The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-21

to be the initials of the words "CrBstobal
Colon, Almirante."
After opening the hinged lid on the in
side of it another Inscription appeared,
which was Interpreted to mean 'Illustre
esclarecido varon. Don Cristobal Colon
IHustrious and famous man, Don Chris
topher Columbus"
An examination of the contents of the
box revealed human bones, with the ex-
ception of a few parts reduced to dust.
Later, during a more careful examination
of the bones, among the mold and dust
bullet of lead, two small iron screws, and
a little silver plate were found. The screws
and corresponding holes in the silver plate.
rs well as in the back of the case, proved
that in former times the silver Plate had
been affixed inside of the case, but had
become loosened therefrom The little
plate contained inscriptions on both sides.
Without doubt both inscriptions were in
tended TO give the same idea, but it seems
the author, not satisfied with the two
meager first authorizations, tried to give in
the second inscription a fuller expression
of his meaning, as if he would take cave
that the authorizations might be better
understood. The meaning of the abbrevia-
tons is as follows Ultima parte de los
restos del primero Almirante Cristobal
Colon Descubrider Last part of the re-
mains of Christopher Columbus, Discov-
erer.
The news of the important discovery,
which seemed to Indicate that the remains
removed in 1895 to Havana were not those
of Christopher Columbus, and that his
grave had been found undisturbed, ere.
ated a great sensation in the scientific
world, especially when Spain, finding that
its claim to the true relics of Columbus
was endangered, accused the archbishop
Cocchia, and the other dignitaries of the
Nnfh V.1
authors and aceomplices of the pious
fraud"
Spain stoutly denied that any mistake
could have been made in 1895. when Lieut.
Gen. Aristazabal undertook to remove the
remains of Columbus. The archbishop of
San Domingo, of course, rejected the ac-
cusation of fraud with great heat, and
firmly maintained that a mistake had
been made by Aristazabal, and that only
those remains newly discovered were those
of Christopher Columbus. The result was
a hot controversy lasting for several years
and producing a flood of pamphlets and
bulletins Finally the matter dropped, re
naming in doubt.
When, in 1890, says Rudolph Cronan,
began to edit work about the discovery
of America (''Amerika, die Geschichte
seiner Entdeckung." Leipsig, 1892 1 con-
cluded to visit, in the interest of my book,
the great historical places in the West In
dies, Mexico, and other American coun-
tries. Besides, intended to solve, among
other questions. that of the true resting
place of the bones of Columbus. San Do
mingo l visited during December, 1890,
and January, 1891
My Investigation took place Sunday, Jan.
IL, 1891, in the Cathedral, in the presence
of all the ecclesiastical dignitaries, consuls,
and military and civil officers After cacn
of them had been convinced that his seal,
stamped upon the glass case in 1877, was
untouched, all seals were broken and the
leaden case taken out My examinations
We're continued for several hours. 1t SEEM
ed to me the most important object to OBJ
tain exact copies of all inscriptions to be
found on the casket, as Spanish authori-
ties had declared the character of these
inscriptions to be modern, and therefore
unmistakabie proofs of imposture. 1t
should be stated, however, that most of
those authorities based their opinion upon
poor and very inexact copies, which serv-
ed as illustrations in one of the first re-
ports upon the discovery. These copies /
found differed very much from the origin
ais.
The question now arises, Does the char
acter of the description resemble the writ
ing of the first half of the sixteenth CEN
tury the time when the casket and Its
inscriptions are supposed to have been
made? When the removal of the remains
of Christopher Columbus and his son Diego
took place the ashes of both men were
transferred from the original collins 70
two small leaden Baskets of the same
make Now, can it be imagined that the
| case of such an illustrious man as the
discoverer of the new world had been left
without any visible marks or inscriptions
by means of which mistakes might be
avoided? This thought must be strongly
rejected. 1t is only natural that the case
| in which repose the remains of the great
| admiral was distinguished by fitting in
scriptions which might enable easy identi-
| fication also in later centuries. AS in 40
| official document is 1T stated that the lead
en- tablets taken by the Spaniards out of
| the vault in 1895 had any mark or inscrjp-
ton. it must therefore be regarded as
the strongest proof that the tomb emptied
| at that time never inclosed the precious
ashes of the discoverer of America.
Mention should be made of the musket
| ball which was found, together with the
small silver plate, among the mold and
! dust in the case Nobody has hitherto CIV
| en- great importance to its being there. But
/ If seems to me that some weight must be
| attached to it. Describing the awful hard
| shiDs of his fourth and last voyage, Col
umbus saws: my wound opened again,
| and for nine days all hope was gone 10
keep me alive"
| This shows that Columbus in some for
| mer DAYS was wounded. AT WHAT tlIue tnis
! happened we do not know; it was proba-
! bly during his earlier voyage in the Medl-
| terranean sea or to Guinea. 1t might be
! that during those adventurous trips he re-
! ceived a guushot. and that the pail re-
NAMED in his body tin his end.
If. as the Spanish authorities would have
us believe fraud was committed by the
archbishop of San Domingo, what reasons
could have induced him to put such bail
| into the casket which bail, up to my IN
! vestisations, never before was brought in
anv connection with the aforementioned
/ massage of Columbus letter? Furthermore
what interest should lead the archbishop
and the other dignitaries of the cathedral
at San Domingo to commit such grave
fraud. by which neither they nor their
| church had any profit?
To sum up. all reasons point most
strongly to the probability that Lieut.
cen. Aristazabal, in 1875, when he dug for
the remains Of Christopher Columbus, made
mistake. and opened not the vault of the
admiral. but that of his son, Diego buried
| only a few inches distant from his tather
I tho Standards law in their ig-