Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1889-08-29
TOWER OF LONDON.
Historical Facts That Escape
Superficial Observation.

What a Knowing Visitor May See and
Learn If He Keeps His Eyes and Ears
Open-The White Tower and Its
Dungeons Anne Boleyn's Bones.
To describe the Tower OF London in detail
is absolutely unnecessary-it is too well
known as a whole, but there are interest
ing little facts not generally realized by the
public, and there are hooks usually unvisit-
ed. 1t was my good fortune on recent
day, says a writer in the London Echo, to
go carefully around this grand old pile with
a special order from General Milman, the
resident Governor. Passing by the Traitors
Gate, went into the Bloody Tower, in
room in which found myself standing on
the very spot wherein were imprisoned the
two little Princes, and from the window of
which centuries after Archbishop Laud
leaned out TO bless Lord Stafford as he
passed to death upon the scaffold just be-
yond. An old, old room this, full of historic
interest, and now inhabited by one of the
picturesquely-at beef-eaters. st. Johns
Church, one Of the Oldest Norman churches
in the kingdom, built in 1857, is too well
known to require description, so / will pass
on to the armory departments, where 1 saw
Lord Wolseley going round on an evident
business inspection.
In passing down a staircase in this
White tower wherein is kept this armory,
and in which is placed a stand of fifty thou
sand modern rifles, noticed the enormous
thickness of the splendid walls, and on in
quiring l was informed that they
were fifteen feet in depth. Be-
meath the White Tower are the
dungeons, which are never shown
to the general public. Here is an eternal
twilight, a musty smell, an icy chilliness.
The first one, pure Norman in its architect
ure, IS called the Torture chamber, for here
were stretched upon the rack the miserable
victims Of political necessity or religious
bigotry. In very narrow passage leading
out Of this great chamber, and which is
known by the name of Little Ease, because
in it a prisoner could neither sit nor lie
down, was wearily imprisoned the mis-
guided Guy Fawkes. In the pitch dark
dungeon beyond, which has no flooring but
the damp, cold earth, were once imprisoned
three hundred Jews, who in the thirteenth
century were suspected Of the CRIME of
clipping coin. A dreadful place this, and.
hideously suggestive of the undreamed of
horrors of these "good old days of yore."
The door-an old Oaken one, iron bound,
and immensely strong-shut of these poor
wretches from all communication with the
outer world.
In this dungeon, or series of dungeons,
was recently discovered a very deep well,
into which we feGrfully peeped. From the
dungeon TO the church is but a short step;
in the old days the journey was usually
made from the latter to the former. st.
Peters dates from 1872 it is full of the
saddest, tenderest interest; within its
dingy walls and beneath its historic pave
m "a thnrn lin tho hndiaS Of Of E,,
glands Queens. Ruskin finely says of this
church that sit is the saddest spot in
Christendom, for here are buried in dis
honor the greatest in the land, while at
Westminster Abbey they are buried in
honor" most touching and suggestive
contrast. Most of the beautiful brasses
were removed in Cromwells time
| was deeply Interested to hear that in re-
pairing the chancel in 1877 there was
covered the body of Anne Boley
was recognized by the historically tiny
neck, and by the fact that tho body lay lust
in the spot described in the burial registry;
also were discovered the bones of IA big
man, which belonged without doubt to the
Inflated Duke of Monmouth. These were
reverently rcburied in their long, long rest
ing-place
Upon the wall, and preserved within
glass case, saw the three coffin plates of
the noblemen last decapitated upon
Tower Hill-Lords Kimanock, Lovat and
Balmerino. The inscriptions were all in
Latin, and that upon Lord Bamerino's
plate ran as follows "Arthur Dominus de
Balmcrino, decollaus Is die August, l7i6
Etatis sue 5S" The very plain little font
dates back to the reign of Edward III
Not satisfied with my mornings round |
went the next night TO have u chat with the
deputy chaplain of the tower, Mr. Foster |
who told me many interesting little facts,
some of which are mentioned above To |
my surprise he informed me that the tower |
is not supposed TO be haunted, nor is there |
any ghostly tradition hanging round this |
spot. just before eleven he and / |
stepped out into the cool night air. A
wild, windy night, clouds chasing each |
other over the moon, whose misty, watery |
rays fell upon that ancient Norman |
keep, just ut my hand, and rallied off, was |
the very spot wherein was lifted so often |
'the axes keonor edge" 1t was upon this |
very spot aud from yonder Identical win. |
dow shining white in the moonshine, that |
Lady Jane Grey, tho nine-Lays' Queen,
gazed as her husband slowly passed to his |
death; for she was imprisoned in the house
Of Mr., Partridge, the gentleman jaller,
wherein now resides the Official who TO this
day bears the same title
Butihe silence, pregnant with such men,
,rlcs, is suddenly broken by the clash of
arms, the tramp OF feet and the hoarse cry
" military command, In the ttful light we
zee small body OF soldiers drawn up, and
beneath the Bloody Tower comes the guard
preceded by warder bearing the KEYS.
Halt cries the officer in command; "who
'omes thcre" keys" is the immediate
'esponse. Whose keysr "Queen Vic
oria's keys" present arms "God pre-
erve Queen Victoria "Amen," Is the
lear, deep answer OF all the soldiers
Every night for untold years had this
eremony taken place. II is over now.
l weud my way past the
'raitor's gate, beneath which the water is
nourntully lApping, and, passing out OF tho