Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, Sept. 20, 1901.
THE MCKINLEY MEMORIAL.
Two Great Audiences Pay the Last Tribute of Respect.
Opera House Crowded from Pit to Dome—Overflow Meeting held at Congregational Church—Strong and Earnest Speeches at Both Meetings—Favorite Hymns Sung—Resolutions of Sympathy Adopted.
The city of Cortland paid its last tribute of respect to the late William McKinley, president of the United States, at two great meetings yesterday afternoon, held at the same time that the funeral services at Canton were in progress. The principal meeting was at the Opera House, but a half hour before the appointed time had arrived it was apparent that this building would not begin to accommodate those who were anxious to hear, and notice was given that the Congregational church would be opened for an overflow meeting. This church was well filled and able speeches were made in both places.
The decorations of the Opera House were beautiful and appropriate. Flags and crepe were used almost exclusively, but in a very artistic manner. A large portrait of President McKinley stood on an easel at the west side of the stage draped with flags and black, and wreathed in bright hued asters.
The stage was occupied by the large chorus choir which sang so acceptably under the direction of Mr. Geo. Oscar Bowen, while in the orchestra circle was Darby's orchestra of ten pieces. The music was of a high degree of excellence. The Excelsior quartet sang especially well the favorite hymn, "Lead, Kindly Light."
Back of the choir upon the stage sat the veterans of the civil war who attended the service in a body.
The program was as previously announced and as given below:
We publish below a summary of the remarks of all the speakers except Dr. Houghton. That gentleman's address was delivered from manuscript and his analysis of the statesmanship of President McKinley was so thoughtful and discriminating and in every way so excellent that we have procured the manuscript and publish it entire.
JUDGE J. E. EGGLESTON.
Fellow Citizens: I do not know whether I dare trust myself to speak to you on this solemn occasion. "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remember Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they who carried us away captive required of us a song. If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth." Those were the words of the psalmist after he and his sorrowing people had been driven from their homes to a strange country. It is a terrible punishment called down upon them, if they should be wanting in their duty.
William McKinley is dead. Dead to this world. When the news flashed forth to the entire world, that he had been stricken down by the hand of an assassin, it was like the flash of lightning, going out from a clear sky. What a scene is being enacted throughout this country today. This great people moved to tears. In every city, village and hamlet kind words are spoken of the man, but perhaps a feeling of sympathy never before seen in any part of the world is shown in the death of the president of our nation. What a man he was! What a master of the situation! And we honor ourselves today when we pay this beautiful tribute of respect to his memory. Some of yon will remember when we met here a few years ago, when the nation was being agitated by the question of war, and we were meeting in this Opera House and throughout the country. Then there was a feeling of earnestness everywhere, and it went so far as to make criticisms upon the great president of this country. Even his best friends were against him. He could not explain to the people the reason why; we understand it now; yet he knew at that time that this country was not prepared for war which if it came at that time might mean unnecessary sacrifice of life. Like the great man he was, he stood at the helm, and when the situation was right, he acted and we knew that a master was at the head of this nation. McKinley, great in life, is still greater in death, and I believe like Lincoln, we all love, honor and admire him more than ever. Great as Lincoln was in his life, he is greater today than ever, and so with William McKinley, he will grow on and on, stronger and stronger in the hearts of the people, and while we speak of him as dead today, he is not dead, but living. His life will be an incessant example to this country.
I want to very briefly speak of McKinley in his home. The most sacred institution, the most sacred place in this world is home. Why, you remember President Garfield when he died, the people mourned his loss. Many had seen him upon the battlefield. Many had seen him in the executive chair and in the house of congress. But as I look back upon the life of that great man, the most beautiful thing was the kind filial devotion which he had for his dear old mother. Never was there a more remarkable picture of home life shown than that of President Garfield's in the very kind devotion given by him to his mother.
