Wiener Kurier (April 26, 1946)
Washington (AND) - An der Spitze des ganzen amerikanischen Volkes trauert Präsident Truman um den verstorbenen Obersten Richter Harlan F. Stone. Der Präsident, der einige Ferientage auf seiner Jacht verbringen wollte, eilte in die Hauptstadt zurück, um an den Trauerfeierlichkeiten in der Kathedrale von Washington teilzunehmen.
The Evening Star (April 26, 1946)
Remembered as “one to whom we looked for clear direction in perplexity,” Chief Justice Harlan Fiske Stone received the funeral tribute of respect and affection from almost 2,000 persons who, with President Truman, mourned at simple services in the Washington Cathedral yesterday afternoon.
The 40-minute rites, conducted by the Rev. Fleming James of Sewanee, Tennessee, assisted by the Right Rev. Angus Dun, bishop of Washington, and the Very Rev. John W. Suter, dean of the Cathedral, included no formal eulogy. But that was heard in the prayers giving thanks for having known the chief justice as an “understanding, companionable, kind, true, humble, simple and courageous” friend.
It was seen also in the presence of the president, who interrupted a week-long cruise to drive up from Quantico in time for the 2 p.m. service, and of hundreds of members of the judiciary, the legislative and executive branches of the government, as well as the military who thronged the edifice despite a heavy rain.
Burial in Rock Creek
The burial of Chief Justice Stone was in Rock Creek Cemetery and attended only by his widow and two sons, Dr. Marshall H. Stone of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Col. Lauson Stone of New York, with other relatives and close family friends.
Five minutes before the processional of prelate, clergy and, surpliced choir, the president, accompanied by his wife and daughter and official aides, entered by the south transept entrance and occupied the front pew on the left facing the chancel and candle-lit high altar. Members of the Stone family were in the front pew across the center aisle from the president.
Justices of the Supreme Court as well as former Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes and former Associate Justice James McReynolds took seats behind the president as did cabinet officers and other government officials. In the section to the left of the president sat members of the diplomatic corps, and in other reserved areas were delegations from Congress, judges of lower courts and leading members of the bar.
Six Supreme Court pages, wearing the traditional knickerbockers, stood in the rear near the main entrance.
Dean Suter opened the services with the reading of the scriptural: “I am the resurection and the life,” and the 46th Psalm to which the people responded.
Dr. James reads prayer
The Rev. Dr. James, who is dean of the Theological Seminary of the University of the South, then read the lesson, the creed, and the following prayer he wrote for his departed friend:
“Almighty God, the Giver of all good gifts, we render Thee our loving thanks that Thou did give unto us who knew him, our friend, Harlan Fiske Stone. Not as a great public officer do we remember him now, but as a friend – understanding, companionable, kind, true, humble, simple of heart, courageous; one to whom we looked for clear direction in perplexity, one who never failed us when we needed him. We cannot recount all that he did for us, all that he was to us. But in gratitude and love we commend him to Thy Fatherly keeping. May he rest in peace and may light perpetual shine upon him.”
Bishop Dun, in the closing prayer, invoked divine guidance for the surviving justices of the Supreme Court. “Give, we pray Thee,” he said, “to the members of the Supreme Court of the United States a wise and understanding heart to judge thy people, that they may discern between good and bad, ever walking before Thee in truth and in uprightness; that so this Nation may grow from age to age in obedience to Thy laws.”