Evening star., 1898-09-27

convent was long since destroyed by earth
quakes.
IN 1Ta5, when San Domingo was ceded to
| France. the SDaniards resolved that the
| bones of Columbus should never lie under
an alien flag ard decided to remove them
to Havana The Spanish officials to whom
this duty was delegated firmly believed
that they had performed this duty when
they found vault containing fragments of
a leaden CT Sc, such Columbus was placed
in before his last voyage from Spain, con-
tanning human dust and bones These were
taken to Havana and renterred with fit
ting ceremonies. There was no trace of an
| inscription about the leaden casket or other
evidence to show beyond a question that
these We're the remains that had been
sought. On the contrary, it is more than
likely that they We're not for in 1877.
another vault in the cathedral was un-
earthed which contained a similar casket
oh the lld OF this was the inscription: ID
de Ia A, per Ate.'-Discoverer of America ::
fHst Admiral On the inside of the lid
was the inscription ''Illtre. Esdo Varon
Dn Cristoval Colon" This discovery led a
great many pc ople to believe that this was
really the tomb of Columbus and that the
bones which Spain had removed to Havana
Columbus. The Royal Academy of Madrid
instituted an inquiry which, of course re-
suited in sustaining the Havana theory
Some years ago Mr.. F. A. Ober of this
city, who was spending considerable time
among the West Indies in the interests of
the Columbian exposition. made Il thorough
investigation of the subject and came to
the conclusion that the claims of San Do
mingo rested upon more satisfactory basis
than did those of Havana. In a formal
report to the United States government on
the subject. Mr.. Ober said:
The conclusion reached by the Spanish
academy is that the remains of Cristoval
Colon ar" in the cathedral of Havana in
the shadow of the glorious banner of Cas-
tile 1t is most fitting that over
his sepulcher waves the same flag. that
sailed with him from Palos in the Santa
Maria There rest the bones of the
first admiral of the Indies; there is his last
Il sincerely sire to assent to this opin-
ion feeling it were indeed most fitting that
the ashes of Columbus should repose under
the nag he carried TO the new world; but,
aIter having sifted all the evidence care
fuIly: after having seen the SPOT selected
by the admiral for his last abode after
having examined witnesses who were pres
ent at the discovery of the casket: after
reading the inscriptions and inspecting the
relics themselves. | am forced to admit that
the Dominlcans have a much stronger case
than the Havanese
The error of the Spaniards in 1I95, lay
IN their ignorance of the fact that there
We're two vaults closely contiguous: that
only few inches from the one they opened
was another, which was the one they were
seeking. Both vaults We're under the
chancel. both were on the Gospel side but
that alleged by the Dominicans to have
contained the remains of Columbus was
nearer the wall, Immediately against its
FOUNDATIONS Concerning. then, the uues-
ton of the present resting place of the
pones of Columbus. | may be permitted 10
mingo.'
rom all OF which 1t would seem that
Spain may be adding another to her long
list Of mistakes and is doing an honor to the
bones of Don Diego which should properly
go to his illustrious father.