Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-23
THE GRAINED SKELETONS.
story OF q War-shtp suck I'm
Hampton Roads

The Norfolk Landmark Of yesterday says:
The story told a reporter Of the Baltimore
sun IN Richmond by dying inmate Of The
Confederate Soldiers Home about two
skeletons being found by diver in the Con-
icdergte ram Mcrrimac chained TO the lower
deck, where they were forgotten when the
vessel was sunk and left TO perish has
brought prompt denial from gentlemen
who were aboard the Merrimtc at the time
she was abandoned and who know alb
soiutelg what they declare TO be true.
IN addition 10 the testimony OF Mr.. VIII
hams, published in Yesterdays Landmark,
Captain +. V. White, who was an engineer
aboard the Msrrimao, and during the fights
In Hampton Roads acted as aid TO COmmO-
dore Buchanan, says there were no prisoners
on board and that no person went down
with her. Mr.. &. Il. Creckmur. who was
paymasieT's yeOman, and who Kept full
list OF the crew. tells us that II is entirely
untrue that any person Whatever, either be-
longing 10 the crew or on board, was carried
down with the ship.
TIE TRUE STORY.
What Is true. however, and what this old
Plchm0nd soldier has some dim recollection
OF. perhaps Is, That when diver, whose name
was UnderdOwn "a very good name for a
diver. went down to examine the Cumber-
land, where she had been sunk by the Mcr-
rimar. he found, TO his amazement aud
horror, two or three men chained fast
In Whit il known az the brig" the
ships prison. where they had been confined
for some Offence-theY were members OF the
crew-snd where they had been forgotten
IN the hurry OF dcseltiDg the ship aud left
10 perish In their be'plessness. The diver
reported to tie commandant upon his return
from below what be had seen, aud his re-
port vas doubted and secuted, but he oiler-
al to 60 down and bring up one OF the
skeletons, and he dId so. cutting the chains
with chisel TO release 1t.
DON'T MENTION IT.
The cOmmandant, whose name is not re-
called hy our informant, cautioned Under
town not to mention the discovery he had
made. lie told it TO oar informant, how
ever, in mOmeu! Of forgeituluess, perhaps.
and added 10 the story the statement that
upon making h's descent to The same ship on
another occasion, his diving apparatus
became d,arfanged hy the tide and he
sat for six hours asiride Of gun at one
of the po't.holes waiting for the pipe
10 become di,cntangled so % TO be able safes
" 10 signal 10 be drawn up. Finally the
tide rcccded aud the pipe righted itself,
when he came up in safety. The people
above did mol draw HIM up sooner because
he dId moi signal and they could tell by the
working OF the pump that the diver was
sill II the other end. If they had drawn
him up without his signal, a. the sequel
showed, they would have killed him.
Oh TIE CUMBERLAND.
This. then, is the true story OF the ssele-
tons found on the wer-ship sunk IN Hampton
Eoad-. They were found, but on the Cum
berhnd. end not on the Merrimdc, and the
cilcuMs stances rs here given were recited by
the diver who found them aud who cut one
Of the dead bodies loose from its prison
chains ana brought il to the surface 10 con-
vince skepuca cOmmandant under
whose direction tie examination was being
made. We give this interesting correction
OF the skeleton history from the recollection
OF a prominent citizen Of Norfolk, 10 whom
I-nderdown told the story Of his adventure.
The diver I'nderdown wss iellOw-coun-
trymsn Of John Erickson. and is probably
dead.