The sun., 1895-05-19
oEx uAycoCk,s GRAVE.
Iua,xnns,ou nj Norristown Over the Pro-
', posed Removal or His Body.

, posed Removal OF His Body.
EoapisrowS, Pa. May ls.-Not since Sumter
wsa fired on hss the patriotism OF the residents
Of this quiet old borough suffered such shock
az has followed the announcement that the re-
mains of Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock were TO
be removed from the crumbling tomb In the
east corner OF the Montgomery Cemetery to
Arlington, yn. A storm ofindign alton has been
evoked by what 10 regarded as an outrage in
thwarting the wishes OF tho General as to his
place OF sepulturc,
Tie tomb was erected soon after tho death of
Gen. Hancock's daughter. and he gave minute
directions rs TO the details of its construction.
cveu to the inscription on the door. which, he
said, In O letter dated Governors Island. N. y.
July 49, 1888, should be Hancock" and
bo placed somewhere the inside Of the
vault" It was his emphatic declaration on
numerous occasions. in the presence of persons
still living that IL was there he desired his re-
mains should repose. Within 800 yards OF the
tomb are the walls of the little old-fashioncd
house into which Hancock was brought when
seven weeks OF age. after the removal OF the
family from Montgomeryville. this county,
site tirsetinn is TIC grave OF Gen. John F. Hart
ranft, and in the sam. cemetery are the tombs
q Gems ZoGk and Ever ss shee
have been projects innumerable for raising
funds for the erection Of a SHIFT to mark his
has been crumbins. its. early decay being due 70
persons per GH to take cosnzance Of this condition Of
the tomb was Col L. ": Read, surgeon-Gcncra
of the Pennsyivania National Guard H.. week r.,a
tionship with Hancock on the field and in pri-
vate lie, gave orders for the rebuilding Of the
were drawn and the stone selected, and work
was to have been started this week. Col. Reads
interest in the matter appears to have been the
movement y.
On the day the contract for the work was to
Seen ss the pg
Secretary. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
am asked by Col John Hancock uhe late Generals
e Gny syIp.
Association have permission to remove his remains to
Arlington.
The order for the rebuilding of the tomb was
The matter has been centred in an effort to have
Col. Hancock recall his approval of the plan to
Protests against any interference. with the
Generals expressed desire have been for
warded by Merton Chapter. Dnughters of the
division and citizens generally: Pennsy lyania
Commandery, military order OF the Loyal Le-
Is prepared to offer determined opposition IL 1t
is undertaken to invade the precincts OF the
Army Corps Association. A serious obstacle in
the way of the Arlington project will be legal
proceedings by the cemetery company. which.
the court, II necessary. to restrain any person
unauthorized from breaking the seal or the
vault.
The only other body in tho tomb is that of
Gen. Hancocks daughter. His widow was In
tered in q cemetery in ST. Louis. in accordance
with her wishes. 1t Is understood that tho Sec
ond Army Corps Association have also obtained
permission TO disinter Mrs. Hancocks remains
and place them by the side of those OF her hus-
band at Arlington. Mrs. Hancock was averse
TO having her daughter buried at Norristown.
and yielded reluctantly to the desire OF her hus-
band. being won oyer by his preference for Nor
ristown coupled with the determination that his
own and his daughters body should lie side by
side.
Since Col. Read was so abruptly hal ted in the
rebuilding Of the walls, overtures have been
made looking to the transfer|Of the tomb and
Its contents TO the military order of the Loyal
Legion for perpetual care. The plan contemplates
the purch OF the site where Hancock spent his
early childhood and the restoration of the dwell
ing house. with a view to maintaining 1t as a
memorial.
The original plans for the tomb were prepared
by New York architect, and the estimated
cost was $4,000. This sum was too great for the
Generals means. and contract was entered
into with Norristown man. the cost or the
vault being $500. II has never received any
care since the day 1t was completed: The tomb
is visited annually on Memorial Day by the
Hancock Veteran Association of Philadelphia.
which generally conducts exercises appropriate
z hon Gip