The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1894-06-14
SENATOR VANCE'S BODY
TWICE EXHUMED FROM ITS
RESTING PLACE.
inal Grave to Another-Reinterre
Again In the First Grave.

AsHEvILLE, N. c., June 12.-The
widow of Senator Zebulon B. Vance
| came to Asheville on Wednesday and
had the body of the Senator moved
from the Vance family plot in the
| cemetery, where it was originally bu-
ried, to plot she had bought the day
| the Senator was buried.
Charles N. Vance, son of the Sena-
| tor and his private secretary, arrived
in Asheville Saturday and had the
! body again disinterred and -reburied
in the family plot. Young Vance de-
clares that it was his fathers dying
wish that his body should be buried
in this plot, which the Senator had
bought and beautiffed during his life,
and that his first wife'S body young
Vance's mother) should be placed be-
side him. Mr.. Vance says he is deter
mined that his fathers wishes shall
be Obeyed if the law has to be invoked
in order to carry them out.
The plot of ground to which Mrs.
Vance had the Senator's body removed
is the hilltop, the most beautiful and
commanding spot in the cemetery,
and her object in placing the Sena-
tors body there was the fitness of the
sight for the erection of great mon
ument to the Senator's memory by the
people of the State.
Mrs. Vance is a Catholic, and when
it was found that the Senator was
dy ing, priest was about to perform
the last sacred rites when Chas. Vance
interfered.
Senator Vance was a protestant
and, it is said, that he requested that
none of the rites of the Catholic
church be allowed over him.
Young Vance said he would permit
his fathers body to be removed to the
plot secured by Mrs. Vance, provided
his first wife's body be placed beside
the Senator's, but this Mrs. Vance de-
clined to agree to.
1t Is not known what steps Mrs.
Vance will take when she learns what
has been done.
CARD FROM CHARLES VANCE.
The Citizen last evening printed the
following card from Mr.. Charles n.
Vance, son of the deceased Senator:
To the Public: My fathers request
and direction TO me were that his
body should be laid to rest in the lot
in the ASheyille cemetery, selected
and purchased by himself, and that
his first wife, the mother Of his chill
dren, should be by his side. In com
pliance with this expressed wish he
| mittee with the concurrence of his
| family and widow. There he remain
cd for nearly two months when on
] last Tuesday evening late the remains
were secretly and surreptitiously
| taken up and placed in another lot in
| the cemetery.
This was known to be without the
| knowledge or consent of his sons, his
only brother and his sisters. Even
ms ir1cf HI in mo ~
| mile of the cemetery were one brother
| and three sisters OF our father, and
had either of these been consulted,
| they would have protested against
| this high handed act, most certainly
| against the manner of removal, and
| especially against the opening of the
| casket, which latter was done. for
/ what purpose were not known. The
| removal might have been submitted
to had not the party making the re-
| moYal in writing as the last and final
| ultimatum on the subject refused to
! allow the wife of his early manhood,
our mother to be placed by his side.
| This violation of a sacred obligation
was to me so revolving that | felt it
was my Imperative duty TO the memo
ry of my dead father to replace the re-
mains in the original place. This has
been done, and | trust and pray they
may there rest in peace. Sad as has
been this duty, it was rendered neccs-
sary by the promise | repeatedly made
my father. 1t is also humilating and
notifying to me that all tins has &C
Cured, and this publication made
ne cessary, but / see no escape from it
We appeal to the sentiment of the
good peopl, of this community and OF
the State of North Carolina to sustain
us in our efforts to secure the perma
nent and peaceful repose of this gOot
man, our father, in the spot of hi'
own selection and choice, and where
he was placed by his colleagues of The
United States Senate, with the full
consent of his family and widow, anC
where may rest by his side the mothe
of his children.
Very Respectfully,
CHARLES N. VANCE.