Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-01-18
SAW WASHINGTON LAST.
A Virginia Brickiayer Who Had
 That Honor.
The Facts ss Related by an Aged Negro Who Yet Guards the Vault That Contains the Sacred Dust of
 the Washingtons.

the Washingtons. One of the last persons to see the re. mains of Gen. George Washington was George Burgess, who recently died in Alexandria, Va., at an advanced age. i Burgess was an apprentice at the brick laying trade at the time Gen. Washing toms body was taken from its resting place in the old family vault and placed in the marble tomb where it now is.
 The Washington homestead is B three-story building on the high bank of the Potomac river at Mount Vernon. It is probably one hundred and fifty feet long and about forty feet wide, and runs north and south. The room in which George Washington died is in the second story of the house and at the extreme south. The room in which Martha Washington died Is immediate. ly above 1t. After his death, 1t is said, she had a window cut in the southern exposure of the house in the room which she afterward occupied, in order that she might sec her husbands tomb. The family vault in which her husbands remains were temporarily placed was at the brow of the hill, about two hundred feet immediately south of the house. A large number of the bodies of relatives were also placed in this vault.
 The present site occupied by the, Washington vault, says the Chicago Times, is one selected by Washington himself, and the story of its being. built Is told by Edward Parker, the old colored man, who explains to visitors what the vault contained. When he was asked if he knew Burgess and Burgess claim of having seen Wash ington's body was correct he said:
 "Hollowed ground like this yere does not make all good who live upon it. A man to gain eternal salvation must be born again, and only when he Is born again can he hope to live in eternal peace with his Maker. When the gem eral died and his remains were placed in the other vault it was not intended that his remains should always stay there. This site was chosen by the general hisself when he was alive for a family vault. The building of this vault was delayed for years on differ ent pretexts and this is how it came to be built by Burgess boss at last. There was an English gardener here whose time had nearly expired, and he thought he could make a fortune if he could steal Gen. Washington's skull and hold 1t until reward was offered. In the same vault with the generals remains was number of others. The gardener succeeded in getting into the vault and getting skull. He was dis covered and the skull taken from him. Burgess boss was given the job of building the vault and after it was fin ished the generals remains were moved over here. The coffin was opened and it was found that the body was intact and all there. Burgess was present when the coffin was opened and l reck. on he seen the body. In this vault are forty-two others beside the generals family. The whole floor space is filled and that is the reason these other bodies are buried outside"
 He also said that the bones of many of the bodies were piled in the corner. Parker said he was brought to the | place when about fourteen years old. This, he says, was i'll 1s41, and he has remained in the neighborhood ever since. He wears an army uniform and is deeply religious
 While the old colored man was rev erently telling all he knew of Wash ington he was approached by man and woman, both of whom were well dressed and seemed intelligent. The I {r,yY1 h lTNfN ton, and his wife, turning to Parker, said: Uncle, can you tell us where ! the cherry tree is that Washington is said to have cut down with his little hatchet?"
 Parker stopped in the middle of a sentence, and, turning toward them, indignantly replied: Well, well, if you are looking for that tree you will have to go to Westmoreland county"
 The couple started down the lane, paying no attention to Parker, as he asked them if they would not like to take souvenir home with them. Parker, continuing his talk, said: "Some people haven't any sense, reckon, for they ask all sorts of foolish questions about George Washington and his family"
 Parker takes especial interest in pointing out the trees planted by Dom Pedro of Brazil, the Sigma Chi fra ternity and the English oak planted to take the place of the horse chestnut set out by the prince of Wales during his visit to this country, and which has since died. He collects quite few dimes each year by selling souvenirs. After finishing his lecture he invari- ably turns toward his audience and asks:
 Don't you want souvenir?"
 From the large pockets of his coat he fishes up number of cedar hatchets whitfield out with knife, and dried magnolia blossom, which he says came from tree planted by Washington himself.
 Michigan people are attracted to the coach house at Mount Vernon by a sign on it that it was restored by Michigan. In this coach house is three-seated coach used by Washington and his family,
 An Ancient Bank Note.
 The Bank of England has in it's nos-