The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-10-18
THE BONES OF c0LUnBus.

AS was 10 be expected, the Spanish
government objects TO our getting pos
session of the bones of Columbus. which
are Supposed To have lain in the cathe-
dral In Havana for more than "A cen-
tury.' They are 10 be- taken back to
Spain along with the handsome mauso-
lcum which was sent over from Spain,
after the 4o0th anniversary. OF the dis
c0very of the new world. for the pur-
pose of containing them. and the monu-
ment which was erected in q prominent
position in Havana In memory OF CO.
But 1t is not at all certain that Spain
really has possession OF the bones OF the
Immortal discoverer or has ever had
them since 1876. Both Havana and San
Domingo have claimed the honor OF
possession and Havana has never sue
ceeded In making her title absolutely
clear Columbus, as VIII be remem-
bered died In Valladolid and was buried
in that city. The remains We're after
ward removed To Seville, but about l540.
in accordance with the provisions Of
the will OF Columbus. were taken to
the island OF San Domingo and placed
I'm the cathedral. Columbus had ex-
pressed a preference for the Convent
of Conception de la Vega. but il is for
tunate that his wishes were not carried
out 10 the letter. for the convent was
In 1896. when San Domingo was ceded
to France, the Spaniards resolved that
the bones OF Columbus should never lie
under an alien flag and decided 10 re-
move them TO Havana. The Spanish
officials To whom this duty was dele
gated firmly believed that they had per-
formed this duty when they found a
vault containing fragments of leaden
case, such as Columbus was placed In
before his last voyage from Spain. con-
a.
were taken to Havana and reinterred
with fitting ceremonies. There was no
trace OF an inscription about the leaden
casket or other evidence TO show be-
yond question that these were the re-
mains that had been sought. on the
contrary. Ii Is more than likely that
they were not. for I'm 1877 another vault
i'm the cathedral was unearthed which
contained a similar casket. on the Id
of this was the inscriptions: I'D. de In
A.. per Ate."-Discoverer Of America:
First Admiral. ON the inside OF the lid
was the inscription. "Ilitre Es'do
Varon, Dn. Cristoval Colon" This dis
covery led "A great many people to be-
lieve that this was really the tomb OF
Columbus. and that the bones which
Spain had removed to Havana were
really those of Don Diego. a son of CO.
| lumbus. The Royal Academy Of Mad
rid instituted an inquiry which. of
course resulted in sustaining the Ha-
vana theory.
Some years ago Mr.. r. A. Ober Of
this city. who was spending consider
able time among the West Indies In the
interest OF the Columbian exposition.
made a thorough investigation Of the
subject and came to the conclusion
that the claims OF San Domingo rested
upon more satisfactory basis than did
those of Havana. In q formal report
to the United States government on the
subject. Mr. Ober said:
THE conclusion reached by the Span
jsh academy is that the remains OF
Cristoval Colon are In the cathedral OF
Havana, in the shadow OF the glorious
hammer -eS-Castle. " IL most
fitting that over his sepulchre waves
| the same flag that sailed with him from
| Palos i'm the Santa Maria There
rest the bones OF the first admiral of
| the Indies; there is his last abode"
"I sircertlv desire To assent 20 this
orinion, feeling IL were indeed most fit
ting that tho ashes of Columbus should
repose under the flag he ctCried to the
neW world: but after havin" sifted all
the evidence carefully: after having
! seen the spot selected by the admiral
for his last abode; after having ex-
| amined witnesses who were present at
| the discovery of the casket: after read
| ing the inscriptions and inspecting the
relics themselves. ' am forced to adj
init that the Dominicars have a much
stronger case than the HavaneSe.
"The error of the Spaniards. in 1875.
Law in their ignorance of the fact that
| there were two vaults closely contigu-
Gus: that only q few inches from the
one they npened was another, which
was the one thew We're seeking. Both
vaults We're under the chancel. both
were on the Gospel side but that al
| ie&ed bv the Domnlcans to have con-
| tanned the remains Of Columbus was
| nearer the wall, Immediately against
its foundations. Concerning. then, the
| question, OF the present resting place of
| the bones of Columbus. I may he per-
| rittcd 70 add that declare in favor OF
| San Domingo"
From all of which II would seem that
| Spain NAV be adding another TO her
| long list of mistakes. and is doing an
| honor to the bones of Don Diego which
| should nroperlv go to his illustrious
| fat Washington star.