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Show Indianapolis, July 24. Thousands of men, women and children, admirers of the works of James Whltcomb Riley, the Hoosier poet, passed before be-fore the casket in which his body lay in state in the capitol late this afternoon after-noon and early tonight. The crowds had assembled long before be-fore the doors of the state house opened at 3 o'clock and although about 75 persons a minute were admitted ad-mitted to the building at first and more later, the waiting throng became be-came greater as evening approached. Many of tho persons who passed be-fore be-fore the body were from the class about which the poet had written. The casket was covered with three floral designs only, while the body lay In state. They were the state and city emblems and one from a friend. Definite funeral arrangements had not been made early this evening, as Mrs. Mao' Elizabeth Payne, of New York, sister of the poet, had not arrived ar-rived or telegraphed her desires in the matter. The other relatives are waiting to hear from her before taking final action. The burial will be either In Indianapolis or Greenfield, Green-field, Ind., his boyhood home. The body will not be placed In a cheerless and bleak vault. The executive execu-tive committee of the committee which arranged the Riley day celebration celebra-tion October 7, 1915, has decided to decorate the vault with flowers and rugs. Practically all local florists were sold out of flowers today, filling local orders and telegraph orders for floral tributes to the poet. |