The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-27
SOME NEW hooks.


] lnNhTufn us inc nbntS OIL lne IfSt AuulTNl OF
the indies were supposed to have been trans
forred to Havana some three-quarters Of q cen
fury before. the report accompanied rs II was
with an extended array Of plausible, II not con-
| elusive. vouchers obtained credence in some
quarters and led even the most skcptical TO
look forward with interest TO the judgment OF
a competent tribunal. This by general consent
was held to be the Royal Academy OF History at
Madrid. (which accordingly was requested by
Signor Canovas del Castillo to Investigate the
matter. Tho result OF their inquiry. which is
distinctly adverse to tho Dominican claim. 10
now published in a monograph by a member Of
the Academy Sr. MANUEL CoLMErRo under
the title Of Los Restos de Colon Irtorme de Ia
Real Acdddmid de Ia Historic al Gobiano de S. NJ
Madrid. 1871.
The analysis OF the proofs adduced on behalf
OF the pretended discovery is preiaced by an in
tcrcsting memoir tracing the disposition OF tho
Admirals remains from one temporary resting
place to another up to their deposit In the
island OF Hspaniola. where they were to re-
main undsturbed for well nigh three centuries.
Columbus died at Nalladod in 1906 and his
body remained for n time in the Convent OF San
| Francisco in parish OF that CITY, There Is no
reason to believe that any inscription was
affixed to the vault which had thus served
for his temporary sepulchre. According
TO this memoir. Irvings statement that Ferdi-
| nGnd. the Catholic. caused a monument TO be
hero erected with tho cpitaph. For CASTLE and
Loon Colon found a new world" is entirely
unsupported by documents or any evidence
worthy Of belief From this monastery the
body was conveyed to the Convent of Santa
| Maria de las Cuevns. just outside the walls OF
Seville rs is proved by the will Of Don Diego
Colon. son Of the first Admiral. and other OH
ca documents still extant. Precisely when
Il afa ~ ho I.t
though the limits Of doubt are known. namely.
between 1906 and 1923. For reasons cited in
this memoir. the Academy accepts the date Of
1913. which Is confirmed by n document pre-
served in the archives Of Seville
The second removal to which the bones Of the
'discovercr Of tho New World were subjected
was undertaken In somewhat tardy compliance
with his own desire. In a royal edict issued at
Nalladolid in 1887. It is set forth that Donna
Maria de Toledo. widow OF the second Admiral
Don Diego. for herself and as guardian OF her
son. Don Luis Colon. besought tho Emperor to
confer on her the large chapel OF tho Cathedral
Church in the city OF santo Domingo. to the end
that the bones OF Don Cristoval Colon now de-
posted in the Monastery de las Cuevas may be
transported to the island OF Hispani0la. thereby
fulfilling the wish OF the aforesaid Admiral.
Charles V. granted the petition bestowing on
Don Luis Colon leave and license 10 inter therein
the bones Of Don Crlstoval Colon. his grand
father also his parents and brother. also his
heirs and successors forever. Tho privilege
thus bestowed upon the descendants OF Column
bus was one OF peculiar distinction. since 1t ro-
Taxed in their favor the laws forbidding any
private person to be buried within the most i'm
portant quarter OF a cathedral or parish church
throughout the Indies. Exactly when the trans
fer TO Santo Domingo took place is also uncer-
tain. although OF the occurrence there Is
no doubt whatever. and the body must
have been deposited in the principal
chapel OF the cathedral church between
1910 and 1859. II is also certain that his SON.
Diego Colon. and II is probable that his grand
son and great grandson. were buried In the
same place. Here the bones OF the discoverer
OF tho New World remained undsturbed until
just before their ultimate transfer to the Cath
dral Church Of Havana in 1875. as is abundantlv
proved by q consecutive line Of authentic docu-
ments. The popular notion that his tomb was
unrecognizcd and unhonored for more than
two and a half centuries is entirely unfounded.
| When. for instance. in 1865 q powerful English
feet squadron appeared in the ofng and the
! city was threatened WIN assault, tuo n. Ia
| bishop ordered the sepulchres OF the Colon
| family TO be sedulously covered up. 10 the end
| that no proclamation might be offered TO the tomb
OF the old Admiral tAlmirante Viegol Eleven
years atterward. the city meanwhile and the
| cathedral having suffered injury from an earth
| quake another Archbishop sets forth. among
| the reasons for the restoration OF that temple,
the fact that on the right hand OF the altar. in
the principal chapel. lies buried the illustrious
ID. Cristova Colon" Indeed. throughout the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. the re-
membrance Of the deposit conided TO their
care and OF It's precise situation 10 the right
| hand OF the altar seems never TO have been lost
| Q l. . 4 ,,la
1t was during some repairs Of the church in
1888 that the workmen had occasion TO disinter
the leaden urn containing the bones OF the Ad-
miral which had already turned for the most
part TO dust. only a portion OF the forearm be-
ing still recognizable. Replaced in its niche
the urn remained undisturbed twelve years
longer. when it was finally removed to Havana
by the Spanish Admiral Arlstizabal. who upon
his own responsibility. refused to allow the
ashes Of the great dscoverer to pass out Of the
hands OF Spain when the eastern or Spanish
part OF the island was coded to the French re-
public The certified contents OF the urn taken
possession Of by him differ in no wise from
those recorded In connection with the first dis
turbance in 1888 There is no authoritative
mention in document or tradition Of any urn
deposited on the right hand OF the altar except
that containing the remains Of Christopher
Columbus himself 1t was that urn and no
other which the Spanish Admiral removed to
Havana in 1895.
Such was the state OF facts bearing on this
question when. in September. 1877. the
religious and civil authorities Of Santo
Domingo announced with great -four
ish OF trumpets to tho Governments Of
Europe and America and TO the press in all
parts OF the world. the discovery Of the so-called
yertable remains Of Christopher Columbus.
There was an elaborate luxury Of precaution
and verlcation in the unearthinR Of this anti
quarian treasure and there was an equally Gu
rious redundancy In tho marks Of authenticity
found upon the chest itself On the inside were
found inscribed the words Cristoval Colon, but
rs If this were not enough TO convince the
skeptica there was found within the leaden
chest loose silver plato bearing on both sides
the name engraved Of the first Admiral. To
this was added on the exterior surface Of the
chest the letters d. de Ia A., which were natur-
ally interpreted by the Dominican claimants to
moan "Dscoverer OF America" Unluckily. moth
ing is more unsafe than TO undertake the forg-
ing Of inscriptions The experts employed by