Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-04-19
Paul Iones' Body Found In Paris,

Paris, April lathe remarkable search
which An bassador Porter has conducted
for the body of Paul Jones has been
crowned with success by the discovery of
tie body and it's Identification to. day by
the highest French medical experts as
unquestionably that of the famous Ameri-
can admiral who founded the American
navy. Ambassador Porter cabled to
Washington to- night announcing the sue
cessful results of his long and difficult
search. The body is in good state of
preservation considering that the inter-
ment took place over 100 years ago.
The circumstances leading to the final
discovery of the body are particular in
teresting. Gen. Porter has conducted the
search for the last five years, and when
Congress recently took no action on tho
Presidents recommendation for the ex-
penses incident to the search, the am
bassador continued the extensive labors
at his own expense. A large force of
workmen has been engaged night and day
tunneling and cross tunneling the old St.
Louis cemetery. This constituted huge
operation embracing nearly block COW
cred with buildings and requiring sys-
tenn of subterranean mining.
Hundreds of wooden caskets were
found, but not until Wednesday were un-
earthed four lcaden caskets which gave
promise of containing the body OF the
admiral. Three of them bore plates des-
ignating the names of the deceased. The
fourth showed superior solidity of work
manship. No plate was found on this
casket and it is supposed it was removed
when another coffin was superiuposed on
it, The leaden coffin was opened in the
presence of Gen. Porter, Col. Bailly. Blan-
chard, tho second secretary of the Ameri-
can embassy, and Engineer Weiss, who
has been directing the excavation. The
body was found TO be we'll preserved ow-
ing to its being immersed in alcohol. 1t
was wrapped in sheet with packing of
straw and hay. Those present were i'm
mediately struck by the resemblance of
the head to that on the medallions and
busts of the admiral.
AS was anticipated no uniform, decora-
ton or sword wero found, az all such ar
ticles had been accounted for after the
burial.
The coffin is shaped like mummy
coffin, which coffins were common at that
period, widening from the feet to the
shoulders, with a round top fitting over
the head.
The coffin was taken to the medical
school whore Doctors Captain and Papil.
laut, distinguished professors of the
school of anthropology, and recognized
authorities on such Investigations, were
charged with making thorough exami-
nation for the purpose of Identification.
To facilitate this the ambassador fur
nished them with portraits and medal
lions, two busts by Houdin, and authentic
descriptions of the color of the admiral's
hair and the height and measurement of
his body. The Identification was pro-
nounced complete in every particular.
Care has been taken to keep the body
in its present state of preservation. 1t
will be placed in handsome casket and
deposited in the receiving vault of the
American church ON the Avenue de
ALMA, until the ambassador can learn
the opinion of the government concern
ing the most appropriate means of trans
porting it to the United States and giving
fitting sepulchre to the body of the il
lustriOus sailor whose place of burial has
so long remained q mystery.
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