The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1908-07-03
SIMPLE CEREMONIES AT THE FU-
NERAL OF Ex-PRESIDENT
CLEVELAND.
PLACED IN GRAVE AT SUNSET
Services at House Lasted Only 80 Min.
utes and at Grave But Five
Many Distinguished Men
Present.

Cleveland plot in Princeton cemetery.
At six o'clock, just as the sun was
sinking in the west, distinguished
company silently watched as the body
was lowered into the grave. Then
the simple burial service of the Pres
byterian church was read and before
the last carriages in the cortege had
driven up to the path leading to the
burial place, the benediction had been
pronounced and the members of the
family, President Roosevelt and others
who had gathered about the grave
were leaving the cemetery.
Many of the personal friends of the
dead statesman fingered about the
spot which was to mark his last rest
ing place and each in turn was per-
mitted to cast a shovelful of earth into
the grave.
Agreeable to the wishes of Mrs.
Cleveland the services both at the
house and at the cemetery were of the
simplest character. An invocation,
scriptural reading, brief prayer and
the reading of a William Wordsworth
poem Character of the Happy War
rior," constituted the services at the
house while the reading of the burial
service at the grave was brief and
impressive.
Although the funeral was of a
strictly private nature, those in at
tendance numbered many distin-
guished citizens, including President
Roosevelt, Gov. Fort of New Jersey,
Hughes of New York, Hoke Smith Of
Georgia, former members of President
Cleveland's cabinet, officials of the
Equitable Life Assurance society,"
members of the Princeton University
faculty, and friends and neighbors.
Mr.. Cleveland was buried with all
the simplicity and privacy that he
himself might have wished, as a pri-
vate citizen rather than as the former
chief executive of the nation. There
was nothing that savored of the Of
fetal and the military element was in
jected solely as measure of pre-
caution in protecting President Roose-
welt.
The president arrived at 1888 p. m.
Upon his arrival at the house the
president went to Mrs. Cleveland, Of
fering his sympathy and expressing
keen regret at Mr.. Cleveland's death.
A few minutes later the four clergy
men who officiated came down the
stairs to the hall leading to the re-
ception room followed by Mrs. Cleve'
land and the children, Esther and
Richard. AS they appeared upon the
landing, accompanied by DR.. Joseph D.
Bryant, the whole company rose and
remained standing throughout the ser
vices. Mrs. Cleveland was gowned in
black, and wore a becoming hat with
a short dropping veil. Esther was
also in black while Richard wore a
white suit and black tie.
The services began with an invoca-
ton by Rev. Sylvester w. Beach OF
the First Presbyterian church of
Princeton which was followed by
Scriptural reading by Rev. Maitland v,
Bartlett of the West Farms Presby'
terrain church of New York, former
pastor of Mr. Cleveland who read from
the fourteenth chapter of the Book OF
John and number of passages from
the fourth and twenty-second chapters
of the Thessalonians.
DIR. Henry Van Dyke then said that
according to the request OF one
whose slightest wish at this moment
we all respect there will be no adj
dress or sermon but there was poem
written more than 100 years ago by
William Wordsworth which is express
,siye of his character" He then read
the poem, Character of the Happy
Warrior"
This followed by readings from the
Presbyterian Book of Common Wor'
shin. the services at the house con
Guiding with prayer.
, The pail bearers, six on either side
of the hearse, marched with the pro
cession as it wendell its way slowly
down Bayard Lane to Nassau street
and on along the main thoroughtare
of the town. Business had been sus
pended during the afternoon and cur
tainS were drawn III many - 49,
houses. The silent crowds stood VIII
haired heads as the procession passed
along into Vandeventer avenue anC
the bell in the tower of Old Nassau
hall tolled mournfully.
The members of the family alighte'
from their carriages and with thu
four clergymen in the lead. walked
slowly down the graveled path LEADING
TO the open grave and the rose strewl
Yraye of Ruth, both almost hidden Il
the profusion of green boughs an,
flowers. Mrs. Cleveland stood witt
Esther and Richard and DR.. Bryan
ne the coffin was slowly lowered int
the grave. DR.. William NJ. Richard
of the Brick Presbyterian church
New York had started to read the con
initial services even before Presiden
Roosevelt and others had reached IN
scene. The president stood just bac
of Mrs. Cleveland as the impressiv
6nal words were spoken. The SCI
aua minutes