The Washington herald., 1911-01-08

ElkinS, W. Va, Jan. In this little
mountain town, which he had founded,
all that was mortal Of Senator Stephen
B. Elkins was laid to rest to-day. Sim
ple services, in keeping with the last
wish Of the beloved statesman, marked
the funeral
Thousands of mourners, including
many of the late Senator's colleagues in
Congress, attended the services at the
Elkins mansion and at the grave. A
distinguished gathering Of State officers.
headed by Gov. Glasscock, was also in
attendance.
The town to which the late Senator
had given his name was crowded with
mouners who had thronged here from
every direction. Many who could not
come by rail drove over the mountain
roads through hours of darkness to pay
the last tribute to the man who had
done SO much for the State.
All business was suspended, flags fut-
tered at half-Staif, and windows were
close curtained
The special train from Washington, con-
siSting of seven cars, bore q distinguished
company.
Mrs. EIkins Frustrated.
MIS- ElkinS was not of the party. Over
come by the shock. she was in such a
condition that her physician forbade her
leaving Washington. or the immediate
family there Were Miss Katherine Ell
Eins. Mrs Sallie Elkins Oliphant, Of
Trenton. N. j.: Davis ElkinS, the eldest
son of the Senator; Stephen B. EIkins,
jr., of New York: Mr.. and Mrs. Blaine
Elkins. former Senator Henry Gassaway
Davis. father of Mrs. Elkins, and Richard
Elkins, of Philadelphia. A number of
distant relatives and several close friends
also accompanied the body from the Cap
ital.
The funeral car was a bower of bios
SONS. and the ponderous bronze coffin
Was buried in flowers, which had poured
into the Elkins home in Washington To
those were added here wreath of
blooms, the tribute of old-time friends
and neighbore.
The funeral service was conducted in
the Davis Memorial Presbyterian Church
by Rev. +. II. Barron. The ceremony.
simple in the extreme. was conducted in
the presence of throng that took up
every inch of space within the edifice
and overfiowed into the street. where
hundreds stood with barred heads in the
chill winter wind during the progress of
the service. The body was laid to rest in
EikiEs and former Senator Davis, twenty
years before. had planned and laid out
Guard Against GhouIs.
The most elaborate precautions were
taken to guard against the possible op-
erations of ghouls. The bronze coffin, the
plates of which which were three inches
thick. was inclosed in an outer case Of
armor-plate steel This was lowered into
n hf..h hol
masonry and which will he Theoretically
sealed
There were brief rites at the grave in
charge of the local lodge of Free and Ac,
cepted Masons, of which Senator Elkins
was member.
several thousand persons stood uncov-
cred near the open grave until the i'm
presslVe ceremony was ended. A special
train took hundreds from here to the
cemetery, and the train on which the
Washington mourners had come was like
wise sidetracked near by.
MISS ElklnS and other members of the
family were Of the returning party, all of
them being anxious to rejoin the stricken
widow
In the Senatorial car were Senators
Scott Of West Virginia. Smith of Mary
land. Bacon of Georgia, Kean of New
Jersey. Bailey of Texas. Foster of
Louisiana, Carter of Montana, and Root
ofs1Sew York. ]. J. McGrain, T. ".
kellar, and c. A Loeff1er, Senate at
taches. were in this party. The House
of Representatives, in which body Sen
ator Elkins had served as Delegate from
New Mexico, was represented by Rep
resentatives Gaines. Hubbard, Hughes, |
woodward, and Sturgiss of West Vir-
ginia, Andrews OF New Mexico, Rucker
of Missouri, Alexander of New York,
Longworth of Ohio, Calderhead OF Kan
sas, Lamb of Virginia. and Adamson and J
Livingston of Georgia.
Others on the special train were the |
Rev. Wallace Radcliffe. of Washington, |
and Samuel Dennis, of Baltimore, and |
Judge Atkinson, of Washington.
The condition Of Mrs. Stephen B. Ell
kins was unchanged yesterday. Dr. |
Franz a. r Jung said there was no |
cause for alarm. Mrs. Elkins was pros
trated by the Senator's death and was
not able to attend the funeral