Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-07-14
SWORD TWO THOUSAND
Years Old Presented by tho Gar OF
Russia to President Johnson. y

I. p. Farmer, the County surveyor
of Columbiana County, Ohio who
resides at Lisbon, has in his possess
sion one of the rarest historical speci..
mems in existence. 1t is an old
Damascus blade, which, it is claimed,
is over 1000 years old. 1t is of
crude design and workmanship, and
was made entirely by hand, the ire
gularity of its lines proving more
conclusively than anything else its
antiquity.
Shortely after the assassination of
Lincoln an unsuccessful attempt was
made upon tho life of the. Gar Of
Russia. A fleet of American war
ships was sent on cruise across the
ocean, and incidentally carried a
message of congratulation to Rus
sia's ruler from President Johnson.
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Fox
accompanied the squadron, on board
the Miantonamah, commanded by
John }. Cornell, of Lisbon, Ohio.
Secretary Fox was presented with
the sword by the Czar in person, as q
token of his high esteem, accom-
pined by the following speech:
81 present to you, sir, as the repre-
sentative of one of the foremost and
mightiest modern nations, this sabre,
as a material appreciation of your
nations high regard for my welfare
and safety. Through ages it has
been treasured in the archives of my
fathers as semblance OF the mighty
races that swayed the destinics of fu-
ture generations on the shores of the
Mediterranean; it was carried
through scenes of carnage which
marked the upbuilding of the power
full sovereignty of Western Asia, and
has outlivcd the kingsdoms it helped
to build"
The ancient treasure was accepted
by the Secretary, with al appropri-
ate response, and as the fleet steamed
out of the Russian port he presented
the sword to Commander Cornweli.
While the fleet was off Toulon,
France, Commander Cornwell died
suddenly of heart failure. The vos~
sci pulled in at the port and tele-
gram was sent to Paris for burial
casket. A squad Of marines, under
command of a lieutenant, was sent
on shore to receive the casket from
the train and convey it aboard tho
dead Commanders vessel The cas-
ket missed connection, but the sailors,
who were unware of that fact, hus-
tied casket which arrived on the
train off to the ironclav. The fact
that the box was quite heavy did not
excite the suspicion of the sailors,
and after it had been taken to the
cabin the mate opened the cover.
CONSERVATION reigncd on board
when there was disclosed the body
of a beautiful young lady, buried in
a wreath of flowers.
The lid of the casket was hurriedly
restored to It's place and preparations
were promptly made to return the
body to the depot at Toulon. But
the story of the alleged seizure had
spread, creating intense excitment in
the French POI and a city official
was preparing to board the American
war ship with search warrant. Ex-
plantations were made, but the mis-
take came car causing an interna-
tional disruption. .
The French newspapers character
ized the action Of the American
sailors in the most scathing terms,
assuming that the taking of the
, body of the young lady was q pre-.
, arranged plan. .'...
Commander Cornwcll was buried
: at Toulon, and the old sword was
: given into his widows kcoping, aud
, she in turn presented il to her brother
; in-law, Mr.. Farmor. ....
The blade is twenty-five and one.
half inches long and ono inch wide,
tapcring to a point. The hilt is
, made of horn, ornamonted with
{, twisted braas wire, and is as hafa az
adamant. The CROSS pieces arc of
leather, tipped with sheet brass. The
scabbard is as interesting as the
blade, being fashioned from wood,
with a sheet brass covering. 1t was
ornamentud in crude style by indents
of pointed tool. Near the hilt, on
tho blade, are number of odd char-,
aoters, resembling ancient Hebrew
Inscriptions Philadelphia Times,