The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-04-22
PAUL JONES'S BODY
is IDENTIFIED

PARIS, April 1.-THE remarkable
search which Ambassador Porter has
conducted for the body of John Paul
Jones has been crowned with success
by the discovery today of the body
of the famous Admiral who founded
the American navy.
Ambassador Porter cabled to
Washington tonight announcing the
successful results of his difficult search.
| The body is in a good state of preserv-
! alton considering that the interment
took place more than 100 years ago.
J General Porter has conducted the
search for the last five years, and when
Congress recently took no action upon
the Presidents recommendation for the
expenses incident to the search, the
Ambassador continued the labors at his
own expense.
A large force of workmen has been
engaged night and day tunreling and
cross tunneling the old st. Louis
Cemetery. Hundreds of wooden cas-
kets We're found and finally four lead
en- ones. Three of them bore name
plates. The fourth showed superior
solidity of workmanship. No plate was
found on this casket. The leaden coffin
was opened in the presence of Gen. Por-
ter. Colonel Blanchard, the second sec
rotary of the American Embassy, and
Engineer Weiss, who has been direct
ing the excavation.
The body was we'll preserved. having
been immersed in alcohol 1t was
wrapped in a sheet with a package
of straw and hay. Those present were
struck by the resemblance of the head
to that on the medallions and busts of
the admiral
The coffin was taken to the medical
school, where DR.. Captain and DR..
Papilau, the distinguished professors of
the school of anthropology, recognized
authorities on such investigations, were
charged with making thorough exam
ination for the purpose of Identified
ton. To facilitate this the Ambassa-
dor furnished them with the portraits
and medallions, two busts by Houdon
and authentic descriptions of the color
of the admirals hair and the height
and measurements of his body
After the most minute examination |
the following facts were fully substan-
LSnSIn OI Tie DOdy, i've IcSI |
seven inches, the admiral's height. Size |
and shape of the head agree with sew |
eral peculiarities identical with the |
head of the admiral. Hair, dark brown,
the same as the admiraTs; in places
slightly grey, indicating a person of
his age-forty- years. The hair is
long, reaching below his shoulders, and
is combed back and gathered in a
clasp at the back of the neck The
face is clean-shaven, all corresponding
exactly with the descriptions, portraits
and busts of the admiral.
The linen is in good condition. One
article bears an initial either u" or
an inverted "P.'' The body was care
fully packed. The limbs were wrapped
in tinfoil, presumably for sea trans
portation as indicated in a letter of
the admirals nearest friend and
pallbearer of his funeral, Colonel
who said:
His body was sput in a leader cof-
fin so that in case the United States,
which he had so essentially served,
should claim his remains, they might
be more easily removed
Finding that all the internal organs 1
we're singularly we'll preserved, the doc
tors made an autopsy which showed /
distinct proof of the disease from which
the admiral is known to have died. The
was complete.
Care has been taken to keep the body
in its present state of preservation.
1t will be placed in a casket and de- Il
posted in the receiving vault of the
American church on the Avenue de / Il
Alma until the Ambassador can learn
the opinion of the Government con-
the most appropriate means of
it to the United States.