The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-07
BONES OF COLUMBUS.
Claim That They Still Remain in San
Domin9o's Cathedral.

From the Republic.
NEW YORK, Aug. 30.-Senor Suarez, the
diplomatic representative of San Domingo
in this country, takes a warm interest in
the controversy about the various places
where the bones Of Christopher Columbus
are supposed to repose. Some people assert
that they are in Havana, but the senior is of
those who contend they are still in San
Domingo. The controversy is 80 exciting
that it appears there may be falling out
between Spain and San Domingo. The
senior talked freely on the subject to-day.
1--WE KNOW" he said. that Columbus
died at Vallodelid in 1906; that between
1907 and 1913 his remains were taken to the
Convent of Las Cuevas at Seville; that be-
tween 1881 and 1910 they were removed to
the Cathedral of Santo Domingo; that in
1875 box purporting to contain the re-
mains of the illustrious admiral was taken
to the Cathedral of Havana, whore it lies
to-day. And lastly, that in September, 1877,
while workmen were making some repairs
in the Cathedral of Santo Domingo two
vaults were discovered, one of
which contained the remains of the
Admiral Don Luis Colon, Due of
Veraguas, ETC., and the other the remains
of the First Admiral Don Cristoval CO.
lombo. the discoverer of America The
official documents showing the authenticity
of this discovery leave no doubt whatso-
ever in regard to the existeuce of the re-
mains in the vaults of the cathedral of
Sauto Domingo. You are aware that
Santo Domingo was the favorite land of
Columbus and that he expressed in his last
will the desire that his remains should be
buried in a chapel to be built and properly
kept by his heirs at town called Conoep-
cion de la Vega, in Hispaniola, now Santo
fhaV fn-no ar fho
thedral of the capital of the island, not
withstanding all that has been published to
the contrary
"But how do you explain the existence of
the Chapel ell Template, erected in Havana
with the special object of serving as re-
pository of the remains of Columbus9n
"Very easily" said the senior. THE act
of the exhumation OF the pretended relics
of the illustrious admiral. bearing the date
OF December 90, 1875, and signed by Don
Jose 7. HidalRo notary of the chamber of
the royal audience Of South Domingo, does
not set down in explicit terms that the relics
exhumed from one Of the tombs of the ca
thedral and transported to Cuba were those
of Columbus. The act simply says that they
found in said tomb certain lead plate, sup
posed to be parts of coffin, and therein
bones and dust supposed to be human re-
mains. Now if the remains said TO be de-
nothing could be easier than to prove their
authenticity by proceeding to a solemn
examination before respectable and trust
worthy witnesses, such as the foreign con-
suls residing at Havana Ga the other
hand, if the relics existing at Havana prove
to be the real relics of the illustrious navi-
gator who did 30 mnch for the glory and
greatness of Spain, now IS the time for the
spanish people to show their gratitude aud
veneratiOn FER the great dis
coverer of The New World by
restoring his mortal remains to the place
where he wished them to rest In peace and
by joining the Dominican people to raise a
memorial to Columbus on the spot where
he was put in irons like vulgar criminal,
aud sacrificed TO the petty hatred OF enc
niles, This vexatious misunderstanding has
been the cause of bad feelings between the
two countries. and &c is very probable that
on this account Santo Domingo will alb
stain from taking part ia the celebration
that will take place in Madrid in 1892, to
commemorate the four hundredth anniver-
sary Of the discovery Of America"