The semi-weekly messenger., 1904-01-15

Atlanta. Ga, January 13.-Banked In
masses of flowers, the offerings OF
loving friends and covered with the
Confederate flag. the body of General
John b Gordon lay in state from early
this morning till a late hour tonight
in the capitol of the state he loved.
Through the long hours unending lines
OF veterans. citizens. men, women and
even children trooped past the caskes,
catching a f1eeting glimpse of the
dead commander. If one would know
the love and veneration and grief Of
Georgia's citizens, he had to but watch
these people. Sad faces were wet with
tears, old men who remembered the
towering form in the prime of man.
hood or who followed General Gordon
on the field of battle. grasped hands
in silent sympathy.
Stationed as a guard of honor about
the remains of the body, the details
from the militia stood immovable and
yet the discipline of the soldier did not
prevent these men involuntarily
brushing aside unbidden tears as they
grief.
The body arrived in Atlanta just be-
fore o'clock this morning from
Miami where his last struggle ended
Saturday night. At the state line Of
Georgia it was received from the
hands of F1orida's citizens and SOL
diers by an escort from friends in his
own state. At the station here it was
received by a military escort and de-
Sait "a of q
day. and the early hour, hundreds had
gathered to received the remains. The
body was taken at once to the rotun-
da of the state capitol, where a place
Of honor had been provided. Nearly
the picture OF the dead general.
placed on the walls Of the capitol when
he was governor of the state, looked
down from it's drapfng of black.
Quickly the guard was stationed aid
even at the early hour when these ar
engagements had been completed. be-
gan the procession, which has been
unbroken for fifteen hours
The remains will lie in state until
noon tomorrow, when they will be
taken across the street to the Central
Presbyterian church where will be
held the last rites of the church. The
procession will be formed during the
services and when they shall be con-
cluded the march will be taken to Oak
land cemetery. There the body will
be laid to rest near the spot where are
buried Georgia's dead who fell in the
war between the states. This proces-
sion will be one of the most imposing
PageantS ever seen in the south. In
it will have places a battalion Of the
10th infantry u 9. A, headed by Col.
Butler D. Price and his staff, besides
a. large number OF military bodies
from this and neigh boring states.
which have arrived or will be here
early in the morning. Many organiza
tionS Of Confederate Veterans, Sons
Of Veterans and business bodies will
be in line, besides thousands of pri-
vate citizens.
Public exercises will be held in the
Hall of Representatives at 10 o'clock
over which Governor Terrell will pre-
side Brief addresses will be made by
men prominent in the Southern states.
Among those who will speak will be
General Stephen D. Lee, commander
or the United Confederate Veterans
succeeding General Gordon. General
Clement A Evans. of Georgia. judge
Thomas G. Jones. Of the United States
court of Alabama Governor Hayward
OF South Carolina, Governor Jennings
of Florida, Judge George Christian Of
Virginia, General Bennett Young Of
Kentucky, Colonel Albert Cox and
John Temple Graves of Atlanta