Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-11-28
The Bones Of Columbus.

II is reported by the United States Con-
sui at San Domingo that the bones OF Chris
topher Columbus were lately discovered in
that city. When one thinks of the frequent
removals whereto those bones of the great
discoverer have been subjected, he can un-
derstand the malediciion which Shakespeare
denounced on anybody who should disturb
his. Washington Irving, near the close Of
his biography Of the discoverer of our west
ern hemisphere, speaks in the following
strain ale expired with great resignation on
the day of Ascension the goth of May, 1906,
at about the age of seventy His last words
were, "Into thy hands, o Lord, commend
my spirit His body was deposited in the
convent of st. Francisco, and his obsequies
were celebrated with funeral pomp at Valla-
dolid, in the parochal church of Santa
transported afterwards, in 1913, to the
Carthusian monastery of Las Cuevas, of
Seville, to the chapel of ST. Ann, or of Sante
Christie in which chapel were likewise de-
posted those of his son Don Diego, who
died in the village of Moutalbau, on the 23d
of February, 1926. In the year 1886, the
bodies of Columbus aud his son Diego were
removed to Hispaniola, and inferred in the
principal chapel of the cathedral of the city
of San Domingo But even here they did not
rest in quiet, having since been disinterred
and conveyed to the Havana, in the island
of Cuba"
According to our Consuls report to the
State Department, the remains were re-
ported to have been borne to Havana in
1906, with great pomp. But there is reason
to think that there was deception in the
matter, for the Consul writes that while
some workmen were digging up the floor
around the pulpit in the cathedral in San
Domingo to make some repairs, they ex-
posed to view a walled orifce containing a
leaden case two feet long by about eight
inches deep and eight inches wide, the in
scripton on which bore incontestible evil
dence that it contained Christopher Column
bus bones. On the making of this dis
covery the bones were at once restored to
their resting-place, and the receptacle walled
up. On the 10th of September, however
the remains were again exhumed in the pres
ence of the Governor and other local officers,
and the various consuls, and the box and the
inscription examined, and the facts recorded
and attested to by the consuls and the other
officers present The lead box was then
enclosed in another box carefully sealed with
the seals of the consuls. to be opened only
in their presence, and placed in the custody
of Padre Billini, in the church of Regina
Angelorum, to be held by him subject to in.
vestigation by any foreign commissions
DESTROYS of satisfying themselves of facts,
and until a suitable amount can be raised to
erect a fitting monument.
This is a singular story. Everybody who
is familiar with history, however, can recall
instances where converts or churches, eager
for the possession OF relics palmed off upon
parties seeking to deprive them of some
dead saints bones, fictitious relics and
perhaps such cheat was practiced in San
Domingo at the close of the last century. II
the discovery is not well authenticated, how
ever, not few will have suspicion that
as the fourth centennial of the discovery of
our continent is drawing nigh, somebody is
ready to make an experiment on public ere.
dulity to secure an imposing celebration at
San Domingo.