Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1894-06-22
FROM CHARLES N. VANCE
HE REPLIES TO A LETTER
AND AN EDITORIAL.
ofaiemenis COntr0veriinx Mrs.
vance's Position-The Senator
Wished His Rirst wife To Rest
Nv His 0ide.-TwO Letters.

spcciai iaicOrreSpondence rom Washington
which appeared in the Charlotte Obser
YER on Sunday, the 18th inst, to asl
you to publish the following reply:
From the Observer editorial, | an
glad to know that ''for the present nt
further action will be taken in the mat
ter" of removal. hope the remains
will not again be disturbed. do moi
believe it would be permitted by th,
citizens Of Ashevlle, or even by thu
authorities of the Ashevile cemetery
company under the present conditions
The Observer editorial states, l presume
by authority, that Mrs. Herndon
a sister Of the late Senator, gave the
instructions to have the body moved
from the original place OF burial to the
higher lot which Mrs. Vance had
bought" This must he erroneous, for
when in Asheville few days ago, my
aunt. Mrs. Herndon, stated to me that
Mrs. Vance had requested her to do so,
but she declined and would have moth.
ing to do with it. am Just this moment
in receipt of a telegram from Mrs. Hern-
don. saying she did not give the order
for the removal.
Again the Observer editorial states Il
assume by authority: "She meaning
Mrs. Vance had stated to Mr.. Chas.
N. Vance that she was willing, il he
desired, that the body of his mot her be
placed by his fat her side, etc." That this
is also erroneous is most apparent from
the following letter:
"1627 Massachusetts avenuc.-lt is
my intention to have my husbands re-
mains removed from their present burial
place to the circular lot No. 14s, in Sec
tion X, where propose no other body
shall ever be placed. Upon these condi-
tions after the removal, shall deed the
lot to the State of North Carolina.
Signed, Florence S. Vance, May 26,
Major ]. w. Wilson of Morganton,
N. c.. has the original of This letter in
the present Mrs. Vance's own hand
writing and those doubling its a ut thentic.
ity can satisfy themselves by reading it.
The facts are these: Major Wilson came
to Washington by request, as an old
and long time friend OF my father and
the family, to try to arrange this matter
in private, but much to his disappoint-
mcnt and sorrow, as we'll as that of all
others who ielt an affrctionate interest
in the matter. he failed to do So.
The letter above given was IN reply to
the following letter, which was written
by me and address to Major Wilson,
at his request and suggestion after he
had a conference with Mrs Vance. He
was satisfied it would be acceptable to
her, but her letter in reply shows that he
was mistaken.
washington, d. c., Nav 25, 1894.
Maj. ]. W. Wilson, metropolitan Hotel,
Washington, ID. c. Dear Strike. lying
to your inquiries concerning the removal
OF my fathers remains, from where they
now rest, to some other place in the Gem
etery at Asheville, have this PROPOSE.
ton to make; First. the lot to be lccted
shall be decided to the State of North
Carolina and held in trust by the State.
for these purposes only: First, to hold the
remains of my father; second, to hold
the remains of my mother; third, to hold
remains of my infant brother Espy.
No other person shall b. buried therein.
If these conditions are complied with,
have no objection to the rcinterment OF
my father in such lot as may be selected
and conveyed as aforesaid. Further
more there will be no Objection to the
erection OF a monument to nv fathers
memory by his widow. Let the deed, il
made. be made to you as trustee for l
am satisfied you will see to it that the
agreement is carried out. Very truly
yours, Chas. N. Vance,
Now as to the correspondence of the
Observer" from Washington dated June
Ia. The remains of nv mother have
never been removed to the family plot in
Riverside cemetery at Asheville, but my
father had SO frequently talked with me
about it that was confident it had been
done, and not until fathers funeral day
in Asheville did learn to the contrary.
His exact words to me when he first
mentioned the matter Of his own burial
place were, land want your mother by
my side" Those that knew him in life
wiliknow, without the telling, that this
was his wish and earnest desire. Nv
mothers remains will be placed by his
side at the first convenient opportunity.
The place where they now rest is opened
and exposed and the removal will be
made as early as practicable.
As to the statement that the sons were
told by the present Mrs. Vance that their
mother could be placed beside their
father in the lot purchased by her, l
affirm most positively and solemnly that
no such offer was ever made to me; II it
had been this trouble would never have
arisen; and if my brothers, Zebulon and
Thomas, have ever been informed 1t must
have been since the removal was made
by Mrs. Vance. and on a very recent
date. have letter from the former of
date June 4th, and up to that time Mrs.
Vance had made him no such offer, and
have also from him a telegram. dated
18th instant, fully endorsing my action
on Sunday morning, the 10th instant, in
replacing the remains in their original
resting place. From my brother Thomas,
l have heard through his wife by letter
as late as May 80, and up to that time
Mrs. Vance had given him no such assur.
ance or offer, as she states. Neither one
OF them, to my knowledge, has ever
been consulted about the matter, or in
formed by Mrs. Vance that it was her
intention" to make the removal. am
in regular communication with them
both and would most likely have been
notified II any such proposition or con-
cessicn. had come to them. And besides,
they have thus far endorsed and ap-