The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-03-07
STATES MAY WAR
FOR THE HONOR OF THE BURIAL
PLACE OF GREENE.
RHODE ISLAND AND GEORGIA.
EACH SEEKS TO INTER THE RE-
MAINS OF THE PATRIOT.

Chatham ArtiIlcry-COI. Asa Bird
Gardiner Writes Dir. A. ID. Harden
About Arrangements-AIsO Writes
MIR. II. Il. Waller, Showing why
Rhode Island should Have the Re-
muins-GeOrRians VIII Abide by
- Their Determination to Hold the
Remains.
Georgia and Rhode Island may war
over the remains of Gen. Nathaniel
Greene, Revolutionary patriot. whose
brilliant campaigns in North and
South Carolina freed the South of the
British and restored it to the Ameri-
can forces. Georgia, his adopted home,
tivity, each wants the honor of having
his bones rest in it's soil.
Possession is nine points of the
law" The remains of Gen. Greene,
with those of his son, George Wash
ington Greene, now repose in a vault
in the Southern Bank. 5Rhode Island
wants the honored ashes; Savannah
has them. 1t remains to be seen if Sa-
vannah and Georgia will hear to their
being given up. Rhode Island seems
determined, and the influences it will
bring to bear may not be without re-
suits. 91M&
Remains Subject TO Order.
Deposited with the Southern Bank
by Hon. Asa Bird Gardiner of New
York, and Mr.. Alfred bearing Harden
of Savannah as trustees, the joint or
der of both will be required to with
draw the remains from that institu-
ton.
Mr.. Harden when asked yesterday
if he considered that. there would be
difficulty on this score. He replied that
Col. Gardiner had committed himself
some time ago by saying that the
wishes of the descendants of Gen.
Greene as to the final disposition of
the remains would be recorganized.
Fifteen of these descendants have
written Mr. r. T. Waller of Savan-
nah of their desire to have the re-
mains re-interred here, and this is
taken to mean that Col. Gardiner will
have to yield, despite his strong de
sire to have the remains re-interred
in Rhode Island, and that he will sign
an order with Mr.. Hardfn for the
Southern Bank to deliver the remains
to the joint committee of Savannah
ians that will have charge of the fun
eral arrangements.
ID. A. RS in Charge.
To the Daughters of the American
Revolution has been committed the
task of arranging for the funeral,
which will probably take place next
month. Mrs. Edward Karow regent
of the Savannah Chapter, has taken
the leading part in preliminary work,
and the City Council and the Sons of
the Revolution have been invited to
name committees to cooperate with
that from the Daughters of the Amer
lean Revolution.
1t is proposed to make the occasion
a memorable one. There will be an
address by some distinguished men,
and many distinguished visitors will
be present. The Governor and other
dignitaries of Rhode Island will be
invited, and military features will add
to the circumstance of the occasion.
This is presuming that the present
plan to place the remains of father
and son beneath the Greene monu-
ment in Savannah is not given over
| in favor of the Rhode islanders, who
| have entered upon preliminary steps
of character to indicate a desire to
make the ceremony of the burial
should it take place in Rhode Island,
one of great pomp and display.
Col. GARDENERS Claim.
Col Gardiner. president of the So
ciety of the Cincinnati in Rhode ISL
and, prosecuted the search for the re-
mains of Gen. Greene in Savannah
year ago, and found them. Mr.. Har-
den has received a letter from Col
Gardiner, who writes that the Rhode
Island Legislature has appointed
joint special committee to consider the
best method of procuring the remains
of Gen. Greene. A new monument is
to be erected 10 Gen. Greene in front
of the new Capitol offs Rhode Island.
1t is also proposed to have the Legis-
lature appropriate money to defray the
| expenses of a Savannah committee, of
Greene relatives and of a detachment
of the Chatham Artillery as a funeral
| escort to Providence to attend the
funeral. 1T would be a great day."
Col. Gardiner writes, land the govern
ors of neighboring states and Massa-
chusetts, Connecticut and Rhode ISL
and National Guards would parade"
Col Gardiner holds that Gen
Greene's descendants have not had the
matter fully explained. They reside in
several states. hardly any in Georgia.
he writes, and for this reason he does
not see why they should desire the re-
mains inferred in this state. 1t is be-
| lieVed that the Rhode Islanders in
| tereSted will communicate with Cen
! Greene's descendants in the hope of in
ducing them to change their determi-
nation relative to the last resting place
| of the remains.
Mr.. Harden staunchly supports Geor-
gia's claims for the honor of the burial
/ place of Greene. He has written Col
Gardiner that he thinks they should
| be re-interred here.
Col. Gardeners Letter.
Mr.. Waller yesterday received a let
! ter from Col. Gardiner. which
all interested in thee final dis
/ position of the remains of
| Gen. Greene will read with
/ interest. Col. Gardiner thinks that too
| precipitate action was taken by Mr..
! Waller in securing the consent of de-
| scendants for the Refinement at Sa
| vannah. His letter, dated New York.
J is as follows:
your favor of the 10Th ultimo in
reply to the 9Th was received here dur
! ing my absence.
Il had seen a newspaper notice that
certain patriotic associations, known
as the Sons and Daughters of the
| American Revolution, were proposing
to do something in connection with the
remains of Maj Gen. Nathaniel
! Greene. but l gave the matter no con-
| sideration, believing it to be a news
/ paper canard. l confess to consider
| able surprise that this really had it's
inception with you.
Il know nothing about a Society Of