Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 December 1886 — A LONG FAREWELL. [ARTICLE]

A LONG FAREWELL.

The Mortal Remains cf Chester Alan Arthur Consigned to Earth. A Large Gathering of Eminent Men Present at the Ceremonies. [New York telegram. [ The last night of the loving watch beside the bier of Gen. Chester Alan Arthur, ex-Bresident of the United States, has passod. President Cleveland and Postmaster General Vilas arrived in a carriage direct from the train at 8:20 a. m., and entered tho house of mourning. Many people uncovered their heads when the President stepped out of his carriage. Shortly after, Gov. Hill and Judge William Muller arrived and entered the house. They were followed by the Senate committee. By this time there was a nrglity throng of people on the avenue, and the windows of every house were tilled with sad faces. There were no services at the house. At 8:30 the black casket, covered with palmetto leaves, sprays of violets, and a wreath of white roses, was lifted by tee undertaker’s assistants and borne ironi the room. The siltnt form of Chester A. Arthur passed through the door of his earthly tenement for the last time, and was reverently placed in the funeral-draped hearse. As the casket came in view of the people in the street every head was bowed reverentlv, and many eyes filled with tears in the throng thus hushed in tho presence of death. "~

There was no display of pomp or ceremony, no military musio or procession, but the mighty throng of sorrowing people bore witness to their love and respect for the deceased statesman. Next came out of the residence Chestor Alan Arthur, Jr., the son of tLe ex-Presi-dent. Leaning on his arm, clad in garments of mourning, was his sister, Miss Nellie Arthur. They passed quietly to their carriage, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. McElroy. Then came Mrs. Caws, Mrs. Ilayneworth, and Miss Arthur, the sister of the ex-President; Postmaster Masten and his wife, of Cohoes, N. Y., with their son and daughter; President Cleveland, Post-master-General Vilas, Gen. Martin T. McMahon, John H. Draper, Secretaries Bayard, Whitney, and Lamar; tho pallbearers, consisting of ex-Po-tmaster General Gresham, cx-Secretaries Lincoln and Chandler, ex-Assistant Postmaster General Hatton, cx-Attorney General Brewster, Lieutenant General Shtridan, Dr. CornO' lius It. Agnew, Cornelius N. Bliss, Robert G. Dun, Gen. George 11. Sharpe, Charles L. Tiffany, and Cornelius Vunderbilt; Chief Justice Waite and Justices Harlan and Blatehford, Senators Edmunds. Sherman, Logan, Evnrts, Hawley, Morrill, Vest, and Gorman, Gen. Stone*, and Gov. Hill. The mourners filled twenty-five carriages, but over one hundred carriages filled with friends, who had been unable to gaiu admission to the house, followed the procession to the church. All along tho line were immense throngs of people who waited in respectful silence while tho funeral train passed. As the casket was borne into the church the choir formed in two files and the clergymen passed between them heading the procession intoning the opening lines of the beautiful Episcopal burial service; tho casket was borne up the aisle on the shoulders of tbe four undertakers’ assistants, followed by the pall-bearers, the family, and the immediate friends. Alter ihe services the undertakers’ assistants lifted the casket on their shoulders and proceeded slowly out of the church, followed by the pall-bearers, members of the family. President and his Cabinet, Gov. Hill and his staff, and tho representatives of the army and navy. The remains were placed on a train for Albany, where Bishop Do ine recited the committal service at the grave. Earth was thrown in the grave and pressed down, and when the dusk of evening began to settlo on 1 orest and hill, deft hands covered the newly made mound with sheets of sod.