The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1905-04-21
BODY OF PAUL
JONES FOUND
REMARKABLE SEARCH OF AM.
sAssApoR PORTER CROWNED
WITH SUCCESS.
IDENTITY is ESTABLISHED
FRENCH MEDICAL EXPERTS
MAKE A THOROUGH ex.
ANIMATION.
REMAINS WILL BE PRESERVED
HERDS BODY WILL BE HELD
AWAITING ACTION OF UNI.
TED STATES.

Paris, April 16. The remarkable
search which Ambassador Porter has
conducted for the body of John Paul
Jones has been crowned with success
by the discovery Of the body and of
its Identification yesterday by the
highest French medical experts as un-
questionably that of the famous Rcvo-
lutionary admiral who founded the
American navy Ambassador Porter
cabled to Washington last night an 4
nouncing the successful result of his
long and difficult search. The body is
in good state of preservation con
sidering that the interment took place
over 100 years ago.
The circumstances leading to me
final discovery of the body are partic-
ularly interesting. Gen. Porter has
conducted the search for the last five
years, and when congress recently
took no action upon the presidents
recommendation that provision be
made for the expenses incident to the
search, the ambassador continued the
extensive labors at his own expense.
Like Subterranean Mining.
A large force of worllmen has been
engaged night and day tunneling and
cross-tunneling the old st. Louis Gem
etery. This constituted huge opera
ton. embracing nearly block COW
cred with buildings and requiring a
system of subterranean mining.
Hundreds of wooden caskets were B
fnnnl WaInnclov lon u
caskets were unearthed which gaw
promise of containing the body of tht /
admiral. Three of them bore plates
designating the names of the de-
ceased. The fourth showed superior
solidity 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 in the
presence of Gen. Porter, Col Baily-
Blanchard, the second secretary of
the American embassy, and Engineer
Weis, who had been directing the eX-
cavation.
Resemblance to Busts.
The body was found to be we'll pre-
served owing to it's being Immersed in
alcohol. 1t was wrapped in sheet.
Those present were Immediately
struck by the resemblance of the head
to that on the medallions and busts of
the admiral. AS was anticipated. no
uniform, decoration or sword were
found, as all such articles had been &C
counted for after burial,
The coffin was taken to the medical
school, where Doctors Captain and
Papillaut, distinguished professors of
the school of anthropology and recog-
nized authorities on such investga-
lions, were charged with making d
thorough examination for the purpose
of Identification. To facilitate this the
ambassador furnished them with the
portraits and medallions, two busts by
Houdil and authentic descriptions of
the color of the admiral's hair and the
height and measurement of his body
Identification Is Complete.
The doctors had no difficulty in es-
tablishing beyond doubt the identity
of the body as that of John Paul
Jones.
Care has been taken to keep the
body in its present state Of preserva
tion. 1t will be placed in handsome
casket and deposited in the receiving
vault of the American church on the
Avenue de L'Alma, until the ambas-
sador can learn learn the opinion OF
the government concerning the most
appropriate means OF transporting it
to the United States and giving a fit
ting seDulchre to the body or the il
lustrious sailor whose place of burial
had so long been unknown.