The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1903-01-17
SOME ROYAL RELICS.
Stolen Bones of French Kings Com
ing to America.
curious Collection of Crowns Scep-
tiers, Funeral Robes and Jewel-
~, said to BE Intended for
4 New York Museum.

In the last years of the Second en-
aire n portion of the Ledru collection
of ROYAL bones and other relics was
secretly sent to England and preserved
III London by Thomas Sheruroke. NOW
1t is coming to the United States, says
the New York Sun.
Mr.. Sherbroke repeatedly offered MS
collection to the French government
bur evidently his offers have been re-
iected, because the remains OF the Kings
of France are now destined TO orha-
ment the showcases Of some New YORK
museum, instead of being sent TO the
Musee Cluny to Carnavalet, or TO the
Church of Saint Denis.
The story of this collection is Gu
rious. In 1850 at Fontenay-auX-Roses,
in little house that formerly belonged
to the poet Scarron, there lived one
Ledru, son of the conjuror, Ledru' VINO
Vas called Comus, and relative OF the
famous Ledru-Rollin.
In his childhood this Ledru was pre-
gent at the violation of the tombs OF
Saint Denis. In August, 1913, he stooo
by the side of Alexandra Lenoir, when
the mob rushed into the church and
bore the collins out of the vaults. lie
picked up several souvenirs and formed
an ossuary which he concealed for
many years in the granary attached
to his fathers house
Later on, under the empire, he pub
Iished the story of his collection and OF
the tragic events of which he was an
eyewitness. Of this story in the form
of a letter TO NJ Nieuwerkerke, there
now only remain a few leaves reprint ed
in 1872.
The bodies of Henry w., of Louis
Kill, and Of Louis XIV, were in q
marvellous state of preservation, he
saws. Henry ". looked as if he were
merely asleep. The face of Louis XIV.
although otherwise intact, was dis
aOlored.
The collins of Philip of Valois, OF
Charles the Handsome, of King Johr
land Of Charles V. contained each one
Ekhe royal crown, the sceptre and the
kAand of Justice. In the coffin of Jeanne
de Bourbon, wife of Charles the Wise
were found besides a gilded distaff
large gold ring and pointed shoes EN-
broidered in silver and ornamentec
with precious stones.
The collins Of Charles VII, and Of
Charles VIII, contained only bones ant
lportions of ornaments. The othel
beoffins, when broken open with axes
exhibited merely dust or skeleton
Ethat crumbled to dust on being re
Imoved.
The body of Turenne would hav
been tossed into potter's field
Nike most of the remains of the kings
II a doctor had not cl9imed it, on &C
eount of it's wonderful state of preser
tVation, for the National Museum o
Comparative Anatomy, the propert,
of Citizen Daubenton; and there it re
manned exposed to the curiosity of tn
crowd until the day when the frs
consul, indignant at the outrage upoi
the purest military glory of France
had 1t placed with due solemnity in tn
church of the Invalides on Sept. q
1900.
Among other relics Ledru collectel
.srowns, sceptres, distaffs, windin
sheets, portions of funeral robes, ring.
spurs, and royal bones. A portion O
the ossnary was sold before the wa
Of 1870 TO an English collector by tn
heirs Of Ledru. 1t is now in Londo
IN the care of Mr.. Sherbroke, who i
turn is about to sell it to an America
amateur OF curiosity shop man.
The other portion Of the collectio
= scattered, sold in detail to sewers
unknown persons. Possibly at th
present time the sword of king Q
France mny be in some junk sho
among old pots aad pans and rust
Nnives