And yet we will be told of the honors which have been conferred upon this man, of what he has done on the battlefield, of what he has done in Congress, of what he has done as president. They all are worthy of the highest commendation. Yes, all the geniuses of modern times can well be called forth to speak praises of that man in that respect. But, my dear friends, there is one part of his life, detracting from nothing else, which seems to me above all others— the great devotion which has been shown by him in his home. A man having all of the duties to perform, which he has had. Did you ever know of single instance where he ever once forgot his devotion to his invalid wife? When almost in the agony of death; when he knew not how serious it might be, when in the midst of that great crowd of people, when he was struck down by the assassin, how tender these words of his were, "I trust that you will not let Mrs. McKinley know of this; at least, I hope it will not be exaggerated." He was a faithful husband. O, William McKinley, you have been great in the executive chair of the nation. You have been brave on the battlefield. You have been faithful in congress. But when God comes to judge this world, the noblest and sweetest act of your life will be the loyal and filial devotion to that invalid wife of yours. I believe that in that great day of judgment, heaven will ring with praise of your devotion to your wife.
In the Scripture which was read to us this afternoon it was asked, "O, death where is thy sting. O, grave, where is thy victory?" Looking out upon the world today, it seems to me that death is robbed of its sting and that there is a victory over the grave. But my friends, we have a lesson to learn here this afternoon. A crime has been committed, and if we shall go from this place without having made any good resolutions, then we have kept this day in vain, and Wm. McKinley's death is of no benefit to this country. I believe God has brought this punishment upon this people for the purpose of teaching a lesson. I do not like the word anarchy. And the sooner the people remember the fact that anarchism must be driven out from this country and torn up root and branch, the sooner they will learn the lesson of today. God moves in a mysterious way. We cannot understand his purpose, and yet we appreciate that this act would not have been committed unless this people had been remiss in their duty. Anarchy means death. Standing here this afternoon, we should pledge ourselves anew that anarchy in this country must be stamped out root and branch, and unless we learn the lesson at this time, these services are of no account and we do not mourn the loss of our beloved president.
In a sister city, while we are gathered here, they are about a new made grave paying a last tribute of respect to their friend, their citizen, and our president. What a lesson this is to the people of this country. We can reconcile this loss by saying that God has some wise providence in it all. President McKinley will live with us; his life will remain with us. He has just gone in advance. He will grow strong year by year. What we say here today will not add one particle to his strength. We shall remember his life work; it will be told around the hearthstone in the home, and in after years, others will rise up and call him blessed. In that far away home that sorrowing widow has our sympathy. The friends have our sympathy and we will remember that great man, that noble man,
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| Nathan Lewis Miller. |
NATHAN L. MILLER.
FELLOW CITIZENS—We are indeed met today upon an occasion more solemn and pathetic than any that it has been the lot of any of us to witness. The unreasoning, senseless, venomous demon of anarchy has made a blow at the government which gave it a home, a refuge and a hiding place, but while it has left that government at which it was aimed unaffected, it took from us a life more precious than words can describe, yea, I do not hesitate to say more precious than imagination can picture. To few could it have been given to know him personally; many had never seen him. That beautiful Christian character, that high-minded and even tempered and just man. He had for more than forty years been weaving the tendrils of affection about the hearts of his fellow men, and when at the very zenith of his career, and when he had the confidence, respect and esteem of his fellow men, and the respect of the world, and when bright with promise of more usefulness and added achievement, he was struck down by the assassin's bullet, and after days of anxious waiting that heart was forever stilled in death we awoke to a realization that we have lost the best loved president our country has ever had. And today the last sad rites will be said, and today we meet throughout his beloved country to pay our last tribute of respect before he shall go to his final resting place—this is a thought which will well nigh overwhelm us. It is no account to us to understand the purpose of divine providence. The life that has gone is still with us, and will forever remain in the hearts of the people so long as they strive for an honorable end. As a soldier, let me say that in whatever sphere, whatever realm you set this man you find the same strength of purpose of character. This phase of his life takes us back to his boyhood days, for he was a boy soldier. Like most of our presidents, he was reared in humble circumstances. He had the benefits of the teaching of a splendid Christian mother. Scarcely 18 years of age, full of the enthusiasm of his years, the life of his country seems to have been a part of his own. He was quick, to respond to the call of his country and dedicated his life to her service. Without means to equip a company, without influence to get a commission, he laid aside his books and marched to the front in the ranks in 1861 in the Twenty-third Volunteers of Ohio. He was promoted and displayed the same business judgment that characterized him in later years. If a single lesson were to be derived from the character of this boy soldier, if a single trait of his character as here displayed were to be emphasized more than another we should point to his faithful and conscientious discharge of his duty wherever placed. He did his full duty regardless of consequences or of danger to himself. Throughout the war be displayed the same characteristics, always meeting the situation with judgment, and doing his duty well. This boy at the age of 18 helped to save his country and did his duty so well that at the age of 21 step by step he had earned his commission as major. As Washington was to the centuries past, so McKinley will be to the centuries to come. The example of his life will open a way to lofty ideals of citizenship.
