New-York tribune., 1903-04-12

it. it is hoped that the burying ground is be
protected from further moestation.
The rows of crude gravestones which marked
the burying ground which the extension OF Tenth
ave. has unearthed had long been the source Of
varied conjecture. Old in the neghborhood
said that here lay the bones of slaves. and this
belief was strengthened by British picture,
which showed a few hundred yards west from the
burial place the ''huts Of the blacks"
Near the graveyard is the original twelve mile
stone at the 1sham entrance the Kingsbridge
Road called Broadway. On this slab Of
brownstone there the marks of vandal
sportsman who at time IN its early history
made it a target for his shotgun. Not far to the
east is another graveyard known the Nagel
burying ground. which contains the graves OF
many oldtime citizens. who popularly supposed
10 have been the masters of the slaves. This is
still used cemetery.
The crude monuments to these graves recall the
custom prevalent in this city in slavery times Of
burying slaves with little if any ceremony. The
dread of AN uprising OF blacks in 1922 prompted
providing that all negroes and Indians
should be buried by daylight The act was
amended afterward that more than twelve
negroes should attend a funeral. The penalty for
the violation OF this statute was public fogging.
Furthermore the slave was TO be buried without
any outward signs of grief any ceremonial
tokens. such as pail, gloves or flowers.
IT,, people row living in the neghborhood of the
old burial ground still thanking the society
(which has sought to preserve the bones recently
unearthed and give them final and decent resting
place. Even before the street extension laborers
unearthed them dogs had dug up pieces of skele
tons from time to time. that occasionally a
passerby would back to find a skull grin
ming at him from between the pckets of a nearby
fence. Now and then ghoulish minded boys
the age when their imp propensities at
their height would arrange skull and CrOssbones
on the sidewalk and then from a safe distance
watch frightened and girls turn and,
screaming. flee from the grewsome spectacle.
The revelations made by the workmen would seem
TO show that if the graveyard was used for slaves
was also recipient of the bodies of white per-
sons Under the personal supervision of Messrs.
Bolton and Hall. the contractors for the street
opening work a special investigation made OF
the bones one morning. to learn II possible whose
they had been.
Almost every clew however seemed to have dis
appeared. Two corroded nails and a screw indi-
Gated civilized burial in wooden coffin. A single
stone bearing the date March 81. 1777 placed at
least interment at the time Of the Revolution
ary War. This was the only inscription found. A
few links of chain, four feet under ground. and
small iron disk about the size of nickel (proba-
bly, the inside form OF a cloth buttom were the
only other relics found. Traces of hair several
skulls showed them plainly to have been eau
casans while at least one skeleton was unmis-
fakabIy that of a powerfully built negro.
The remains of one person, man, also OF power
full build. presented interesting pathological
specimen, in the bony union Of the ubia and hbula
of the right leg midway between the knee and
ankle.
Contenporaneousy with these unexplained bones
more remarkable discovery was made on the
site of Fort Tryon. Fort Washington-ave., in
the course of excavations for the new house of c.
X. G. Billings. 1t was a collection of bones. in
Guiding leg bone. penetrated by a nlne-inch
spike such as fired with bar shots from YES
sells Of war This undoubtedly the bone of an
American soldier wounded by shot from the Brit
isb frigate Pearl the assault on Fort Washing
ton on November 16 1776. Unable to retreat on &C
count of his wound. the patriot had doubtless fallen
into the hands of the Hessians. and the Hessian
surgeou unable to extract the spike, had ampu-
tated the leg The bone clearly showed the marks
made by the surgeons 126 years ago.
Mr. Hall and Mr.. Bolton are of the opinion that
human nifty and ordinary decency dictate that the re-
mains of the unknown dead thus brought TO light
IN, tbe march of improvement should be carefully
and reverentIy reburied. and they will support the
American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society
in its request for suitable plot Of ground for their
Il rla