Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-11

nag. SO 1t was decided to remove them TO
the cathedral in Havana; accordingly Spanish
fleet proceeded to Santo Domingo and amid
imposing ceremonies the first vault at the left
of the chancel and a small lsaden casket, con-
tanning few bones supposed to be those OF
Columbus (the Great, was taken out and con-
veyed to Havana. where 1t was buried in the
cathedral with imposing rites. No one doubted
that these were the bones Of the great discov-
erer until 1877, when il became necessary to re-
pair the old cathedral at Santo Domingo, when.
right by the side of the vault from which the
supposed remains of Christopher Columbus had
been removed, q second little vault was found
containing time-molded leaden casket similar
to the one that had been removed. On the ex-
terror was the inscription SD. de 10 s. Per.
Ate" while the interior bore the incription,
"Illtre. y do varon On. Cristoval Colon, y
which. when freely translated, is. ITO the illus
trious and esteemed Baron Don Christopher Co
lumbus."
THE REAL BONES PRESERVED.
Surprised at this wonderful discovery the
Catholic fathers present informed the authori-
ties, who Immediately summoned all the repre-
sentatives Of foreign countries, who after q
careful examination took oath that, to the
best of their knowledge, these were the remains
of Christopher Columbus, while the Spaniards
in 1875 had by mistake removed to Havana
the remains of the son, Diego Colon. The
leaden casket was then placed in a glass case,
carefully sealed with the consular seals of Eng
land Germany. Spain, Italy, the United States
and several South American states. This case
was then placed in vault in the cathedral,
locked with three separate keys, one held by
the bishop, one by the ministry and one by the
city authorities.
Our party visited the cathedral and witnessed
the ceremony of bringing out the casket. The
three representatives, of the church, state and
city, were present with their heavy iron keys,
and few natives peered curiously in the doors.
while priest brought out cloth embroidered
in gold and placed it on table in the center
OF the church, and here we were allowed to
view the remains, a few crumbling pieces of
bone in a moldy end blackened leaden box.
about eighteen by ten by eight inches In the
box with the bones was found a small iron ball
similar to the musket balls Of that periord. but
how it got there is a mystery. as there is no
record Of Columbus ever having been wounded.
The vault In the stone at the left of the chancel
rail is still left open, as it WAS found and over
it a marble slab bears the inscription in Span
ish around the arms of Columbus, Resting in
this vault are the remains of Don Christopher
Columbus, the celebrated discoverer of the new
world since the year 1886, when they were re-
moved here from Spain. and they remained
here until the 10th Of September, 1877. when
they were removed to establish their identity
and place them in place of safety to keep
them for posterity, under the protection of the
church and state"
In front Of the old cathedral there is an ex-
cellent statue Of Columbus erected in 1885 and
made in Italy.
DUPLICATE OF THE CROSS.
In the cathedral there is an old wooden cross
said to be the original cross erected by the San
Franciscan monks over the first church on the
island in 1894. The original was sent to the
Columbian centennial in Spain and an accurate
copy has been made to send to the Chicago ex-
position, and in the alcoves and chapels some
of the Spanish mobiles are buried, who came
over in the fifteenth century to start a new
world. while on the walls are pictures Of the
saints, many of them the work of famous old
masters: l am told that the priests have great
influence over the common classes among the
people, and that they are very superstitious in
the exercise of their religion, but owing to the
large percentage of Spanish blood in the re-
public the "voodouism' and snake worship SO
commonly attributed to the Haytians has no
foothold In Santo Domingo. In many of the
Jewelry stores little silver arms, legs, eyes and
even babies are for sale. These are known as
'.millagros" and are hung by the people before
the shrine of their patron saint in token of a
prayer for whatever they may represent.
THE HAYTIAN SOLDIERS.
From the church we went to the old fort in
the angle OF the wall at the rivers mouth and
found amid the ruins of the old civilization and
the dirt of the fay
soldiers baresooted AMI in si;ftlaas 1850 49,
at uniform armed with oId Ran,;nnto,, S;ap
whose bright work was sadIv naaIeotnd DE-,
these fellows law and noorIy IT'D =, ,bn1.
NAV seem. can dress mn IiIe a naeaant 90 sa,s
day and follow the brass hands tb,onob tbo
ronpb streets Of the ola citv. or IN ~ a.,o
field thew can strin 70 tbc y.is, "a al. I;t.
demons. The ruins Of the old waIls onS forts
form picturesque scenes and here and tbare
the mark of shot shows where Sir Francis Drato
bombarded the town in 1850 but amid II oil Tho
old lowered fortress still stands and ;n the
very room where Colpmbus was tbyown ~,
irons four political prisoners, pp;ltv nri,ci.
pallv of the crime Of being unsnccessfnl =, ~.
posing the powers that he arc held in cbairs
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great bolders and cent n tidal wars go ~
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marks lint Ieft nnininrad tho ola fnrtros. ~
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