The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-04-21
PAUL JONES' BODY
AT LAST is FOUND
American Naval Hero Finally to
Be Given Appropriate
SepuLture.
NO DOUBT OF IDENTITY
Medical Experts Say the Measurements
and Descriptions Given of Jones
Are Fully Borne Out by the
Body.

1dllS. -AIlll lo.--ine Tt1ilifkdDit1
search which Ambassador Porter has
conducted for the body of Paul Jones
has been crowned with success by the
discovery of the body and its identi-
fication today by the highest French
medical experts as unqueStionably that
of the famous admiral.
Ambassador Porter cabled TO WASH
ington tonight announcing the success
full results of his long and difficult
search. The body is in a good state
of preservation considering that the
interment took place over 100 years
ago.
The circumstances leading to the
final discovery of the body are par
ticularly interesting. General Porter
has conducted the search for the last
five years, and wnen congress recently
took no action for the expenses incl
dent to the search the ambassador con-
tinued the extensive labors III his own
expense. ~ large force of worlnen
has been engaged night and day tun-
nellng and cross tunnelinS the old ST
Louis cemetery. This constituted a
huge operation, embracing nearly a
block covered with buildings and re-
uuirns system of subterranean MINI
ing
Many Caskets Found.
Hundreds of wooden caskets We're
found. but not until Wednesday, We're
unearthed four leaden caskets, one of
body of the admiral. Three of them
bore plates designating the narles OF
the deceased. The fourth showed SUI
porior soidity of workmanship. No
plate was found on this casket, and it
is supposed it Was removed when an
other coffin was Superimposed on it.
The leaden coffin was opened i'm the
presence of General Porter Colonel
Blanchard. the secohd secretary of the
American embassy, and Engineer Weis,
who has been directing the excavation.
The body was found to be we'll pre-
served. owing to its being immersed
in alcohol. 1t was wrapped in a sheet
With a packing of straw and hay Those
present We're Immediately struck by
the resemblance of the head to that
on the medalligtls and busts of the ad-
Iniral.
AS Was anticipated. no uniform. dec
Grafton or sword We're found, as all
such articles had been accounted for
after the burial.
The coffin is shaped like a mummy
coffin, which collins were common at
that period. widening from the feet to
the shoulders with ii round top fitting.
over the head The coffin was taken to
the medical school. where Directors
CAPTAIN and Pippilau. distinguished
professors of the School of Anthro-
pology. and recognized authorities on
such Investigations. We're charged with
making a thorough examination for the
purpose of identification. To facilitate
this the ambassador furnished them
with portraits and medallionS. two
buSts by Houdil and authentic descrip-
tions of the color of the admiral's hair
and the height and measurement of his
body After the most minute eXamina-
tioh these facts We're fully substan-
tiated:
Length of the body, . feet inches,
the admirals exact height; size and
nf ftn
peculiarities identical with the head of
the admiral, hair dark brown the
same as the admiral's: in places slight
~ gray indicating a person of his age,
40 years. The hair is long, reaching
below the shoulders, and is combed
back and gathered i'm a clasp at the
back of the neck.
Was Carefully Packed.
The face is clean shaven, all corre-
spending 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 in
Nerted "P. The body was carefully
packed. The limbs were wrapped in
tinfoil. presumably for sea transporta-
tlon. as Indicated i'll a letter of the ad-
mirafs nearest friend, and pallbearer
of his body, 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 Intervals were
sinSularly we'll preserved the doctors
made am autopsy, which showed dis
tinct proofs of the disease from which
the admiral is known to have died. The
identification was pronounced complete
in every particular Care has been tax
ell to keep the body in its present state
of preservation. 1t will be placed I'm a