Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-03-29
The Difficult Removal Of an American
Consups b. 'dy.

The Difficult Removal Oh an American
ConsuPs b. Wy. ~
The recent letter of the United State
Consul at Malta relative 20 the eSnu
nation of the remains of JoA IN toward
| Payne, late Consul at Tunis, recails
similar event at Venice in the sun1mel
of 1851. The American Consul at Ina
| port had been instructed by MFR. "eo
ster. then Secretary of State, to 'ause
the disinterment of the remains of Ills
immediate predecessor in the Cons 4
late, William A. Sparks, of South Caro-
| lima, and to transmit them to the United
States by the race Independence, then
with the steamer Mississippi at the port
of Trieste, under the broad pennant of
Commodore Morgan. 1t may here be
intlmated that, some two years previ-
0usly, the Mississippi had conveyed Mr..
at Tunis. The channel of the Lagunes
vessels to venture to the port of Venice.
1t was necessary, therefore, to transport
the remains to Trieste by the steam
packet of the Austrian Lloyds, plying
daily, or, rather, nightly, between the
two ports. Mr.. Sparks had been our
representative at Venice during all the
horrors Of the Austrian siege and bonn
bardment of that city and its final capit-
u'ation, in the fall of 1s49, and was one
Of the last victims of the cholera, which,
with famine, had fastened, if it did not
cause, the capture OF the heroic City of
the Sea. assy.tl.... s...rr.. s...I....
Under the most favorable circum-
stances an elimination is not very easily
effected in southern Europe. But Venice
was then ander martial law. The Con-
sui had died Of cholera less than two
years before. The season was mid
summer. 1t could not be expected,
therefore, that any of the customary
fofmalities, at the very least, would be
dispensed with. Owing, moreover, to
recent events (uhe arrest of Mr.. Brace
at Grosswardein and his seemingly en-
forced discharge-American sympathy
with Kossuth-Mr. Webster's Hulse-
mann letter and his vigorous protest at
the Austrian Post-office violation of our
Government seal, etc., etc. the Aus
TRAN authorities were by no means
anxious to show themselves specially
obliging to the United States in any
thing. Indeed, quite the reverse. OBJ
stacles which at first seemed insur-
monntable were, however, after consid-
cradle delay, by persistent pertinacity,
finally overcome, and ut length the
order was issued, with rigid restrictions,
for the eXhumation. 1t was on the morn
ing Of the 9th day of July, before SUM
rise, that the Consul, with Venetian
friend, repaired in his gondola to the
cemetery on the lonely islet of st. Chris
topher, to superintend the disinterment
He found there no less than fifteen men
awaiting his arrival, detailed by the
municipal authorities to effect the re-
moyal. There was, also, a case of lead.
heavy box of two inch plank, thickly
coated with pitch, a plumbers furnace
and tools, and large cask of pulver-
lied charcoal. The sandy soil, or rather
the ashes of human remains of centur-
les accumulation, were speedily re-
moved and the coffin was raised and at
once deposited in the leaden chest and
Theoretically sealed by the plumber.
The chest was then lifted into the deal
packed with the charcoal powder, the
cover screwed securely to its place, and
the whole wrapped in tarred canvas ind
bound with iron bands.
The sun had been up some hours
when thetask was completed, the Con-
sui and his friend being partially pro-
tected from its blazing rays by the /
shadow of Il small tree. The ponderous
box. by the united efforts of the fifteen
men, was placed in barge, the United |
States flag was thrown over it, the
empty grave was filled, % few sprigs of
cypress were plucked as a memento Of
the spot, and the whole party returned
to the city. The next step, of course,
was the transportation OF the box to the
frigate at Trieste, ~ but the steam packet !
Of the Austrian Lloyds at once and fatty
refused to take it at any price? Days of |
negotiations. ensued. AT one time it |
seemed inevitable that the frigate should |
cross the gulf and lie off the port of |
Venice and receive it from the barge |
But all things must have an end. OBJ
stinacy was overcome by obstinacy. An |
order came at last from the Trieste di-
rectory for the reception of the box by |
the steamer, the Inflated remains were /
conveyed to that port over the rough |
Adriatic, hoisted on board the indie
pendence lying off the harbor, and, in
the darkness of night, in ignorance Of
the superstitious seamen, lowered into |
her hold, and soon after the frigate |
spread her wings for Spezzia and home /
Cor. Washington Star. |
The odds and ends OF experts ideas
no comntip,os mora va bia han fhav