Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-07-11
CIRCLING AIRMEN DROP
FLOWERS ON CORTEGE
GContinued from First Page. ]

stood with barred and bowed heads,
many in tears.
City Hall Bell Tolls
The bell in the City Hall tolled as
the casket was borne from the ro-
! tunda where it had lain in state
throughout the night and placed on
an artillery caisson drawn by four
horses which conveyed it to tho Ca
thedral and thence to Woodlawn
Cemetery.
City Hall Park was dense with
citizens and the procession of SOL
diers, sailors, policemen, firemen,
Red Cross nurses, civilians repre-
senting all city departments, distin-
guished men of the city, state, ma
ton, and representives of the AL
lies, had some difficulty in form
ing.
Flyers Horse Emblem of Grief
Behind the caisson followed Major
Mitchers horse with boots reversed
in the stirrups and bearing also his
reversed sword. Next came his wi
dow and relatives in carriages, fol-
lowed by the pallbearers. Also in
line were Major Mitchel's comrades
in arms, aviators with whom he had
trained for service in France.
Procession Moves Slowly
Military and city department
bands fell in at appropriate inter-
walls. The Dead March" from Saul,
Nearer My God to Thee" and other
hymns We're the music to which the
| procession marched as it made it's
way slowly to the Cathedral in Fifth
avenue.
An airplane circled overhead as
the march began, later to be joined
by six others which flew back and
forth over the route dropping flow
ers. The hum of their motors car
ried to the crowds below a sorrow
full significance for it was as an
aviator that Mitchell died.
The aim of the aviators with their
roses was good. At Thirty-third
| street and Fifth avenue, flowers fell
directly in front of the caisson.
Meantime much of the mourning
| city's business was suspended. All
exchanges closed for an hour and
many concerns gave their employees
opportunity to watch the procession
or to attend the services at the Ca
thedral which were open to the pub
lie.
Police GIee Club Sings
A theme of solemn music carried
out from beginning to end was a
thrilling feature of all the funeral
ceremonies. At the start the police
'glee club sang "He Who Is Upright"
as the casket was being placed on
the gun carriage. Tolling of church
bells, and the ringing of chimes
mingled with the funeral marches
of the bands along the route of
march, and the great organ of st.
Patrick's took up the theme when
the services began.
The coffin had been sealed before
1t was brought to the historic build
ing to lie in state where the bodies
of Abraham Lincoln and U. S. Grant
once rested. but those in the motley
throng which passed before it felt
no shame in the tears they shed for
the young officer who left the
Mayors chair to serve his country in
its most dangerous service and fell
to his death in Louisiana last Sat
urday.
No Somber Hue I'm Hall
There was no shade of black with
in the City Hall. Bay trees and
palms were banked about the walls.
The stairway and floors were COW
cred with purple carpet. On the
wall above was hung an American
flag, flanked by the colors of the
allies. A soft spotlight played on
the flags and another on the coffin,
beside which was a standard of
United States flags.
A service flag of white with a
narrow black border bearing a sim
gle golden star. was draped beside
the casket while another gold serv-
ice star on a shield was hung be-
tween the center pillars of the build |
ing.
At the stroke of FIVE a troop of |
mounted police galloped into City |
Hall park giving warning to the |
thousands gathered there that the |
body of Major Mitchell had arrived |
from the home of his widowed |
mother to lie in state in the build |
ing where he ruled the affairs of |
the city for four years.
Soldiers Bear Casket |
The troopers dismounted and stood |
at attention as Mayor John f. Hy- |
Ian appeared on City Hall steps, ac-
companied by his secretary and a |
lieutenant of police. A military |
guard of honor from Governors |
Island formed a lane from the !
hearse to the steps. Eight soldier
bearers raised the casket to their |
shoulders and strobe up the stairs.
Mayor Hylan and other city off, !
GERS. past and present, followed the |
bearers to the rotunda where the |
coffin was placed in a bower of lilies
and flowers of every hue. Six lighted |
candles were placed upon the casket
and military guard of honor. which
will be relieved every hour until
o'clock this morning when the flu
neral cortege will start for St. Pat
ricll's cathedral, took its station.
AT $40 the iron gates of the City
Hall were thrown open and from
then until far into the night, men,
women and children filed past the
casket at the rate of 200 a minute,
paying a tribute of respect.