Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1899-08-11
cATAcoMBs OF ST. MARy's.
A Strange Buria,-Piaee In the Heart OF
London.

A Strange Burla.-Place In the Heart OF
London.
How many people in London are
aware of the catac0mbs Of st. Mary's?
Despite the hustle and roar incidental
to the biggest railway station in Eng
land-Liverpool street station is on the
opposite side of the road the visitor
to 81. Mary's can by a little stretch of
the Imagination picture himself in one
OF those strange burial places OF the
early Christians which may be found
On either side OF the historic Applan
way, says the London Telegraph. Here
lie the bodies OF hundreds of the faith
full departed" the collins hermetically
sealed in fashion which would salts
fy the prejudices of even the most scru-
pulous of sanitary inspectors. The
place is not open to public view. but,
thanks to the courtesy Of Father Flem-
ing. our representative was allowed to
thread his way. with the assistance 0.
lighted taper, amid the crumbllng
remains Of former practitioners Of St
Mary's. No inscriptions are visible,
but each coffin is duly noted in the
register OF the church. Some illustri-
Gus personages are buried immediate
ly beneath the high altar-Bishops
Poynter. Bramstone and Gradweil, for
example. There Is ample space for sew
eral more, but modern authorities are
not partial to burials in the heart OF
the city. Close by the bishops. in
SiEber of collins piled in regular tiers,
are the remains Of upward OF thirty
priests who served the church well in
their life and now find a congeEial rest
ing place beneath the very altar where
they celebrated the mysteries Of their
ancient faith II was tee dearest wish
Of Cardinal Wisemsn to have his body
inferred within the sanctuary OF St
Mary's, but the law interviewed. and
white marble slab with modest cpl
taph composed by himself when in tae
full yigor OF health now indicates the
place where he would have gladly resi-
ed. Strolling about this strange GEM
densely populated quarters OF London,
it was a somewhat weird experience to
hear street cries. and. peerlng above
the collins through ventilation holes
to see continuous lines OF blAes and
cabs in the adjoining thoroughfare
Among the notabilities in the cata-
combs We find Honest Jack Lawless,
a doughty follower OF O'Connor the
Liberator. and many other personages
who held large share of public at
tention in their day. Weber, the cello
brated composer, who, strangely
enough, was made a count after his
DEATH" was buried here. but some
years later his remains were removed
to Dresden. In the small strip Of
ground adjoining the church. as well
as in the vaults. no less than $500
Catholics were buried prior to the year
1858. When the church is demolished
1t is probable that everybody will have
TO be removed. although where so huge
collection OF dead humanity viii III
timately rest does not yet appear 70 be
decided There is an instance on rec
ord in the city where similar removals
were undertaken at $40 per head. 1t
is obvious that so costly an outlay
would be impossible in the present
ca1l. Though dead. many Of the per-
sons buried in st. Mary's, Moorfelds.
are not forgotten, and the prospect OF
an approaching removal of remains
will result, it is anticipated. In a del
uge CT correspondence from relatives