Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1894-06-11

REMOVED A SECOND TIME
SENATOR vANCE'B REMAINS
AGAIN EXHUMED

The Body Once More iu the Old
Vance Plot and Cuarde d by d
cers-Chas. ~. Yauce's Card Ia
the Public
The sequel to the item printed in TIL
CITIZEN last Thursday concerning tn,
removal Of the late Senator Vance's
remains, according to the wishes of his
widow, shows an unfortunate contro
versy that has arisen as to the spot in
Riverside cemetery wherein the Senator s
remains shall rest permanently.
Mrs. Vance had the body disinterred
and removed from the old Vance family
plot where it had been placed on the
18th of April to the new section in River
side,which she had purchased while here
on the day of his burial. This spot is the
highest point in the cemetery, and it was
here, it was planned, the monument to
the memory Of the beloved Vance should
be erected.
The news OF the removal of the Sena-
tors body came to the ears of Chas. N.
Vance, son of the Senator and his fat her S
private secretary I'D to the time of his
death. Mr.. Vance came on from Wash
ington, arriving here Saturday after
noon. Sunday morning about + O'Clock
under his direction his fathers remains
were exhumcd and again consigned to
the grave in the family plot where it
was first placed, beside the grave of Sen.
ator Vance's first wife. Chas. Vance's
mother. There. Mr.. Vance has deter.
mined, the body shall remain. if it he
possible to keep it there. Special officers
Sans and Howell have been guarding
the grave day and night since the re-
mains were removed the last time.
The removal OF the Senator's s remains,
it is understood. would have been
agreed to by Mr.. Vance it Mrs. Vance
would have consented to the removal of
the first Mrs. Vance to the same plot. This
she would not do.
Mr.. Vance has prepared the following
statement tor republication in THE CITIZEN:
Mr.. YanCe's Card.
BASKERVILLE. N. c., Junc II, 1894.
"7'o the Public:
MY fathers request and direction to
inc was that his body should be laid to
rest in the lot in the Asheville Cemetery,
selected and purchased by himself. and
that his first wife, the mother of his chill
dren should be by his side. In compi-
ance with this expressed wish he was
placed there by the Senate Committee
with the concurrence of bis family and
widow. There he remained for nearly
two months when on last Tuesday even
ing late, the remains were secretly aud
surreptitiously taken up and placed in
another lot in the cemetery. This was
known to be without the knowledge or
consent of his so-s, his only brother and
his sisters-even against their desire.
within one-halt mile OF the cemetery
were one brother and three sisters of our
father, and had either of these been con-
suited they would have protested against
this high-handed act, most certainly
against the manner OF removal, and es-
pecially against the opening of the cas-.
ket, which latter was done, for what
purpose we do not know.
This removal might even have been
submitted to had not the party making
the removal, 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 bv his side.
This violation of n sacred obligation
was to me so revolving that felt that it
was nv imperative duty to the memory
OF my dead father to replace the remains
in the original place This has been
done and trust and pray they may
there remain in peace. Sad as has been
this duty it was rendered necessary bv
the promise repeatedly made my father.
1t is also humliating and mortifying to
me that all this has occurred and this
publication made necessary. but see no
escape from it.
1--WE appeal to the sentiment OF the
good people OF this community and of
the State OF North Carolina to sustain
US in our efforts to secure the permanent
and peaceful repose of this good man, our
father, in the spot OF his own selection
and choice and where he was placed BY
his colleagues OF the Uuitcd States Sen.
ate with the full consent of his family
and widow, and where may rest bv his
side the mother of his children. Very
respectfully. Chas. N. Vance,