Page:The Wizard of Wall Street and his Wealth.djvu/228

 finally that they had never known Mr. Gould or any of the family. His children glanced furtively out of the windows at the motley crowd and gave thanks that the early intention to admit the public had been abandoned.

The throngs began to gather as early as noon, and by 1 o'clock there were 500 or 600 persons near the house. For some time the policemen kept them on the west side of the street, where there was no sunshine and where it was chilly. Yet they held their positions.

In the house during the early afternoon Undertaker Main's assistants were busy arranging camp chairs in the two parlors, in the dining-room in the rear of the house, and in the spacious hallway which runs from the entrance to the dining-room.

The body of Mr. Gould was taken from the temporary receptacle in which it had been lying since Friday, and placed in the oak casket covered with black broadcloth. At 3 o'clock it was carried down stairs and placed with head toward the east on a standard in front of a broad mirror on the south wall that reached from floor to ceiling.

In the hallway, just back of the reception room, to the left of the entrance and alongside the staircase, was placed a small organ, in front of which the choir of Dr. Paxton's church was to stand.

Dr. John P. Munn, Mr. Gould's physician, took up his position in the vestibule soon after 3 o'clock. No one could enter unless he knew them or unless they presented credentials which were not to be