Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-14
REMAINS OF THE RULERS or
FRANCE.
Their Bones Have Lain for Yenrs Un-
buried I'm "A Room fu Paris.

buried I'm n Room iu Paris.
A few months ago IL was reported in some
OF the French papers that the bones of the
kings and queens OF France were left neg
iect'd In the store rooms OF one Of the
public buildings OF Paris. and the Figaro
was the first 10 CALL in the name OF decen-
cy, Tor their respectful re.nterment The Vie
Contemporaine has taken up the subject
and given the first detailed account OF the
violation OF the royal tombs during the
Reign of Terror.
In the vaults of the Church of St Denis
resting under the statues which represent
ed them. fifty kings OF France and nifty
queens slept the eternal sleep in the re-
ligious peace of the basllica. From Dago-
bert L. down to Francis l., Henry W. Louis
MIL. and Louis AlN.. the kings all reposed
there in the ancient vaults. The tombs In
the chalcls and in the crypt became 50 nti-
merous that there was no longer any room
Tor one more royal corpse when the revolu-
ton burst out.
The convention at first ordered the de-
structlon Of the tombs, and afterward the
violation OF the collins. The 9Th of August,
l'sS, conducted by the mayor, the populace
entered the basilica- This mayor was for
ss.le and the Hymn TO Mars'' in the pull
PIT IN which a short time previously he
preached the word of God.
Tney were supplied with cords and ladders
OF workmen. The troop advanced up 10 the
aitar, ana at FIRST appeared somewhat sur
prlseu al the act that they were about 10
s,. moi having as yet lost all respect
.pr me sanctity OF the place. They entered
me chapel called the chapel of the
oharles, where by the Size OF Du Guesclin
ano LOUIS de saucorne We're the remains Of
1hafles v. and his wife, Charles VI and
Charles VII They struck with heavy ham.
fners the "detested faces OF the tyrants"
ana they saluted with shouts OF tov the
pieces. ~
They would not break the monument NJ
Iurenne because IL had not been raised 10
.he glory OF an upstart king. But they cid
hoS st ts.i tnat OF Du Guesclin. When they
tney mad sufficiently. amid roars OF laugh-
Yer, broken the noses, the fingers and the
neads OF The statues. they resolved TO open
the cofi1ns, because, according 20 rhe
legends. several Of them contained treas-
ures. All that they found. however con-
sisted OF few threads OF bogus gold IN the
CASTLE. ~
Upon each coffin there was an Inscription
upon plate Of lead or copper They were
.oIn on. one or them, that OF Louis XIV,
was found again in $50 in the shop OF a bra.
yer VINO used il a saucepan Some Of
me bones were thrown into the CEMETERY
~ nut tne greatest portion OF them remained
ia -, ehe conlns. In three days, 9Th. 7th and
o.n OF August. fifty-ohe tombs were de-
suoyeo- The news was announced MI
over the country. and the event wss cele-
10, an % me feast of the 10th Of August.
nor al mat, II was considered that this ire
NeHge was not sufficient They had brol-
IN the images of the kings: now thew a.
'e,1nIned TO attack their remains
a crowd or citizens of St Denis fofn>6 49,
several politicians from Paris stopne,5 frct
petore the tomb of Turenne They found
.ne co.hn in a vault placed Immediately un-
ger tne marble monument They onf.ns6 a.
The features OF the hero Of Saizhacs -. -.
unchanged The body presented the Az
nearance OF a dried mummy. II was ni.cea
ni.caS q. care OF a man named Host He
ps.aeeo ~ IN an oak box and deposited n IN
.ne sacr1sty, and for eight months he en-
l'oitsa IL as curious relic and char~s6 .
re. zee on admission Not being satisfied with
ms profits in the exhibition line he TOOL, o,,e
the teeth OF the great Turenne ana ~
Snem one by one. When this outrare ne
discovered the body was sent to the J.ys,r
uSs 1 r,antes. and two years 9fterward II
was placed In the Temple of Mara sornsxsv
the Church Of the Invalides
IN .he afternoon Robespie-re arrived He
Mo.iu no, nave any nonsense over the ty
was to find the vault OF the Roureors "a
iast the entrance was found. n m. .,t,,.
49, -. before the altar. and a little 10 The
rienc ansy descended into the crypt and
near the door they discovered the cofsn -
Louis XIV Further on, ranged SIDE nv .aas
were twenty-five tombs at the left ana on
me Hght were those OF Henry nv. and
The popular Imagination was sttu e,,u 80
the souvenirs left by that good tinr ~
was he whom they exhumed the irsf A..
eorulhs 70 the records that have been left
10 US certain emotion came over the .necs
tators when the workmen had AZ last nisc.
ea IN the light the royal corpse Rohes.
pierre himself was filed with respect rhs
n Isce OF henry Nv. was in no way changed
one would fancy that he had lust S,ed
An eyewitness cited by Courajod testine1
as follows: 'e
ANY countryman who, In his usetfrna
Sa',, tne image OF Henry ". on the Pout-
hized MIN In the midst OF a thousa nd ho6ies
MS features were so little altered IL look
e1 as II putrefaction was afraid to an
49,. =, ms heroic remains. and that IT wish
go 70 preserve them for all poster1ty. Bur
broiane hands took them from the tomb 10
oTas them in the mud" And this eye-vtt.
h seSs ADDED; 7 placed my hands upon the
nands or the dead king with a certain ne.
spect that could not overcome alfSor,n 4
was true republican"
But soon the crowd became eubo,densd.
1 = soldier who was present cut on q lona
Poruon OF his beard. The access 10 ere
crypt by the staircase OF the choir was 6fs
ncult- ana breach was made In the vail
me coffin OF Henry ". was IN this vay
,as ~, rom me place where Il had remained
,or Two centuries. They placed Il upright
resting II against one OF the pillars Tbers
every one could see IL up TO Monday. Octo-
Ter ~ i19s The royal corpse was the OBJ
lect or the outraaes Of the popuiace
The guard who had Il In charge q man
named Dosing. recovered from a child two
OF the Kings teeth, hts rnustache and \
EEoruon OF The linen that was IN the CONN.
Then woman struck the face OF the dead
ground. Nv
ON, the Ilth OF November. lbs an the
Church of 81. Denis In seventeen varons
vention
They stiu remain unburied.