capitol
when Congress is in session. and ne *
+ possessed Of fund OF "reminiscences
which he can relate with rare interest.
/ Worlhington was with the nHbuster
4 Walker On one OF the fatters expedi-
tons. He was a member Of the Legis-
| lature OF California in the days whea
/ Grant lived in the Golden state. and
they became warm friends there
a glance at The official list OF the pail
! bearers at the funeral OF Lincoln VII
show how death has wiped out small
array Of men who were famous in these
United States a third Of q century ago.
/ The list as prepared by the Government
at the time is as follows:
Senate Of the United states-La-
/ fayette Foster, Conn, Edwin D. Nor
gan. \. +; Reverdy johnson. Md: Rich
ard Yates. Ills: Benjamin Wade. Ohio;
John CONFESS. Cal
House of REPRESENTATIVE L.
Dawes. Mass; Andrew CoHruth. Penn:
Green Clay Smith. Ky. Schuyler Colfax.
Ind; Henry c. WortHlngton. New; EHhu
Washburn. Ills.
United States Army-Geu. I. s. Grant.
Gen. H ". HaHeek. Gen. ". a. Nichols.
United States Navy-Yfce Admiral D..
/ Farragut. Rear Admiral X. 3 shubrick.
Gen. J. Zelin. Marine Corps.
/ Ciyiiians-OrviIle 5. Browning. II
/ linois; George Asbmum. Massachusetts;
Thomas Corwin, Ohio; Simon Cameron,
[ Pennsylvania.
Since the intermeat Of the remains at
/ Springfield, ILL.,. on May I, 1865. there
+ have been six removals and renter
ments Of the body OF Lincoln On the
latter date the cssket was placed in the
/ public receiving tomb at Oak Ridge
Cemetery. During the summer OF 1865
/ a temporary tomb was built on the hill
| side, few rods from the site of pro-
posed monument, and the remains OF the
/ President were removed thereto on De-
+ cembeT 81 Of that year. The construc-
ton Of the monument was so FAR adj
! Vaneed that on September T., ISTI there
! was second removal of the casket %
/ the CataC0mb therein which vas intend
/ ed for its permanent resting place.
! On October 10, 1874 the monument.
! having been completed was dedicated
/ with appropriate and imposing eeremo-
mes From that time the cssket ~as,
+ as IL had been since 1871 contained in a
/ white marble sarc0pfasus within the
cataeOmb, through the iron grating
/ doors Of which It was IN full view Of
! visitors On November T. 1876 an at
( tempt was made by vaudals TO steal
/ the body and hold il for q large re-
ward. The attempt vas fortunately
+ tegarted and the two villains In due
! time were arrested. tried. convicted and
/ sent 30 the penitsnJiaTy-
/ After this attempt it was deemed pTB-
/ den that the remains should be taken
/ from the saTCOphagus and secretly in
( TERED far within the sinner chambers
/ OF the monument and six feet beneath
/ the surface Of the earth. That was the
{ third removal Mrs Lincoln having
died before that date, her remains were
/ Inferred beside those OF the President.
/ After the lapse of several years another
( and. presumably final removal was
deemed fitting and accordingly the earth
/ beneath the marble floor Of the cata-
comb TO the depth of six or seven feet
was removed a large vault walled ID
/ and overarched with brick. The Baskets
+ OF the President and Mrs Lincoln were
! transferred thereto, and the whole Gov
| cred to the depth OF four or FIVE feet
/ with solid concrete, upon which the
marble floor of the catacomb was re-
I laid. That was the fourth removal
I From thar time the bodies remained
undisturbed until March To- 1900 when
+ the fifth removal became necessary. as
/ the earth 10 the depth Of twenty-five
/ feet beneath the entire structure, down
to the solid rock. was removed. and
/ the monument rebuilt upon enduring
foundations When the work was com
+ pIeJed a sixth removal and the final
one was made. and the pathetic dust
/ OF our maFtyred President, with his wife.
: three children, and the grandson VINO
/ bore his name, were consigned 10 their
/ final earthly resting place
On this last occasion. which look place
/ September Is. 1901. in spite OF the pro-
/ test of his only living son, the body Of
Abraham Lincoln was exposed 10 light
/ in the presence of a small assemblage OF
/ men and women. The metallic coffin
/ that for more than thirty-siX years had
/ contained the ashes OF the President
I was forced open, and each Of the party
! present gazed on what was left of the
/ features.
Then the coffin was rPseaIed and plac-
ed in what is intended shall be the final
resting place of the dust-a bed OF iron
and masonry fifteen feet below the shaft
I Of the National Lincoln Monument.
/ Just who was responsible for the open
I ing of the casket, in spite OF the avowed
opposition Of Robert T. Lincoln 1t q
dfHcuIU to ascertain. 1t was generally
admitted by those present, however, that
/ Che opposition TO expose the body met
with a vigorous protest. and IT was only
after considerable discussion that such
G course was resolved on Then. It IS
said. everyone in the assemblage was
pledged TO secrecy regarding the pro-
cedUre.
II was admitted by several Of those