Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 24, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 September 1901 — A NATION MOURNS M’KINLEY. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A NATION MOURNS M’KINLEY.

Columbia Bows in Sorrow at the Bier of Dead President. Simple Ceremonies Mark First of the Funeral Observances in Buffalo. 'h Services at Washington Befitting Obsequies of a Nation’s Chief. Solemn Cortege Moves Between Walls of Grieving Humanity. Distinguished Man's Mortal Remains Now Rest in Westlawn Cemetery, Canton.

WILLIAM MCKINLEY’S mortal remains now rest in Westlawn Cemetery at Canton. The third American President to die by the hand of aji assassin has taken his place among the martyrs. A nation is bowed with grief. Funeral formalities and the outward manifestations of a nation’s grief were -all that remained after Saturday. With these over, the curtain falls upon the third great tragedy in the annals of American Presidents, and that tragedy -and the career of William McKinley have passed into history. Already the machinery of the chief executive branch of the government has resumed Its routine.

The body of the President lay Saturday night in the room wherein he died. It was removed to the parlors of the Milburn house for the funeral services ■at 11 o’clock Sunday morning. The services were simple in form, and were private, only the immediate members of the McKinley family and their clos--est friends were assembled. Mrs. McKinley was not with them. As the daily life of William McKinley -was marked by the greatest simplicity, ao were the last rites and services over his casket at Buffalo. Solemn and impressive, full of the lessons that the President had sought to live out In their fullness, there was no pomp or circumstance to the closing scenes in the .now famous Milburn house.

With the sacred hymns that had been his favorite music, with the loving words of those who had known him, with just a few of the nearest and •dearest friends gathered at the side of •his bier, the noble victim of a wanton wretch was prepared for his last journey. Then the casket was closed over its precious burden and borne through the streets of the city to where the mul-titude-might pass in one long, sad procession for the last view of the kindly face.

Immediately after the services the remains of the late President were taken to the Buffalo City Hall, and there lay In state from 1 o’clock In the afternoon until 11 o’clock at night. More than twice as many as could hope Sget through the lines in that time me from all over western New York until fully 200,000 were massed during

the morning. For nearly ten hours • fhey streamed through the City Hall corridor where the President lay, passing in two lines which formed faster than they melted. Ten thousand an hour flowed past until stormy weather «nd physical collapse wore out other thousands and the thinned lines ended

at 11 o’clock at night. When the doors were closed it was estimated that over 90,000 persons had viewed the remains. The body of the President was guarded throughout the night by United States soldiers, and at 7:30 o’clock Monday morning it was removed from the City Hall, and under escort of soldiery taken to the union station, from whence a funeral train went direct to Washington. Over the hills and through the valleys that lie between Buffalo and the seat of government moved the funeral train which bore to the capital all that was mortal of the dead President. As it rolled slowly past city and village, town and hamlet, its silent burden lying in solemn state beneath the folds of the flag, all in full view in the great funeral coach, the people of the land gathered at every station to pay sad tribute to him who governed them. Manifesting itself all along the route there was an excess of grief, a depth of sorrow, a heartfelt anguish that tells better than aught else the place that America has reserved for William McKinley in its roil of those it loved the best. The entire route was lined with thousands of weeping and sad-faced men, women and children.

That journey from Buffalo with the body of President McKinley was a journey from the great lakes to tidewater through'walls of weeping people. Bells

tolled, choirs sang, bands played dirges, veterans and societies stood with draped banners and bare heads all along the route. The black drapery of mourning was everywhere to be seen. No home was too humble for a mute expression of sorrow. Rich and poor alike wore the garb of grief. Great crowds of people