[Many errors developed when page two was transcribed from pdf to word document, making it too time consuming to copy and edit the entire page. Below see page two and page eight with the remaining copy of the memorial services—CC ed.]
CLOSING ACT THE SADDEST OF THEM ALL.
Sorrowing Nation Performs Its Last Duty to Martyred President.
CHIEF MOURNER ABSENT.
Mrs. McKinley Not Allowed to Attend the Services at the Church or Cemetery.
Funeral Cortege Was Two Miles Long. Passed Through Continuous Lane of Bowed and Bared Heads From McKinley Home to Cemetery—Services at Church and Cemetery Were Simple, But Impressive In Their Mournful Grandeur—Body Placed In Vault to Await Time For Its Removal to Family Plot—Great Outpouring of Grief Occurred as Casket Was Removed From Sight of Those Who Had Followed It at Every Stage of Its Sad Journey.
CANTON, O., Sept. 20.—With majestic solemnity, surrounded by his countrymen and his townspeople, in the presence of the president of the United States, the cabinet, the justices of the United States supreme court, senators and representatives in congress,, the heads of military and naval establishments, the governors of states and a great concourse of people who had known and loved him, all that is mortal of the third president to fall by an assassin's bullet, was yesterday committed to the grave.
It was a spectacle of mournful grandeur. Canton ceased to be a town and swelled to the proportions of a great city. From every city and hamlet in Ohio, from the remote corners of the south and from the east and west, the human tide flowed into the town until 100,000 people were within its gates, here to pay their last tribute to the fallen chief.
The final scenes at the First Methodist church where the funeral service was held, and at the beautiful West Lawn cemetery, where the body was consigned to a vault, were simple and impressive.
The services at the church consisted of a brief oration, prayers by the ministers of three denominations and singing by a quartet. The body was then taken to West Lawn cemetery and placed in a receiving vault, pending the time when it will be finally laid to rest beside the dead children, who were buried years ago.
The funeral procession was very imposing and included not only the representatives of the army and navy of the United States, but the entire military strength of the state of Ohio and hundreds of civic, fraternal and other organizations. It was two miles long.
One of the most pathetic features of the day was the absence of Mrs. McKinley from the funeral services at the church and from the cemetery when the body of her husband was laid to rest. Since the first shock of the shooting, then of death, then through the ordeal [of] state ceremonies, she had borne up bravely. But there was a limit to human endurance and yesterday found her too weak to pass through the trials of the final ceremonies.
Through the open door of her room she heard the prayer of the minister as the body was borne out of the house. After that Dr. Rixey remained close by her side and, although the full force of the calamity had come upon her, it was believed by those about her that there was a providential mercy in her tears, as they gave some relief to the anguish of the heart within.
At 7 o'clock last night President Roosevelt and the members of the cabinet started back to Washington.
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.
President's Pan-American Speech.
Probably the most notable speech delivered by President McKinley in recent years was that which he made at the Pan-American exposition scarcely twenty-four hours before his attempted assassination. It was just beginning to be commented upon when the news of the tragedy in the Temple of Music swept away all other thoughts save those connected with his recovery. Now, however, the country seems to have again picked up the dropped thread. In his address at Buffalo he not only gave a most glowing word picture of the country's progress and prosperity, but his sentences were freighted with sentiments of peace and good will toward other nations.
