New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-23
A WEIRD SCENE.
THE DISSERTATION OF ST. DENIS.
HOW THE KINGS AND QUEENS OF FRANCE
WERE TORN FROM THEIR GRAVES

HOW THE KINGS AND QUEENS OF FRANCE
WERE TORN FROM THEIR GRAVES
WICKED EPISODE OF THE
FRENCH REVOLUTION.
From The Saturday Review, London.
On the LIST OF August, 1913, the Convention
dce-eed chat within eight days the tombS of the
Kings and Queens Of France. at st Denis, together
with all other funeral monuments Of sovercisns
and noble peTSonaacS erected in the various places
Of worship in Paris and the provinces, should be
DESTROYED and the remains found in them thrown
into common grave and annihlatcd with quick
lime. In order 10 preserve whatever there might
he of value i'm the shape Of gold and silver orna-
ucnts aud precious stones found in the collins,
commission called OF jewellers created 70
snpariutcnd the cXhuMationS and secure for the
State whatever might be discovered. The pro
posed dcscerdtion of the tombS of the SoVerclSnS
AZ St Denis created deep impression throughout
the French metropolis and did not pass without
lively protestatiOn, some dozen persons being i'm
prisoned for tie open manner in which they had
spoken concerning what most people considered
q horrible sacrilcgc. not, however, without pre-
cedent in history FOR at the time Of the dis
solution Of the English monasteries under Henry
VIII hundreds of glorious and even Royal monu-
ments were destroyed. and the bones of the dead
ruthessy scattered to the winds.
Early on the morning of the 18th October
1898. multitude OF people, mostly belonging -
tie lower orders. fastened from Paris 10 ST.
Denis On their way 20 This magnificent
Bas!l.ca they stopped 10 dcsecratc twelve beauti-
o., Io.hio ,-.,.,do oro.sos crec,cd i'm the thir-
-, -. ~ r3h;l;,.o L. Uardi to com
,,.on,ar,,o ,ro ,,rio,, rlaccs where the body Of
< Touis ro.l on irs WAN. from, Paris 10 the Royal
uni, A. trbcr,illiers the mob entered the
,,,risb church and DRAGGED from its position over
to III .l,.r o. f,,,o,. yvooacn IMAGE Of Notre
~ H.. ", ~. ,iod card round il,
- $1,000. :. =. ,ro - tho dceecratcd
''' W ,.,..- ,i.. NC, ~, od Il
cIoS'fs' .'' H-"' 20 IT, anu WIN Wv ,
c8uSluin- away. danced around shouting lht
"a ira and ,Ie Corma-,o.c After such venture"
.. .,., b,. tho tinc This
"S -'N' IL - '''' 49, lro,
mut'jde Oh I'"-"S 'i''NV" ="
e 5 uare opposite tie Abbey oil - Dchls ueH WIZ
ready 10 commit any description OF vandalism.
To- foprd bo,,.~cr tic soIeu.id bronze catcs-
i''' - .i,.t $50.
gwen 10y lldi-c-la- oe-'-oseH. I'LL" ".'4"'~" ''''
g,ca' he'll toilet a lc-ula! Interval there were 10
si-rs t1.at o,y-hfr- unusual Wa, happening in
.;Il ,to .t,.-r pl...Ll,. .Lo d.ssnooiu--,cut al
''" ''--' .i..o, .l
Nhdih~ the GooIs sh0i against ''H 4Iii'''''' NV
ra,c:,. who prrsentlv made z determined and sud
lo, ,,.eh for,.rd or, ,.as.a and le ore tie so
~ ' t
"eIa eo."4 stoP '"c'h' 'oic "omH ''o ''' ''-"
Of Inc most uerfrct relics OF early French art.
~ g. 49, Al. ,,,i.d NO.. tn, ~ pcn,u who
i"' .i'' --~'V "''- - ,
was burie! under the threshold OF Inc central
doo- Ills stone coffin was OTcncd. and a copper
L. .r, fro, j., ,,ro, which was cngravcd ILL.,.
- - - ~ Z rol; ,,,,,,i , <o,bin,
!"Ce' I.pF-h"a 4'N Pc I'm '""e, ~
was found III tNe CONN excepting Il ~" asIlcS ana
. ....,i,.. 81 li.t Ii.. nj ,J Z metal Having
.... ,r-.,,,,,. with, ro,,rj IA TO remains
s"'4'.eu ''cH c".'o>''' "''- iN1"'" ~ ''
g.. PcpIu, tie moo proceeded 10 tA:O" down inc
statues OIL tie saints and kings. 10 smash The VIII
.o,,,n Of which were filed with stained
.,.,, 80 ,,o.o.r.,,. ,t.o
G'19> o. me -iti'c'' ''"''N "'.' ~ "
a;aTs. Presently hdAper u men III 'Ae uLi-
form of TIE National Guard entered the church
a.d restored su,nc SOFT q! order 10y OhcIllJ an
noapcl,.s !I.t t.c cAhumatIOns were about 10
l.-lu Curiosity now took tnc place Of riot
la.,.Is t.I H., l.'rri,ly \iucpir and other disin
tcctlIts we're distributed. and al noon the busl-
nos. ou.rnd il oarr.st I'm The meantime a bi.
,,,, b.I f..,, d., ,t-i,o : n. church ut the cntIy
u the clos,c,s. and near il were placed IL uumDcr
ol barrels G-cd ,ti ,liicl.lir,. one Of tie ON
missioner. having certified that everything Was
il readiness for the dr,,cra,ion Of tine Royal bones,
returned 10 the chur.h followed By his assistants
"Gentlemcn he c,.eI ~,.c are about 10 eInp'y
The rat-hole ulde, > q hiob altar statement
which MS trrc,,cd - r,.t annlous. Al
half-past one Tie worLurn caIne upon The first
conin. II CHANGED /" Gr name "iLcr Than that Of
Henri ". They placed il alongside the wall on
the lelt-hand Side Of Tho enir,i,rc 10 the cr,pt
%4a Ea car., proceeded 70 open il 50 s[Ti
most popular Of French Kin tLt ,.I.rv nrccail-
ton was taken not ~ inimTa tbo bod,. I, ,oa.
discovered ~ he vcrv ra,ef,li, o,,i,.'l,ned and
rnvc!oped in a series Of rorrnt, b.,,,t. 81 linen
sfeeucd in some chcn,icaI , D"'i;in VI ,, i'n
were unrollcd with lie ntn,ot ro ., g. ,
waist ,,.lo, i. tho surr,3 ,l'c "''n 80 80"
of fine spectators Tho rfrtsc 'p' ;, .:,
anvearcd almost as rorferf ~ ,,c ,' ,
Tie face was SO wrU preserved that cyr, tlc
iau-shapcd beard seemed rs if il had orlr ,ccen,I.
been dressed. The eyes were cpcn. and The
wounds made by Poyaillacs knife were clcorl,.