The Colorado statesman., 1923-08-11
MARCHING HOSTS ESCORT BODY
OF LATE PRESIDENT IN
FINAL TRIBUTE
THRONGS VIEW CASKET
TENS OF THOUSANDS STAND ST.
LENTLY AS PROCESSION
MOVES

WashingtOn.-Under the great gray
dome of the capitol, with time hon
ored ritual the body of the late Presi-
dent Harding was placed upon the his
torlc catafalque of Lincoln, Garfield,
Mckinley and the Unknown Soldier.
While the leaders of the nation
bowed their heads in token of submis-
sion to the Almlghty's will, the funeral
service was held in the great dome ro-
tunda Of the Capitol, whose lofty
spaces echoed to the strains of hal
lowed hymns and the prayers arising
for the dead and those he left behind.
With the departure of Mrs. Harding,
the widow, President Coolidge, and
other relatives and officials from the
scene, the doors of the capitol were
thrown open and the thousands of
men, women and children waiting for
last took at the face of the President
were permitted to file by the casket.
He was carried from the White
House, which had sheltered his sleep
for those last brief hours, with all the
military pomp and glory that dead
Presidents or such heroes as the I'm
known Soldier alone may know. Not
in the memory of living man has such
high honor been paid save at the death
of such martyrs to the cause of free
dom symboliZed and glorified in the
flag
From the dim East room and its
heavily scented flowers the dead Pres
ident was borne out into day vivid
with sunshine. The clear pealing of a
trumpet sent long lines of steel flash
Ing salute; a moment later it mar
shaled the ordered array of soldiers,
sailors and marines down the long ave-
nue. to the capitol, with John Pershing
riding ahead in command, his only ac-
tual command since the First division,
home from France, trudged westward
over this same route to victory.
President Coolidge was there both
to symbolic the sorrow of the ma
ton and to show his own great per-
sonal grief for his dead chief. And
behind him rode two other men who
have known the hard service of that
high off1ce-one of them was
stricken almost as was he to whom
such honor was being paid Chief
Justice Taft followed President
ing from his retirement once again
for brief moment to give reverent
homage beside the bier of an honor
laden American.
The religions services were strik-
ing in their simplicity against the
background of military pomp and
grandeur given by the funeral pa
rade. Just the short prayers, the mur-
muring of low voices Joined in the old,
old words of the Lords prayer, the
Scriptural readings and the blending
voices of male quartet in the same
hymn that marked this funeral
everywhere, LEAD Kindly Light" the
hymn best beloved by the dead presi-
dent, and at the end, Nearer, My God
to Thee" with its message of Chris
tian resignation.
AT the station the casllet was lifted
down to be carried out again and
gently placed in the position where
tens of thousands of Americans saw
1t on the long homeward pilgrimage
of sorrow from San Francisco. There
were no ceremonies. The nations
farewells had been said except for the
which played Lead Kindly Light" in
final parting.
Mrs. Harding reached the station
soon after the casket had been placed
back aboard the funeral car. She came
direct from the White House. Other
members of the party who travelled
with the dead President on his last
journey that ended with such sad sud |
denness, We're already aboard the |
train by Mrs. Hardings personal re-
quest, to be with the dead to the last |
in Marion.
The group of official mourners stood |
bare-headed on the platform. a hand |
waved in silent signal Without sound |
of bell or whistle the train began to |
move slowly, slowly down the track. |
Warren Harding was gone from |
Washington forever.