The Saint Paul globe., 1898-09-12


Cuba, Proposes to Dig Up the
BODY of the Mariner and Ship 1t
Back to CASTLE - His Resting
Place In Cuba.
From the ST. Louis Globe-Democrat.
The dispatches from Havana indicate
that 1t is the intention Of the Span
iards when they evacuate Cuba to re-
move the bones of Christopher Colum-
bus and take them back to Spain. They
regard the great Italian who discov-
cred the new world as the most notable
character in Spanish history, and thus
are disinclined to allow his remains
to rest elsewhere than In Spanish ter
ritory. If the removal plan Is carried
out, the body Of the discoverer will
have no more repose after death than
1t had during life, for there is not on
record any case Of human remains un-
dergoing so many changes Of place
Two graves it has had in the Old and
two in the New World and in how
many other places 1t rested cannot be
stated, for during several years there
was uncertainty about it's locality, an
uncertainty which the records In the
case have quite failed to explain.
unsuccessful voyage in 1902 were the
unhappiest that came to Columbus.
He suffered not only neglect, but Ill
treatment; disgraced at court, brought
back from America in fetters like a
common criminal, no attention paid
by the king and queen to his persistent
applications, he endured all the pangs
of a poverty which in his case must
have been embittered by the reflection
that his discoveries would make Spain
the greatest country on earth. In JUS
tice to the court it should be stated
that at the time it was not under
stood how far-reaching in Importance
the discovery was. The common I'M
preston even at the court was that
Columbus had discovered a group OF
islands to the west Of Asia, ard, there
being no conception Of the immensity
of the continent which had been found,
the Spanish court felt chagrined at the
expense without adequate return. The
colonies founded by Columbus were
unproductive, and the king and queen
naturally felt that they had made a
bad bargain. The opportunities Of
Columbus for the redress of his wrongs
and the restitution of the estates which
had been promised him wearied Ferdi-
nand and Isabella, and there is good
reason to believe that they authorized
his fourth voyage in the hope Of being
nothing, they had, by reason of that
fact a good excuse for refusing to do
anything more. In 1904 he returned to
Spain and forwarded his reports Of
discoveries. AS he had brought back
with him none of the wealth which he
had promised, his detailed accounts OF
his explorations were Sneered at, and
the king and queen seemed to have
come to the resolution to have nothing
more to do with him.
SICK IN SEVILLE
For some months after his arrival
from his last voyage he was sick in
Seville, and afterwards expressed his
regret that he did not die then and
thus escape the bitterness of the years
to come. Recovering q measure of
health, he went north to Segovia,
where the king and queen were stay
ing, and pressed his claims in vain.
The court left SegoVia and went to
Salamanca, whittier he followed the
royal retinue, and with equal ill-Suc-
cess renewed his suit. Again the royal
party changed residence, this time to
Valladolid, whittier Columbus went,
only to find that that place made no
difference, that he was neglected as
persistently as at Segovia.
The court again moved, but by this
time Columbus was too Ill to follow,
and he remained at Valladolid, part
Of the time in a private house, part
in an inn, and when he was no longer
able to pay for his entertainment he
removed to monastery, where he was
cared for by the charitable brethren.
No story of history is more pitiful
than that of the discoverer of America
during these last bitter years Of his
life. 1t is the only portion Of his ca
reer Of which an unbroken record has
l~zAx Is-
letters written from Valladolid to his
son, Diego Columbus, then at court.
Columbus wrote almost daily, his epis-
ties were lengthy, and by means of
them a complete picture is gained not
only Of his own condition, but also Of
the efforts that were being made by
him and his son to press his claims at
court and secure a satisfactory ad-
justment. The illusions Of Columbus
to himself and his condition show that
at this time he was in dire poverty,
forced to move from one place to an
other because he had no money to pay
rent, but the references to his poverty
are by no means so pathetic as those
which tell Of the neglect Of his son to
communicate regularly and frequently
with him.
He was now an old man, lonely, with
none Of his kin at his side, and in need
Of the sympathy which the old appre-
ciate far more than they are usually
willing to indicate. you do not write
to. me-" he says to Diego. Remember
[ have no pleasure in life save in hear
Ing from you" Diego was ostensibly
busy at court in efforts to secure the
claim, but there is reason to believe
that the gallantry which in early lite
distinguished his illustrious father had,
by distracting his attention, something
to do with his neglect. Diego was at
tached to the court in a nominal ca
pacity with small salary, but sufii-
cient with the allowances made by
royal authority for courtiers to enable
him to maintain decent appearance.
The court society was gay. Diego was
enjoying himself and forgot the poor
old man shifting from house to house
in Valladolid
During the winter of 1905 and 1903 the
health of Columbus failed 30 complete
ly that he became aware Of the near
ness Of the end and in the spring made
his will, beQueathing his titles and
estates to his son and leaving bequests
of various kinds to charitable institu-
tions and for particular purposes. He
was honest enough in the document TO
confess that at the time Of making the
beQuests he had nothing, they were
all contingent upon the success OF his
claim upon the court. His death o6-
Cured May 20, 1906 at No. Gale de
Colon house which Is still shown as
the principal attraction of the city, and
it Is a curious indication of the uncer-
tainty which clouds many portions OF
his life that his age at the time Of
death is conjectured, the lowest figures
being forty-elght and the highest sew
enty, the latter being deemed the more
probable.
HTS ORSCTTRTTv