The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-07-22
SKELETONS IN THE PARK
THE C0ROyERs BEAPIN6 An UyEI-
PECTED H1RTEST.

| Dead Mems Bones In front Of the City Hall
Tho Mysteries Of tho Park-The The
cries Of the Aptiausrics-Fi Fiftccn Inaucsts
and Fifteen whitened Skulls.
The laborers engaged yesterday in excavating
the earth for drain from the soutneart corner Of
the new Court House 10 the sewer In ths City Hall
lark, threw up the skulls aud partially dccsycd
bones OF fifteen persons. They are supposed 10 be
the remains Of some OF those who died in the cholera
season Of 1882, when tho maady ragged terribly In
the lower part OF the city Al that time there was
hospital on the northeast Of tho Park, which
was used exclusively for cholera PATIENTS and those
who died were doubtless buried in the Park al the
point nbovo indicated.
In order to divide the lower portion OF the CITY,
where cholera prevailed In the most virulent epi.
domic form, from the uprer portion Of the city,
where the inhabitants comparatively free from
the pestiebce, high board fencs was erected run.
ming from the East River through James street to
Chatham, and down Chambers TO The North River,
which was guarded day and night by the city watch.
!nen-as they were at that time caed-to prevcn,
asso citation between the two portions OF the city
tho authorities hoping by that means to prevent tho
cholera from spreading or course all those In the
lower wards who had not taken the disease re-
quired TO remove to the upper wards. The gentle
man who has cnarre OF tho excavations in the Park
remembers well the circumstance OF his mother re-
moving her children and their little effects to sun all
hut in the upper part Of the city.
Among the many bones eshumed wero those OF
foot that must have filed at time, IL the owner
ever went shod, No. 10 boot. The foot was closed
In the rear by an elongated heel like that Of Ber
berine. II was pantigrade, and attached 10 II was
shin bone as fiat "a the side OF q board fence. The
skull that found six feet to the north OF IL had
teeth were large and well formed, and in ine
state OF preservation. Another skull was Of the
Mongolian type. with high cheek bones, large fore
head, and square chin, altogether much in shape
like that OF one Of the Siamese Twins.
GLIMPSE AT rue PAST
Long before the Revolution. q Jail was erected on
the very spot now covered by the Department OF
Finance, afottime known as the Hall cl Records
This Jail was built when the City Hall was down in
wal street and in 1t were confined the male actors
OF the old oailiwiek I, T. probable tina, the prison
ers who died In the old jail were buried in the ja
yard. which must have included the area in which
the remains were found Yesterday.
OF the Park was powder house. There is no
record OF the blowing up Of that house. and the de-
struction OF life incident thereto; wherefore IL
would be wrong to attempt to connect the bones
With any oldtime victims OF gunpo der cxrlosions
but when the powder house was demolished a POOR
House was erected, md this fact perhaps according
TO Dr. Drynsdust, explains the mystery Of the City
Hall Park bones. This Poor House occupied the
ground now covered by tile brown stone Court
House, and was built In 1I4
TnR NEGRO coNsrIR,ToRs
In l7ii several negroes were executed in The old
city for the crime OF arson aud for having threaten
cd to subvert the Governmen, or New York and
butcher their white masters One of tbcse SpstS
victims Of ambition was burued at the stake at q
point near where the Five Poin.s House OF Industry
now stands. About twenty others were hanged in a
Geld NJ tie corner OF Ce1tre and Pearl SIT eets Now
DR. Oliver oldcn suggests that the nftesn skeletons
exhumed from the soil OF the Park yesterday may
have been the frames o. en- equal number OF these
consprators.
Another aniquary calls attention to the fact that
about 100 years aRo there was a negro burning
ground whore Stewarts down town store stands
and that there might have been another on the
Commons here teas another on tie Commons
but that one about where the northeast corner
OF the new Post once lot Is.
THE CORONER IN CLOVER.
Coroner Flnn as about to continue tie ipouest
In the case Of the murdered Florence Scanned When
he was advised Of the finding OF nteen skeletons In
the PARK within popgun shot OF his own Office
Forthwi ith he ordered that the bones should be
gathered together and brought to him. A jury was
impaEcled, md over each skull an inquest was
lcld. In very few minutes tile Coroner had
earned
TorR HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS
by nve5tratirg the causes which Ind led to The
death Of fifteen persons unknown, who had died
mayha2, three centuries nro.
The verdict ot the jury IN each case was of
course In Goccr rdancc with the facts