The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-13

spider-web, and seemed as transparent. me dust
no doubt, was IN part due 10 the decayed clothing
anu IN part 70 the mineral earthly solid matter or
the soft solids and fluids OF the remains. The brown
color and unctuous feel were due, no doubt, 10 the
absorption or q portion OF the oieaginous part or
principle not yielded to the wood of the CONN. The
exceeding hghtness OF the bones cannot account
Tor. ] cannot believe IL was but seeming. | was
tempted TO purlon a hone for the purpose OF weigh
ing aud comparing and thus subscribing the interest
81 Oh science but ! scrupulously iorbore 70 do So
presume 1t must be at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit
during midday through the hot season of the year,
anu TINS may be the cause OF the iightness Of the
dlsslpated BY heat.
From all the information have been able TO
gather this was most excellent priest, rising be-
fore the dawn of day and saying mass as a uniform
custom through y long life. Rather reserved and
dlgnlhed in his department., but kind to all and
charitable TO the poor, he won the respect and love
o. TINS community and died very much lamented.
AZ well rs the richer products OF human respect and
regard ne had hacienda, which he managed sue.
cessiuly, or, In other words was planter as well
AS padre, from which he acquired wealth that no
doubt enabled him to be more extensively charitable
anu useful. There Is nothing particularly scientific
In this information but 1t reflects the genius OF this
people and the usages OF the clergy. Some or the
priests amassed considerable wealth here in former
days. Not many years since the house OF wealthy
curate OF this city was robbed OF large amount OF
coin and plate, and the robbers never detected
There Is not much prospect OF the clergy OF this
country recovering their wealth aud power The
tendency Is IN the other direction. The government
Is castigating them in oil manner OF ways and
would II II were possible, without creating schism
In the Church. enforce matrimony upon them.
The remains OF Padre Sanches twenty years en-
coffin. which was sound full length skeleton pre-
sented every bone beautifully IN place, lying loose, in
perfect order. The gauzelke grave clothes were no
obstruction TO vsion-were like SPIDERS web only.
! There was no odor perceptible. The soles OF the
shoes lying below the bones OF the feet were all that
could be said to be discoverabe Of the habllments
| with which these remains had been clothed. The
uppers or the shoes were entirely gone, us well as
| every vestige of other garments Ia fact. think
there was part OF the stole noticeable the breast
OF inc skeleton, and what may have been part Of
vest about the trunk, which seemed TO impede lit
| tie the examination. Some locks Of hair were dis
coveraDe at the top and sides OF the Uranium. This
padre dled at the age OF about thirtyseven years,
and the skeleton was perfectly sound, dry and light
throughout and, what was remarkable, the
also the ensiform cartilage OF the steruum. Every
| bone was sound and perfect, and except for the
brown color thus would have been good skeleton
nectcd with this subject that is apropos. The bony
structure or osseous system of this nation OF people
| OF the earth. Their teeth are the mostss per-
feet and they to be afflicted with fewer diseases
this exemption from disease OF the bones the great
perfection OF the teeth and probably OF this early
ossltcatlon impute 70 the use of SO much lime in
| the preparation OF their corn cakes-their main
breadsuls The corn is first boiled with lime to get
of the hnsk Of the kernel and frequently the OrtaS
or cakes are Of yellowsh color and taste OF the
| lime. have no doubt myself this explanation IL
the true one. In noticing the beautiful manner In
which the bones of the feet and toes lay arranged on
the moor OF the coiln, discovered pieces OF some
thing OF dark looking texture, which proved 70 he
the skin OF the soles OF the feet. then examined
the floor Of the coffin under the bones or hands
on each SIDE Of the spine AT, the lumbar vertebr
the arms lay crossed and found portions OF the skin
| OF the palms OK the hands also, OF nearly black
COLOR BY continued and careful inspection in this
: way could discern portions OF the cnts along the
I bones OF the lower extremtles But my search
| in vain for any other soft, solid texture than the
skin No, not yestige OF cartilage, tendon other
TSrous structure u9 9 could be discovered
| then-that the skin preserved longest or
| any OF the soft solid structures OF the
| human remains, entombed after the manner
