Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 November 1892 — THE LAST SAD RITES. [ARTICLE]

THE LAST SAD RITES.

The Simple bat Impressive Services at the White House. A Frofaalen of Bwitlf«l Floral Tributes to Mr*. Harris* a. Funeral exercises over the remains of Mrs. Harrison, previous to their removal to Indianapolis for botial, were held in the east room of the White House at H> o’clock on the morning of the 27th. They were brief and simple, is accordance with the wishes of the President and family, often expressed, that there be no attempt at display. An hour before the services began, the*casket was brought doshi stairs from the room la which Mrs. Harrison hail died, spd placed In the center of the roomdirectly underneath the middle chandelier. At either end of the casket stood an immense sago palm, whose graceful waving branches reached nearly to the ceiling of the magnificent apartment. • > ? Wheo the doors were thrown open to admit the first arrivals the scene was strikingly beautiful. Tho chandeliers east a flood of mellow light, the windows having been darkened. The several mantle* pieces were banked with ferns and flanked at each end by a larger palm. Around the csrket were grouped the great woalth of floral offerings, through which the friends of Mrs. Harrison, present and absent, testified to their appreciation of her worth while firing and'their sorrow athsr death. They filled ail the space on either side of the casket, almost to the windows on the cast and the door Into the corridor on the west, connecting the apartment with the private portion of the bouse. It is practically impossible to give a fist of these tributes. Among them were wreaths from Queen Victoria, presented through the charge d’atTairs; from the diplomatic corps; Mr. and Mrs. Vice President Morton, and hundreds of others.

Shortly after 9 o’clock the first of those who attended the services in the East Room, entered the White House,and from the time of their appearance until the services began a constant stream of social, official and political friends of the Harrison ramtry easiA Through ths gate* of tho mansion in voblclcs and on foot. There was little outside the White House to indicate any unusual event, except the presence of so many carriages and the few bine coated policemen at the gates. Two score of people gathered about the eastern en trance and along the iroapielfet fence and looked with Interest! across tho lawn, carpeted with dead leaves, at the white columns and drawn blinds of the executive residence and the arriving and departing carriages. These two score of spectators were plentifully augmented before tho conclusion of the services in the house, and when the funeral cortege moved out of the White Huuse gates the steps of the Treasury were crowded with people, while several hundred others gathered along the sidewalks in the vicinity of the mansion. Mr. Whlteiaw Reid was one of theoarli* est to appear. A number of diplomatists, including Baron Fava, the Italian minister; Minister Guzman, of Nicaragua; Senor Romero, the Mexican charge d’ affairs, and Marquis Imperiall.the Italian charge d’ affairs, came together. Chief Justice Fuller, Justice Gray and Mrs. Gray, Justice Drown and Mrs. Brown, Justice Brewer and Mrs. Brewer, Justice Blatchford, Chief Justice Richardson, of the Court of Claims; Senator Proctor Commodore Ramsay, Admiral Jonett and many other persons of note. ~ The tall clock over the usher’s desk In the public hall way, just outside the East Room, tolled out ten strokes, when the first sign of the beginning of tho ceremonial appeared. Down the long, carpeted private corridor came the honorary pall bearers in double Qle, each dressed in somber black. Yice President Morton aud Secretary John W. Foster headed the fine, while following them in the order .named. catnaSecretary_ Elkins. AitoreeyGcneral Miller, Postmaster General Wanamaker, Secretary Tracy, Secretary Nobie and Secretary Rußk. They were us* signed to seats in tho first row, nearest the catafalque.

'At the end and do one side of the private corridor that enters the East Room is a broad staircase, and down this came the mourners. At the head was benjamin Harrison, the husband, his official position forgotten for the time being by the assembled friends in the sympathy which went out trom the hearts of all tboso present. Leaning on bis arm was Mrs, J. Robert McKee, the tender and loving daughter, whose devotion to her mother knew noi fatigue. The face of the President was of a deathly pallor, and the traces of mental suffering wore deeply marked. Mr. Russell B. Harrison, supporting his wife, followed the father and sister. Then came the venerable parent of the deceased rertstress of the House, the Rev. Dr. Scott, escorting Mrs. John F. Parker, the niece of Mrs. Harrison. Mr. Robert McKee and Mrs. Mary | S. Dlmmick. the son-in-law and niece « f the dead woman; the Hop. J. V. L. Findley, of Baltimore the President's cousinand Mrs. Findlav, end Lieut. John F. Parker and Private Secretary Halford wero tbe others composing the family party. They came slowly down the long corridor, past the banked palms and flowers, past,the great portraits of former Presidents of the United States, and entered the romp of death. All rose to receive them. The mourners seated them' silves to the south of the catafalque where the palms and banks of Rowers, to a great extent, shielded them from observationThose present, barely two hundred in number, were almost exclusively the official family of the President and those whose relations with the family put them on the footing of domestic friends. The services were very brief but Impressive, conducted by Dr. Hamlin of the church of the Covenant. It'was jnst 10:40 o'clock wheu the services concluded. The had last barely forty minutes. The honorary pall bearers, preediting the casket, so and a passage way on the main the mansion and stood with uncovered heads while the eight body bearers bore it to the hearse. The funeral procession then proceeded to the Pennsylvania railroad station. There was nothing lit the procession to Indicate the high position of the deceased, i Evert thing nitont the cortege was as simple und uneatentailona as possible. . The string of carriages enbmited lor two blocks beyond the hearse. Nearly all the [fern oVteck nZH rl n K,n U i Tram mo clock mill! noon, ttid tlie tun* Ssriscssnsii™ s fte.%s2twlibi '* ft Iftno but silently decorous crowd awaited It* ’ 7

ted as Crown Hill cemetdry. The funeral train from Washington arrived at 9:25 o'clock In the morning. On board, accompanying the remains, were the President, his Cabinet and many other relative* and friend* of the White House family. The body was escorted to the Fits. Presbyterian church, of which Mrs. Harrison Pkd been a derated member, and the funeral sermon was there delivered by the pastor. Rev. M. L Haines. The last stage of the long funeral march was from the church to the cemetery, past the mod? eet Harrison homestead on North Deinware street. In accordance with tho President’s desire the funeral services were unceremonious. The people by putting ont mourning emblems everywhere nod by their presence at the church, on the tine of march, and at the cemetery test.fied to their loving memory of the dead, and to their sympathy with their fellow cit t#, the President. Among the distinguished people ini attendance wero Vice President and Mrs. Morton, Sec. rotary Halford and Miss Halford. Secrotary and Mrs. Elkin*. Secretary and Mrs. Proctor, Secretary and Mrs. Foster, Secretary and Mrs. Noble, Secretary and Mrs. Rusk. Mrs. A. Sanders and Charles Sanders, mother nod brother of Mrs. Russell Harrison; Mr. E. J. Eaton and Mrs. B. F. Eaton, Gen. J, M. Schofield and wife, Chicago; Capt. C. B. Schofield. Chi cage: Gen. Wright, Washington, D. C.; Hempstead Washburn. Chicago: H. N. May, Chicago; J. F. Aldrich. Chicago; J. S. Miller, Chicago; J. D. Ware, Chicago; R, Robinson, Chicago; T. B. Koogh, Chicago; O. D. Grover, Chicago; O. H. Lanaban, Chicago; J. C. Breckinridge, U. S. A.; Wm. Igleheart,'U. S. A.