The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-04-19
PAUL JONES' BODY FOUND
Discovered in Gid St. Louis Cemetery
at Paris.
BODY WAS IMMERSED IN ALCOHOL.
Ambassador Porter's Long Search for Re.
mains of Famous American Admiral Sue.
cessiul-flundrcds Of caskets Unearihed-
The Body Found Well Preserved Ia a
Leaden Casket

Paris. (By Cable) 1.-The remarkable
search which Ambassador Porter has
conducted for the body Of Paul Jones
has been crowned with success by the dis
covery of the body and its Identification
by the highest French medical experts
as unquestionably that OF the famous
American admiral who founded the
American navy.
Ambassador Porter cabled the news
to Washington The body is in a good
state OF preservation, considering that
the interment took place over 100 years
ago.
The circumstances leading to the dis
covcry are particularly interesting. Gen
eral Porter had conducted the search for
five years, and when Congress recently
took no action upon the Presidents re-
comendation for the expenses incident
to the search the Ambassador continued
the extensive labors at his own expense
A large force OF workmen had been en-
gagged night and day tunneling and cross
tunneling the old ST. Louis Cemetery
This constituted huge operation, en-
bracng nearly a block covered with
buildings and requiring a system of sub
tcrranean mining.
Hundreds of wooden cofins were found
but not until Wednesday were unearthed
four of lead, which gave promise OF con-
tanning the body of the Admiral. Three
Of them bore plates designating the
names Of the deceased The fourth
showed superior solidity OF Workmanship.
No plate was found on this coffin, and it
is supposed it was removed when anoth-
er coffin was put upon it. The leaden
coffin was opened in the presence Of
General Porter, Colonel Bailly-Blan-
chaFd. the second secretary of the Amer
lean Embassy and Engineer Weis, who
has been directing the excavations. The
body was found TO be well preserved,
owing TO its being immersed in alcohol.
It was wrapped in a sheet, with a pack
ing of straw and hay Those present
were Immediately struck by the resem-
blance of the head to that on the medal
lions and busts of the Admiral
As was anticipated, no uniform, decor
alton or sword was found, as all such
articles had been accounted for after the
burial.
The coffin is shaped like a mummy
coffin, which pattern was 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, where Drs. Captain and Papi-
laut, distinguished professors of the
School OF Anthropology and recognized
authorities on such Investigations, were
charged with making a thorough exam
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 Admir-
al's hair and the height and measure
inents of his body
The body was carefully packed The
limbs were wrapped in tinfoil, presuma-
bly, for sea transportation, as indicated
in letter OF the Admiral's nearest friend
and pallbearer at his funeral, Colonel
Blackden, who said
His body was put in a leaden coffin,
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
were singularly well preserved, the doc
tors made an autopsy which showed dis
tinct proofs of the disease from which
the Admiral is known to have died.
The Identification was pronounced com
plete in every particular