Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-19
SENATOR VANCE'S REMAINS.
a Distressing Incident Closed-Letter from
the Senator's Widow.

The Raleigh CN. c. News and Observer
of yesterday says:
! Having published the card Of Mr..
Charles n. Vance about the removal Of
his fathers remains, we think 1t proper
to print what Mrs. Vance has written
us i'm reference 10 the matter which we
DO below. Some days ago, when we made
! mention Of the action of Mr.. Charles
! Vance in restoring the remains TO their
| original place of interment, We We're Un-
! der the impression that the first wife Of
Senator Vance had been buried in that
| lot, but 1t seems that she was buried else
where.
This subject has excited much interest
! and feeling among the friends Of Senator
| Vance all over the State. and for this
| reason we add a few words which we
! hope may tend to allay feeling. IT APP
| pears that before Senator Vance died he
| and Mrs Vance had selected certain
| lot for his burial-place. but they were I'M
/ able 10 purchase il at that time, and so
| he bought another-that in which he was
| Inferred. But the day he was Inferred
| Mrs. Vance succeeded i'm purchasing the
lot which was their first choice.
! after that Mrs. Vance, wishing herself
! TO be buried I'm Kentucky. and proposing
| To remove the remains TO the lot which
| was the Senator's first choice, assented
to the suggestion. or perhaps II was her
| own proposition, that the remains OF the
| Senator and OF the first Mrs. Vance and
the remains Of a little infant buried with
| Mrs. Vance should be removed there: that
! the title should be conveyed to the
| State, and no one else be inferred there.
l But for reasons satisfactory TO her
| self. she changed her mind and declared
| her intention 10 allow no other remains
| than those Of the Senator to be removed
to the lot.
"There is nothing distressing in the re-
| moval OF the remains under ordinary
circumstances, and in this case the dis
tressng element has largely originated in
| the conflict of family wishes The friends
/ OF Senator Vance and Mrs. Vance and Of
J the family generally will therefore learn
with great satisfaction that she has no
purpose 10 take any further action In the
matter. and this episode. we trust, may
b. regarded as entirely over"
MRS. VANCES LETTER.
The letter from Mrs. Vance referred TO
by the News and Observer is dated Wash
ington. D. a June 18th. and IS as follows:
Il sent fot a priest to come to me the
night my husband died. He was wholly
! unconscious and past the ministrations
| OF any one. lie never expressed his be-
| lief i'm the Catholic Church. but the con-
| trary. / only asked the priest to pray
for him to comfort me. / bought the lot
Oh the high hill. as you say. the day after
! my husband died. and told Charles Vance
OF my wishes at the same time. | told
! him he could have his mother put there
# he wished. His father had often ex-
pressed his determination TO leave his
| wife where she was buried, In the Presby-
! terrain church-yard. as he thought she
e
| stated the day 1 bought the lot. j wrote
to the other children, giving the same ex-
preston OF my wishes and willingness to
| have their mother placed where they
wished her.
Il bought the lot that my husband and
| had wanted when We first went 10 the
new cemetery. but il was not laid out
them | asked my husbands sister to
have him quietly removed. and she gave
the orders. and the grave was being dug,
| when Charles Vance, without speaking
to me one word OF objection, counter
manded the order.
81 WAS instructed by the cemetery au-
| thorities to come in person or send an
undertaken II | intended to have my
! wishes carried out. l went in person and
! had 1t done.
"The lot where had my husband
| placed has not been blessed by any Catho-
| lie. as the regulations OF the Church for
bid such ceremonies except in Catholic
| cemeteries.
Il entertained the desire Of having my
| husband buried in a suitable place. and
! thought I had chosen such spot as
would please every one who cared Tor
| him. | went with him and helped select
the place he bought after our failure TO
secure the high point that seemed shaped
and fashioned for him, where l had
thought to do him honor, and where his
monument would have been the pride Of
the community.
II shall most certainly not disturb his
rest again, or appeal TO the law Tor what
I supposed all civilized people conceded
the right of a mans wife TO have her
husband properly buried. The unsuta-
bleness of the present place Is apparent
The people of Bessemer and Eagle Rock,
Botetourt county. will have Fourth-ot-