The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-11-06
ASHES OF CORTEz
ARE DISCOVERED
Bones Of the Famous Spanish
Conqueror Of Mexico
Found at Last.
THEY 60 TO GOVERNMENT
Last of tho Race Will Present Relics
to Mexican Republic-Urn Con-
tanning Body Showed Many
Vicissitudes.

City of Mexico Letter: After a long
search in the national library of Mex
leo and in making trips for purposes OF
investigation through ancient churches
pnd residences of the City of Mexico
the remains of Herman Cortez. the
%conqueror OF Mexico. have been found.
The bones Of the renowned conqueror.
the urn in which they were deposited,
the bust of the ConQueror and the ped
estal upon which 1t was placed In the
sixteenth century, are nt present In the
house OF Sebastian Aleman. an attor-
pey, q lineal descendant of Cortez, near
the hospital of Jesus In this city.
The history which has led up to the
discovery of the remain of the Spanish
r~Onqueror is of the greatest Interest to
students of Mexican history. Accord
ing to the ancient work Of DR.. Lucas
Aleman, grandson OF the que
called Dissertations on the History OF
Mexico from the Conquest to the Year
1862 the remains of Cortez were
placed in the hospital of Jesus. which
was founded by him in the year 1928.
.Afterward a great urn was made in
which the bones We're placed and the
whole buried in the floor of the south
east corner of the west wing of the
hospital. Above the burial spot "a ped
estal was placed and on top of this a
bust of Cortez.
Identity Pedestal and Bust.
The pedestal was four feet In height.
according to the work of DR.. Lucas
Aleman, and is easily identified as the
same as that which stands In the house
of Attorney Sebastian Aleman. The
bust itself is recognizable as that of
Cortez, although 1t is In very bad con-
dition.
According to other records the re-
mains of Cortez, along with the urn.
pedestal and bust, We're, after the death
of Pedro Alemhn in 1929, transferred
to TexCoco, where they were in the
charge OF the house of the dukes of
Monteleon. In the year 1856 the third
duke of Monteleon had the remains
taken to Italy, In which country that
duke had made his residence perma-
nently. But In 1894 the remains were
brought back to Mexico by the fourth
duck of Monteleon and We're deposited
in the church of Jesus. which is at
tached to the hospital OF the same
name and which was built by the house
of Cortez and at his instigation. In this
church they were kept until 1924, when
the revolutionary epoch was already
commenced. 'r. >
Fear Hands of Vandals.
One night when the revolutionists
We're in almost absolute command Of
the City of Mexico and it vas feared
that they would take possession Of the
Church of Jesus for the purpose of TAX
ing forth the remains Of Cortez and
heaping indignities upon them in the
streets, Lucas Alemnn and the duke Of
Monteleon had them removed to u
place Of safety and secrecy. Both Ale
man and MOnteleon were subsequently
killed by the r~evolutionists and it has
until very lately been believed that all
knowledge or the locality of the re-
mains had died with them. But before
dying he duke informed DR.. Fernando
Canals as to the place where the bones
of the que were hidden. DIR.
Canals advised the surviving members
of the family Of Lucas Aleman as to
the whereabouts of the remains and
afterWard assisted in transferring them
to the house of Alemans, where they
still rest.
Senior de Agreda, librarian of the ma
tional library, visited the hous Of Sc
bastian Aleman for the purpose Of hav-
ing the remains, urn, pedestal and bust
identified. Having brought with him
q number of volumes of records and
several drawings centuries old, Senior
de Agreda was enabled to a the
necessary Identification. He declares
positively that there is no reason what
ever to doubt that the remains Of the
Spanish onouero have been found.
Attorney Aleman supports the asser-
tt'AiD u D|'i' ~ i'Ad an VA lLC
course OF the next few days will have
all the documents necessary for proofs
ready.
Il am the sole descendant of Herman
Cortez. and will eav 10 posterity,"
said Senior Aleman today. For this
reason / am DESTROYS of having the re-
mains Of the conqueror deposited in q
proper place before | die, SO that they
may never again be molested.
the government of Mexico is now
having built in this city a national pam
theon in which the remains of all the
great men h have served to make
history in the country are to be placed,
[ VIII make application to the govern
mcnt for permission to turn over to the
directors of the pantheon all that is
left on this earth of Herman CorteZ. 1
feel sure that a place in the pantheon
will not be refused to the remains Of
the con4uerOr."
The pantheon in question is to cost
IS, 900, 900 and will be one of the grand
est on the North American continent.
If the Mexican government allows the
remains of Cortez to be deposited in
this pantheon there Is little doubt they
will be forever safe from the fury Of
the mob.
A Passing Type.