gathered along the route. They made banks of the fields and at the road crossings. They covered houses and fences and piles of lumber. They perched upon ipcomotives and cars and roofs and factories. All bared their heads as the train swept by. Schools were closed for the hour, and in front of them stood the little boys and girls. Many of them held flowers and some had tiny flags draped with black. At every school house there is a flagstaff from which floated the national colors at half-mast. Thus William McKinley made his last journey to the capital of the nation—a journey which was one long benediction from the hearts of the people. Ceremonies in Washington. After the wonderful journey from Buffalo—a journey of nearly 500 miles between parallel lines of bared heads and weeping eyes—the funeral train drew into the Washington station Monday night at 8:45 o’clock. A tremendous throng was assembled to greet it. Historic Pennsylvania avenue was a sea of faces, as far as the eye could reach. Not many more people were, gathered there those two 4ths of March when William McKinley rode along this same thoroughfare from the White House to the capitol to receive the civic crown. Monday night he was crowned with a wreath of love and grief. In the press of people awaiting the train were officers of the army and navy and high officials of the executive branches. With President Roosevelt at its head the cortege was quickly formed and the casket oontaining the body of the late President was quickly borne to the executive mansion amid scenes of woe and sorrow. There it was placed upon a bier erected in the famous east room, scene of so much of the ceremonial history of our country, and there it was left for the night under the guard of sailors and soldiers. The funeral procession formed Tuesday morning and the body was conveyed to the Capitol, where it was again received by the guard of honor and lay in state In the rotunda of the Capitol. The sad procession accompanying the remains was nearly as large as the one that passed up and down the same route last March, when William McKinley entered upon his second term. Thousands of the same men took part in this parade and thousands of the same men and women watched It from curt* and window. The funeral cortege moved from the White House at V o’clock sharp. A

trumpet screamed, waiting troops wheeled into line, drummers sounded a muffled i roll and the'favorite hymn of the dead President, played by the Marine band, rose and fell as the stately march began. The crowd numbered many thousands, but the people were as silent as death. Men raised their hats —women bowed their heads. Slowly the long procession traversed the sable-draped length of Pennsylvania avenue and entered the capitol. The funeral services at the capitol were simple and beautiful. They consisted of two hymns, a prayer, an address and a benediction. A sound from the organ brought the assemblage to its feet, and when the words of the hymn, “Lead, Kindly Light,” rang in mournful strains' and was re-echoed through the great edifice heads dropped and tears filled all eyes. After the hymn the Rev. Dr. Naylor offered a fervent prayer. Then Bishop Edward G. Andrews delivered an eloquent eulogy over the remains of his lifelong friend and parishioner. Again the comforting words and music of “Nearer, My God, to Thee” arose. Rev. W. H. Chapman pronounced the benediction. Friends in official life took their last look tot the dead face, and then the waiting thousands were admitted. Rain fell nearly all the afternoon, but the crowds outside were undiminished. Slowly past the coffin they filed in a sad procession, which continued until nightfall. Then the doors of the capitol were closed and preparations were made to convey the body to Canton. Mrs. McKinley was so overcome that she was unable to attend the ceremonies in the capitol. Her immediate attendants decided that it were better that she should forego the services and save her remnant of strength for the journey home to Canton. Mrs. Roosevelt spent part of the day with her in the White House. At 1 o'clock, while the tremendous crowd was surging toward the east entrance to the rotunda, thousands of people, many of whom were women and children, were caught in a crush at the foot of the main staircase. Scores of women and children fainted and many were borne into the capitol, where medical aid was rendered.

At the Capitol exercises the members of the two houses entered under escort of their respective sergeants-at-arms. The casket and the catafalque were decorated with silk American flags, also the walls at intervals around the rotunda. As there is a law forbidding the draping of public buildings with crape the exterior of the Capitol wore no badge of mourning. The firing of salutes and the tolling of bells took place at the closing of the impressive funeral services at the Capitol, and for the remainder of the afternoon the general public paid last respects to the honored dead. Home in Canton. The funeral train left Washington early Tuesday evening and arrived at Canton Wednesday morning at 11 o’clock. Along the route were scenes similar to those described on the trip from Buffalo. In bis home city the remains were viewed by Mr. McKinley’s old friends and neighbors, and at 2 o’clock Thursday afternoon brief church services Were held. Afterward a military and civic parade escorted the remains to WestlaWn cemetery, where they were deposited in the public receiving vault, awaiting the preparation of a permanent resting place.

Just because the American potato bug has successfully invaded England that is no sign that France could do the same.

BODY OF PRESIDENT M’KINLEY LYING IN STATE.