The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1879-01-31
For The -AgiS DC Iatellgencer.
A Boston Burial Place-The Maine Liquor
Law

promised your readers, some time back,
to give them another letter describing the
city of Portland, Maine, and its surround
ings. But before 1 fulfill that promise I
shall give little sketch of a visit to the
vaults under st. Paul's Church, fremont
street, Boston. For some time past there
has been an effort made to have the old
burying grounds within the city of Boston
removed, on account of it being claimed
that there was an unhealthy atmosphere
surrounding them, and q petition to that
effect was presented to the Legislature
Pending the action of that body on the sub
ject many rumors were put in circulation
about the number of dead that were lying
in the different grave yards, and among
them startling story that thousands of
bodies lie in the vaults under st. Paul's
Church. Your correspondent was induced
to make an effort to get permission to ram
BILE through the dark passage ways of this
vaulted chamber of death, and was success
full to the extent desired
st. Paul's is one of the Oldest churches
in Boston, and stands on fremont street,
near Temple Place. The main apartment
under the church is about 10 feet long by
20 wide, and has a gloomy death-like APP
pearance and smell. Within the wall, on
each side, is set row of tombs, eighteen in
number, extending back to the wall of the
church ediiice proper. The tombs project
from the church wall to 10 feet, leaving a
sort of open apartment in the centre. The
first of these vaults or tombs is one facing
the stair steps and belongs to the Warren
family. 1t has tablet inscribed as follows:
SIN this Tomb are deposited the remains of
Major Gen'l Joseph Warren, who was killed
at the Battle of Bunker Hill, on the 18th
of June, 1775."
The body Of Gen. Warren has long since
been removed. Back of the Warren tomb
is double row of tombs, extending nearly
the whole length of the main apartment
and directly under the main aisle of the
church above. Their doors open outward,
with stone slab on each, giving number
and name of owner AS you get to the
fremont street end you emerge into two
other chambers, both filled with tcmbs as
the frs, making about seventy in all;
and it is to he doubted if many places for
the dead in Boston can show the names of
so many prominent Boston families rs this
vaulted chamber under st. Pauls. Daniel
Webster, one of the original proprictors of
the church, had tomb here, and his name
is seen over the door of No. 6, on the right
fthc entrance. The Appletons, Lincolns,
Goddards, Grays, Perkinses, Merriams,
Russells, Masons, and many others of the
old families are or have been owners of
places of burial under st. Paul's. The
name of David Sears appears on the slab
Of Nos. 16 and II, with date 1924. Nearly
all the tombs are in good repair, so far as
outward appearance goes. Here and there
the hinges may be off one or the lock
broken, but the writer was DESTROYS of see
ing farther into the secrets of this vaulted
chamber of the dead, and therefore turned
his attention to the inward appearance of
these tombs. The obliging attendant pro-
cured keys to many Of the vaults and pro-
ceeded to show the writer and his friends
the mysteries of this much talked of under
ground sepulchre The first vault entered
was one in the double row. Only two cof
fins were deposited here, both of grown
persons. The interior gained it was found
to be low vaulted chamber, about 10 feet
long, s feet wide and about the same high.
The inner surface of both doors was cover
ed with thick mould. The collins were in
fair condition, with few spots of mould
on the sides. The next tomb opened con-
tanned six collins. These were not in such
good state of preservation. One had fall
en- from the top of the other, and partly
bursted open, revealing the interior, which
presented nothing but Il few chips like
pieces, or rather blackencd chips of bone.
BY this time the writer and his friends de.
cided it better to get little fresh air before
proceeding farther, for worse things were in
store for them. The next vault opened gave
out such sickening eilluvium that they fell
back to a respectable distance. But that
wasnot what was wanted. An insight into
this death chamber was the Object of the
visit, and accordingly the writer and his
companions entered this in the usual man
ner, and here lay or were piled up mass of
collins, in all stages of decay. Many of
them split and bursted open with the re.
mains Of the dead partly visible. Such was
the sight that met the gaze of your cores
pondent here. BY the aid of candles the
the back of this literal chamber of the dead
could be seen. The number of collins here
were about go, and many of them with
mouldy skull, black with age. AT sight of
this the guide felt sure he heard some one