! here described. Nor do ] think any agent
but hea, ana the atmosphere here had anything 10
| do in dissipaing these remains. ''rhdugh worms
| destroy this body,n says the inspired writer, and
| many q time have al heard OF the dead ana
buried being devoured by worms; but think this is
| all hgurative, unless we admit the doctrine OF
| equivocai generation. How could MES penetrate
| the masonry of these vaults and deposit the eggs
| which produce the maggot wormsY How can they
enter the grave six feet under groundg No; the ec-
ments OF the human body, as generally Inferred are
gen aud hydrogen in the proportions that go form
water. The mineral products, Of which The lime OF
the bony fabric constitutes the chief part remain
| the ashes. How long the bones or human beins
| vaulted like these We're would last, retain tllei
form, remains unknown, but, judging from The fria
| bic state OF the skeleton forty years vanlted ant
| comparing IL with the others. | think century
would reduce the nat bones TO powder and the con
dylcs and apophyses OF the long bones also, and
the shafts could be easily broken II not puverized
in the hands. Deeply buried In the earth, totally
ciudcd from the action OF the air, the bones ami
| mails aud men endure thousands Of years and In u
condition ~ sound as the skeleton OF the first Of
these padres examined, only forty years In the
vault
This excellent padre was cut down In the prime OF
life by fever during the series Of epidemic years Of
/ the days OF the Irish famine. He very com
panionabe man. jovial, lght-hearted, gentlemanly,
aiaDle agreeable priest, whose example made reli-
gion agreeable. have his history from q wealthy
PATRON here who was his chum IN college, and by
all can learn he seems TO have had soul forever
riding night and day sick calls during those cpl
denical times threw him INTO fever, which ierin-
mated his short career OF some two three years
only III Cadereyta II have been Interested I'm SCI
emile point Of view IN the examination OF his bones
as certainly have, have been edlfled also with his
religious aud social character lie aliured to brighter
worlds and lei the way. and scattered MOWERS IN tho
pathway OF All around him. And here / mnst en-
large little--it can hardly he called DEPRESSION
| upon the extraordinary duties OF the clergy here
during epidemic years. IL has fallen my lot 10 meet
the Cara and two other priests stationed here times
almost without number during the last three years,
In the severe fever and cholera epidenics that have
ragged both ia and out oil tho city sometimes ionr or
| hve leagues from town. riding on horseback under
burning sun, hardly sleeping nights, and all with
out fee reward, other than that which arises rom
CONSCIOUSNESS or doing their duty, having the care
Oh souls under tnem The almost universal practice
here IL TO send for the priest and next for The doctor
and many time and oil have we been companions
10y the way. 1 never have seen more devoted set
o. servants or more duty lulniling class OF men;
entering the meanest novels OF the SIGN ami dying at
al hours OF the day aud night 10 strive the depart
ng soul, TO animate the sick with nope AMI To seat
ter their charities in substantial AID Tor the relief oite
poor, never giving up M Frustrated by sickness
from over work Then II has fallen 10 my lot be
the medical friend and adviser OF these excellent
men, Than whom have never known any better IN
any country.
the remains Of Padre Gonzales Leal were the last
examInei-ten years inferred. This father was Il
little under sixty years o. a9c when lac died, and be-
ing an exceedingly corpuent subject the coffin had
been filled with quicS lime over tue body on being
deposited in the vault The surface OF the linie
removing the lid OF the cOffn appeared nearly
black, and TO make short WORK OF dspos-
Ing OF The remains the Alcade ordered the
corn upset. and then The bones TO be picked out OF
the lime and disentangled from the grayeciothes,
which offered considerable resistance. The bones
were perfectly sound and dry aud more free from
the soapy feel OF the two previously examined, owing,
doubt, TO the action OF the ilme No vestige OF
any soft parts could be discovered, nor was there
any 0dor perceptiblc. stood over the remains for
half an hour examining the bones without beng
sensible OF any diSagrceabe odor whatever. Nor ON
subsequent days alter hundreds OF vaults were
cleared the coilns opened AMI the remains pitched
into a central pit, could discover any purefactive
0dor on or about the premises. None whatever arose
from the pit after being nall tled WIN the human