Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-09
Finding the Bones,

Finding The Bones.
This last was separated from the other
by a slab of stone not much more than a
foot in width, and was close to the cathe-
dral wall. All was excitement instantly
and, in order to have reputable witnesses
at hand, all the foreign consuIs and digni-
taries of the city were assembled, before
the vault was entirely exposed and its con-
tents removed Then Was brought to light
q leaden casket, in good state u praserva-
tion, on the lid ST which was an inscrip-
ton: ID. de Ia a, per Ate-Discoverer Of
America; first Admiral" On the inside of
the lid: ''1iltTe y Els do Varon, Dr. ,risto-
val Colon" The right end of the ease bore
the letter "A" and the left &C." while Il
silver plate was later found INSIDE with
name and titles Of Columbus. A critical
eHarninatiOn showed human bones several
very wei preserved, though tie skull was
gene, the silver plate mentioned and Il
large bullet. This is supposed t. e the
bullet he received in his body when n
Africa, the wound from whfcl caused him
much pain throughout his life
This great discovery threX the &avants of
San Domingo into spasms of delight and
thCs of Spain INTO corresponding rage
When the news IF t reached Madrid the
Royal Academy instituted a searching IT.
1uiry. which resulted, of course, in sus-
tanning the Havana theory; but he
"saoios' OF San Domingo are still firm in
their belief that they lave the onry and
Gated 'restos" of the Immortal Colon"
Viewing the Relics.
AS the writer was sent to SaE Domingo
for the express purpose of sitting the ex-
isting evidence and making a personal ex-
animation and bore letters of recommends
ton from the then Secretary of State, Mr..
Blaine, to the president of the Dominican
republic, every opportunity was afforded
him for rigid investigation. The minis
ter of fomento, public affairs himself
accompanied him to the cathedral, and by
his command the revered relics were
brought from their place of deposit, in an
ancient cedar chest within a dark cell near
the presby terry, and exposed to the light of
day. Photographs were then taken of the
vault Che original place OF sepulture being
pointed out, the two vaults opened and
their relative position shown, and also of
the casket at present holding the bones.
and of the "urna," case OF crystal and
satinwood. in which this is contained.
This last is bound about with ribbons
secured by the great seal of the republic
and to obtain even q glimpse of the re-
mains 1t Is first necessary to get the sane
ton of the ecclesiastical, the municipal
and the national authorities, the three keys
to the cell in which they are guarded being
held by the archbishop. the president of
the 'ayuntamiento," or nunicipa.it and
the secretary of foreign affairs This is in
order to guard against fraad and TO pre-
treasure.
Favors San Domingo.
In the writer's report to thia government
he said in substance: The concIu-
sion reached by the Spanish academy Is
that the remains of Crlstoyal Colon are
in the Cathedral of Havana. II. the shadow
of the glorious banner of CASTLE 1t
Is most fitting that over his sepulcber
waves the same flag that sailed with him
from Palos in the Santa Maria
mere rest the bones of the first admiral
9t the indies: there Is his last abode. . 81
i sincerely desire to assent to this opin-
ion. feeling 1t were indeed most fitting that
the ashes of Columbus should repose under
me nag ne carried to the new world; but,
after having sifted all the evidence CAREFUL
ly' after having seen the spot selected by
the admiral for his last abode; after hey.
ing examined witnesses who were present
az the discovery OF the casket; after read
ing the inscriptions and inspecting tha
relics themselves. l am forced to admit
that the Dorninicens have a much stronger
case than ;he HaYanese.
The error of the Spaniards. In 1895, lay
IN their ignorance of the fact that there
were two vaults closely contiguous; that
oEiy few inches from the one they OMEN
ed was another which was the one they
were seeking. Both vaults were under the
chancel, both were en- the Gospel side
but that alleged by the Dominicians to
have contained 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, / may be permitted
to add that I declare in favor of San
Domingo"
All in the Family.
STU, the Spanish admiral. In 1I95, took
somebody's remains to Hayasa, and IL not
these OF Columbus. then to whom did they
pertain7 1t was at first thought, after the