The most gracious touch of the entire speech, however, was toward its close, when he spoke of the real originator of the pan-American idea—the man who, singularly enough, stood beside Garfield when he fell wounded by an assassin's bullet twenty years ago. "This exposition," said President McKinley, "would have touched the heart of that American statesman whose mind was ever alert and thought ever constant for a larger commerce and a truer fraternity of the republics of the new world. His broad American spirit is felt and manifested here.
"He needs no identification to an assemblage of Americans anywhere, for the name of Blaine is inseparably associated with the pan-American movement, which finds this practical and substantial expression and which we all hope will be firmly advanced by the pan-American congress that assembles this autumn in the capital of Mexico. The good work will go on. It cannot be stopped."
GARRISON-WINCHELL.
Brilliant Wedding at Congregational Church Followed by Reception.
One of the most brilliant weddings which has occurred in Cortland in a long time was that of Mr. George Henry Garrison and Miss Anna E. Winchell at the Congregational church at 8 o'clock on Wednesday evening, Sept. 18. The church has just been refinished in all its interior appointments an refurnished, and it probably never looked finer before than on this occasion in all its bridal attire. The pulpit platform had been built forward and two of the front seats removed. The decorations were remarkably beautiful. The color scheme was in pink and white. Hydrangea blooms, pink and white alternating, and maiden hair ferns formed a border about the edge of the platform. Smilax and clematis looped in different directions from a central point above the platform formed a sort of canopy, partially under which the bridal party stood during the ceremony. At the back of the pulpit was a large bank of pink and white asters, while large palms added to the pretty setting.
There were 450 invitations issued to the church and the guests began to arrive there at an early hour, where Mr. B. L. Bentley at the organ gave a most delightful half hour's recital of music appropriate to such an occasion. The preliminary program was as follows:
Marriage Service, Dubois
(a) Entrance of the Procession.
(b) Nuptial Benediction.
(c) Offertoire.
(d) Invocation.
(e) Laus Deo.
Swedish Wedding March, Sodermann
Capriccio, Lemaigre
Introduction to the Third act of Lohengrin, Wagner
As the bridal party entered the church Mr. Bentley played The Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin; during the ceremony, very softly, Oh, Promise Me, by DeKoven; and at the conclusion of the ceremony the March from Midsummer Night's Dream by Mendelssohn.
It was just 8 o'clock when the Bridal Chorus was begun and the bridal party entered the church in the following order: the four ushers, Messrs. Charles C. Wickwire, Wm. H. McGraw, Halsey M. Collins and B. L. Nourse; the four bridesmaids, Misses Jane Humes, Mabel Brewer, Mabel Fitzgerald and Bessie Benedict; the maid of honor, Miss Edith May Winchell, sister of the bride, and the bride leaning upon the arm of her father.
The bride, always exceedingly attractive in appearance, looked unusually beautiful in her handsome gown of white crepe de chene over white silk, with waist trimmed with real lace. The veil was caught up with a diamond and she carried a shower bouquet of bride roses. The maid of honor was gowned in pink crepe de chene over pink silk, and she carried a shower bouquet of pink roses. The gowns of the four bridesmaids were all of the same material and were made alike. They were of pink silk mull over pink silk. Each carried a bouquet of pink roses and each wore a garland of pink and white roses upon her hair.
As the bridal party took their respective places upon the platform before the officiating clergyman, Rev. Robert Yost, the pastor of the church, Mr. Garrison and his best man Mr. Charles W. Barker, appeared from a side door and joined the group. The ceremony was a modification of the Episcopal form and was very impressively performed.
After the service at the church there was a reception at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Winchell, 28 Madison-st., for which 120 invitations had been issued. The spacious veranda was enclosed and attractively lighted with electricity. The punch bowl was placed here from which Misses Cora L. Winchell and Nellie Bliss dispensed delicious lemonade. The parlors looked remarkably pretty. The receiving party stood in a bower in the bay window formed by smilax and white ribbons looped from the chandelier in the center of the room to the curtains behind them. The piano was heavily banked with choice cut flowers. In the sittingroom [sic] the mantle was heavily massed with flowers, while an archway between this room and the diningroom [sic] was formed by ribbons and smilax.
