The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-05-17
THE GRAVE OF THE IRON MAS
It's Surroundings in the St. Paul Gene
 tery In Paris

It's Surroundings in the St. Paul Gene
 tery in Paris.
 We may suppose that the mystery of the Iron Mask will never be elucidated,
 but this will not cure in most persons a
 craving to solve the enigma of his cap-
 tivlty. The idea that he might have
 been the rightful heir to the French
 throne-an idea favored by the uncritl-
 cal though incredulous Voltaire-adds
 to the interest of the Iron Mask. This
 puzzling being is now to the front
 again. owing to the fact that part of
 the graveyard where his remains are
 believed to lie is soon to be excavated for the cellarage of block of houses
 This graveyard belonged to the church and manastery of St. Paul. In far back
 times 1t was bounded by the cloister,
 Baviere pursued her gallant career, and
 by the moat of the Bastile The palace h'N ito Ldii bui dCiiSt ttiC dtiu
 moat with the fortress they eneireIed,
 have long disappeared. The name of
 street that runs over 1sabeau's pleas
 ure grounds-Rue deBeautreillls-
 keeps alive, the recollection of them,
 This street, also, crosses what was the
 graveyard. a part of which forms a garden surrounded by densely inhabited houses. one of which figured in old
 maps of Paris as the residence of the De Flavigny family A subway from the Bastille opened on the cemetery by which bodies of prisoners who died there were taken to be buried. The Iron Mask would have been taken by this underground passage to his final resting plaee--if we can, In view of the anticipated changes, call it final. A mound near corner of the garden 1 have mentioned Is supposed to be his grave and has passed as such time out of mind. This garden can boast of H. laos so venerable that their trunks are as thick as those of old oaks. Some vines, also give the impression of hoary antiquity. One cannot dig the ground without disturbing the debris of skele- tons. Curious tombstones, some bro- ken, some whole, are piled In corner and half mantled with egantine and other creepers that have run wild Then there are remains of arches, of pillars, of cut stone masonry that be- longed to the cloisters. From one hun dred and fifty to two hundred persons have daily sought admission for the last three weeks to snapshot these remains. The Society of old Paris has had seven snap shots taken. Some of the houses are beingg demol- ished. One feels astonished at the | beams and rafters that are | thrown into the garden being able to | support roofs and floors.
 Care is taken not to interfere with the | Iron Marks grave, and orders have | been given to pile rubbish round it, Represen >atives of the Society of Old l Paris have received promise from the I to give them notice of the | lay and hour at which navvies are to begin to excavate it. The Iron Mask vas not only coff1ned. but shrouled in inc new sheet belonging to the gover- Tor of the Bastille. It Is not to be 1 loped that vestiges of coffin or sheet | will be found, but the skeleton may still oe whsle. An historical interest is at ached to 1t. Anatomists can say II whether the Iron Mask died or not at he age of forty-fve, which figured on II he registry of the Bastille. If so, he ould not have been Mattioli, and the atest explanation of the mystery would all to the ground.
 Not that this explanation, when one hinks about it can be said to hold wa CT. Why should Louis the Fourteenth, f he ordered the arrest and imprison- nent of Mattoli, have been at the lightest trouble to conceal 1t? Law CTS mighgt answer: He did not wish to be known that he committed a reach of the law of nations" Louis he Fourtee on many occasions took reat liberties with that law, and open y admitted that a treaty had in his yes no cacredness. It only bound him Q long as he could not safely disregard . And, then, who was Mattioli? A camp who ministered to the pleasures nd amusements of the most despicable f petty Italian princes, the Duke of [antuas This dukes name Nassaeaby-