Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-01-10
THE BONES or COLUMBUS.
A Scheme to Make Catdhpcnny Show OF
the Historic Remains of Christopher
Columbus Which Happily Failed and
Cost the official Head of United States

A Scheme to Make Catdhpcnny Show OF
the Historic Remains of Christopher
Columbus Which Happily Failed and
Cost the official Head of United States
| Consul Astwood at San Domingo.
NEW YORK, Jan. 4.-The American pub
lie occasionally gets news of the doings
| of its own Government by very round
about ways. This time the information
| comes from San Domingo. 1t is month
| since the news was received there. It
! gets here by the steamer George w.
| Clyde, and is to the effect that III. C. Asst
wood Consul General at San Domingo,
has been removed. No cause for the re-
moval is mentioned in the Government
| reports to the representatives of San Do
mingo in this city. The trouble, however,
/ was in an exploitof Consul Astwood some
six months ago. A man by the name Of
III. NJ. Linell arrived in San Domingo
about that time and made inquiries about
the burial place OF Christopher Columbus.
He introduced himself to the prominent
people Of the Republic as man of wealth,
and represented that his interest in the
remains of the immortal discoverer Of
this continent was purely historical. He
made himself solid with Consul Astwood,
and finally proposed a scheme to the con-
sui which resulted in the sending of this
letter:
To Senior Fiquero, Minister Of The Interior, San
Donainqo:
YOUR ExCELLENcY-Mr. H. NJ Linell a citi-
zen of the United States of America has re-
qnested me in my capacity as United States
Consul to ask the Dominican Government
whether the bones OF the immortal Christopher
Columbus. the discoverer OF America, and
permit for the exhibition of them could be OBJ
tanned for the Government? The interest which
the people in America take in their history is
intense that the presence of Columbus re.
mains in the larger cities would create enough
curiosity to swell the receipts of the Treasury
of the Dom nican Republic to degree unpre-
cedented in its history.
Mr. Linell begS to submit the following Of
fer: He guarantees to defray all the expenses
for the transport alton of the bones guard Of
eight soldiers and four priests. He guarantees
to defray all the expenses which should arise
during the tour of these persons in the U nited
States, and also their salaries. He guarantees
to remit fifty per cent. of the net receipts to the
Dominican Government in quarterly payments,
and guarantees that they should not amount to
less than two hundred thousand dollars year.
He guarantees the safe return of the bones af-
ter time of not less than four years. Mr..
Lnell desires that the church and government
authorities state publicly that these are the
genuine bones of Columbus, and that the exhi-
bition OF them shall be permitted for this trip
only. In submitting this offer to Your Excel
ency, want to direct Your Excelency's atten-
urgency. Yours respectfully,
H. c. AsTwOOD,
United States Consul.
Signor Figuero courteously declined
the proposition. 1t was done in the for
NAL language of diplomacy, and con-
veyed no reproach. The Dominican pub
lie and newspapers were not so consid-
crate. They declared that the PROPOSE
ton to make the bones of Columbus a
public exhibition for private gain was
disgraceful. If made by private persons
it might be overlooked, but when pre-
sented officially by the representative Of
a government of a country like the
United States it was outrageous. Press
and public called for the removal of Con-
sui Astwood, and in no mild language
either. 1t was openly declared that the
position of the United States Consul was
public scandal. The news of the re-
moval of Consul Astwood by the Washing
ton authorities is regarded by the Domin-
lean authorities here as the result of this
affair. 1t is regarded favorably, too, and,
in fact, it is the only action that the
American Government could take.