The guests were cordially received by Mr. and Mrs. Winchell, the bride and groom, the maid of honor and best man and Mr. and Mrs. L. D. Garrison, parents of the groom. Darby's orchestra of six pieces furnished most delightful music throughout the evening. The caterer was Allberger of Ithaca, and his service was all that could be desired. There was a remarkably pretty feature about the bridal table which was circular. A pyramid of bride roses and maiden hair ferns graced its center. At each plate was a tiny pink incandescent light in the form of a rose. The lights were not turned on till the party was all seated when the switch was turned and the lights came up producing an effect that was both surprising to those at the table and which elicited many expressions of admiration.
The presents which were displayed in the upper rooms were among the most costly and beautiful and elegant ever seen in this city. They comprised a great amount of solid silver, exquisite cut glass, rare china, choice pictures and bric-a-brac, beautiful embroidery and table linen, and other articles both useful and ornamental. Among them was a check for $500 from Mr. L. D. Garrison, the groom's father; a remarkably handsome breakfast and tea set of Dresden china from Mrs. Garrison; a complete set of solid silver from the bride's parents; an ice cream set of sliver from Mr. and Mrs. B. C. Winchell, the brother and sister of the bride; a Dresden china and gold clock and vases for mantle from Mrs. C. H. Garrison, aunt of the groom. The bridesmaids joined in giving a very handsome cut glass water set; while the best man and ushers, except Mr. Wickwire, gave a solid silver salad dish. Mr. Wickwire's present was an elegant sliver candelabrum. Mr. Garrison's present to his bride was an exquisite diamond and pearl brooch. To best man and ushers he gave a handsome scarf pin, together with other essentials for the wedding, each in a white kid satin lined box, and each bearing in gold letters the name of the recipient. The bride's present to each of her bridesmaids was a beautiful pearl ring.
Among the guests at the wedding and reception from out of town were Mrs. C. H. Garrison; Mr. and Mrs. John Ryder and Mr. and Mrs. William Bolton, all of Troy; Mr. and Mrs. G. B. Garrison of Jordan; Mr. M. A. Thompson of Gloversville; Mr. Arthur Dyer of New York; Mr. Mulford Wheeler of Millerton; Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Winchell of DeRuyter; Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Mead of Moravia; Mrs. Charles Truesdell, Miss Charlotte Truesdell and Miss Louise Barney, all of Syracuse.
Mr. and Mrs. Garrison left on the 11:33 train for a two weeks trip south. On their return they will be in Cortland for a little time and then expect to go to the far south for the winter. Their future residence is not yet fully determined, but it is quite likely to be in Cortland.
BREVITIES.
—Hitchcock Hose Co. attended the Dryden fair Thursday in uniform.
—Cortland Commandery, No. 50, Knights Templar, will confer the Order of Temple this evening.
— The Republican county convention will be held at Taylor hall in Cortland on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 2 P. M.
—There will be a regular meeting of the A. O. U. W. this evening at 8 o'clock, at which time twelve candidates will be initiated.
—An extra coach was added to the 8:31 Lehigh Valley train Thursday morning to accommodate passengers for the Dryden fair.
—New display advertisements today are—Cincinnatus fair, page 4; Baker & Angell, Shoes, page 4; F. Daehler, Clothing, page 7; M. A. Case, Dry goods, page 3; Opera House, "San Francisco Minstrel," page 5; C F. Thompson, Hulled corn, page 5.
—At 2:20 yesterday afternoon the machinery at the power house was stopped and for five minutes not a [trolley] car on the line of the electric road moved and the electric lights were all out. They were noticed to be out at the Opera House. This was in accordance with the local order issued and followed the custom practiced all over the United States as a tribute of respect for the dead president,
—Mr. F. E. Glover of Boston, formerly a resident of Cortland, and a brother of Mrs. O. W. Lund, was on Wednesday married to Miss Mary Stoughton Thornton of Newburyport, Mass. The wedding occurred at the home of the bride's aunt, Mrs. Charles C. S. Thornton at Magnolia, Mass. Mr. and Mrs. Glover will be at home after Nov. 1 at 550 High St., West Medford, Mass. Mr. Glover will be well remembered by many friends in both Cortland and Homer.
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