The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-08-16
Congressman Brings Back
to First District Story
of Funeral.
MET NEW PRESIDENT

Harding, and at which he was an non
orary pallbearer.
The list of honorary pallbearers as
given in the Washington Post include
Senators Lodge, of Massachusetts,,
Curtis. of Kansas; Watson, of lndi-
ana; Overman, of North Carolina;
Fletcher, of Florida; and Kendrick, Of
Wyoming; Speaker Gillett, and Rep
resentatives Burton, of Ohio; Cooper,
iof Wisconsin; Garrett, of Tennessee;
Garner, of Texas; and Haugen, of
Iowa.
"One of the most striking and sad
scenes occurred about 10 o'clock
Tuesday night" said Mr.. Cooper,
when the body arrived in Washing
! ton from California. 1t was brought
up Pennsylvania avenue which was
| lined by thousands of people, who
stood in perfect silence" Mr.. Cooper
| told that he watched this from his no.
| tel window. ''There was no sound"
he said, except the tread of the SOL
diers, the clatter of the horses feet,
and the rumble of the caisson bear
ing the body"
/
! bearers went to the White House and
the escort formed to take the body to
the capitol. Mr.. Cooper rode IN the
procession with Speaker Gillett, who
had been with President Harding and
his party during the entire trip to and
| from Alaska The speaker told Mr..
Cooper that the day, June 20, on
which the party left Washington, was
one of the hottest in the entire sum-
mer and that when the party reached
ST. Louis the heat was even more
| intense. At st. Louis the president
addressed an audience of more than
10000 people and in addition made
one or two extempore addresses.
From St. Louis, through Missouri and
Kansas, where the president made nu-
merous addresses and shook hands
with countless thousands, the heat
was almost uncomfortable, the speaker
reported, and that at Kansas City, ut
reached the climax in the hottest
weather of the entire trip. Here the
president addressed a great audience
of 10000 or more and delivered one
or two short impromptu speeches.
The speaker said that that evening
the president said: Gentlemen, l feel
tired, very tired"
The party met with no cool or even
comfortable weather until it reached
dinner, and the speaker said in COM
menting on it to the Wisconsin rep
resentative: ''Mr. Cooper, ] believe
that but for the first two or three
weeks of that sitting heat, the presi-
dent would have been alive today"
The day of the funeral was hot, too,
according to Mr.. Cooper who said he
counted IA marines and civilians who
had dropped out of the procession
when they became overcome by heat
and were lying on the side of Cap
itol hill, attended by physicians and
nurses. ,,
The ceremony in the rotunda of the
capitol was impressively solemn, ac4
cording to Mr.. Cooper's report. The
pallbearers sat behind the cabinet, the
second row from the catafalque. Mr.,
Cooper's chair was on the aisle, di-
rectly behind Secretary of State
Hughes. The services were held at
II o'clock.
/ "An audience of more than thou
sand gathered in the great rotunda, .
said Mr.. Cooper, sand included the
supreme court, General Pershing and
his staff, admirals of fleets, ambassa-
doris and ministers from foreign
countries, senators and representa-
tives, 10 governors Of states, and nu-
merous other distinguished men and
women, delegates from organizations
throughout the country.
"As l looked upon that catafalque,"
said Mr.. Cooper, my mind was filled
with the strangely sad thought that
beside the beloved Harding, it has
borne the bodies of other great mar
tyrs to duty, Mckinley, Garfield and
Abraham Lincoln.
Immediately after Mrs. Harding
arrived the services began. She was
very calm. Only when the choir sang
Lead, Kindly Light did she wipe the
| tears from her eyes. | have never
seen more pathetic figure. Every
heart in that vast audience went out
to her il. silent sympathy.
"When the service ended the audi
ence departed and the body was left
with its military guard Of honor, ma
rines and soldiers, until 4:30 o'clock.
During that time many thousands
passed through the rotunda to look
upon the face of the dead president.
Scores Of thousands were unable to
reach the capitol. The cline of the
disappointed people stretched for
blocks both ways from the capitol
"At 4:30, the pail bearers returned
to the capitol and with the guard of
honor accompanied the remains to the
station, from where it was to depart
to the presidents old home at Marion,
Ohio. In the station, while the body
was being carried from the caissOn
to the train, the United States Marine
band played, Lead, Kindly Light.
Washington had seen the last for
ever of President Harding.
Never" said Mr.. Cooper, "has
Washington known man of more de-
lightful personality, nor one whom it
more fondly loved. His death is in
expressibly sad. He was man OF
fine mind and pure motives. Already
he had accomplished great things and
would, in my judgment, had he lived,
accomplished still greater. He was a
genuine lover of his fellow man, and
might we'll be called the apostle of
Brotherhood and Of Peace.
Calls on New President.
Saturday, just before leaving
Washington, / called on President