Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-04-19
Long Search by Ambassador Horace
Porter at Last Crowned With
Success.
Remains Of Heroic Admiral Taken
From Old st. Louis Cemetery
Identification by Experts.

the discovery of the body, and it was
identified today by the highest French
medical experts as unquestionably that
of the famous American admiral, who
founded the American navy.
Ambassador Porter cabled to Wash
ington today, announcing the success
full results of his long and difficult
search. The body is in a good state
of preservation, considering the inter
ment took place over a hundred 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 when congress recently
took no action upon the president
recommendation for the expenses in
cdent to the search, the ambassador
employed laborers at his own expense.
A large force of workingmen have
been engaged night and day tunnel
ing and cross-tunneling the old Saint
LOUIS CelueleIs. 1ulo COllo,lluleu q
huge operation, embracing nearly a
block, covered with buildings, and
and requiring a system of subterranean
mining.
Hundreds of wooden cascets were
found but not until Wednesday were
unearthed four leaden cascets, which
gave promise of containing the body
Of the admiral, Three OF them bore
dates designating the names of the
deceased. The fourth showed superior
sOlidity of workmanship. No plate
was found on this cascet, and 1t is
supposed it was removed, when an
other coffin was superimposed on it.
The leaden coffin was opened in the
presence of General Porter, Colonel
Bailey Blanchard, second secretary OF
the American embassy, and Engineer
WeiS, who has been directing the ex-
cavation. The body was found to be
well preserved, owing to its being i'm
mersed in alcohol. 1t was wrapped
in sheet, with packing of straw
and hay. Those present were immed-
lately struck by the resemblance Of
the head to that on the medallions and
DuSL OIL lne admiral.
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 round top
fitting over the head.
Tho coffin wac talop fn tho medical
school, where Doctors Captain and
Papilau the distinguished professors
of the school of anthropology, recog
nized authorities on such investiga-
tons, were charged with making a
thorough examination for the pur-
pose of identification. To facilitate this
the ambassador furnished them with
portraits and medallionS, two busts
by Houdin and authentic descriptions
OF the color of the admiralS hair and
the height and measurement of his
body. After the most minute eXamin-
alton, the following facts We're fully
substantial: lenght of body, five feet
seven inches; the admiral's height.
Size and shape of head agree with
several pecuiarities identical with the
head of the admiral.
Hair, dark brown; the same as the
admirals. In places it is slightly gray
indicating person of his age, forty
five years. The hair is long. reaching
below the shoulders and is combed
back and gathered in clasp at the
back of the neck.
The face is clean shaven. all cor
responding exactly with the descrip-
tiOns, portraits and busts of the adj
miral.
The linen is in good condition. One
article bears an initial either j or an
inverted p. The body was carefully
packed. The limbs were wrapped in
tinfoil, as indicated in letter of the
admirars nearest friend and a pail
bearer at his funeral, Colonel Black
den, who said:
His body was put in a leaden cot
fin, so that in case the Unites States,
which he had SO ESSENTIALLY served,
should claim his remains, they might
be more easily removed"
Finding that all the internal or
gans were singularly preserved, the
doctors made an autopsy which show
ed distinct proofs of the disease from
which the admiral is known to have
died. The Identification was pro-
nounced complete in every particular
Care has been taken to keep the
body in its present state of preser-
walton. 1t will be placed in hand
some cascet and deposited in the re-
ceiving vault of the American church,
on the Avenue de L'Alma, until the
ambassador can learn the opinion of
the government concerning the most
appropriate means of transporting it
to the United States and giving a fit
ting sepulcher to the body of the il
lustrious sailor, whose place of burial
had so long been a mystery.
Identification is Complete.
Paris, April 15.-Dr. Papilaut, the
anthropologist, in an interview today
explains the methods pushed yester
day to identify the body of Paul Jones
found in the old st. Louis cemetery
after long search made by ambassa-
dor Porter. He says an examination
was made of the teeth, hair. nose and
ears, and they all correspond with re-
markable precision to the known
measurements and characteristics of
the admiral's organs. The formation
of the frontal bone, the slope of the
nasal bone, the cartilages and ears
likewise correspond precisely with
the measurements OF Houdin's bust
made from the life maske. The meas
urement of the height and diameter
of the skull correspond within thous-
andth part of meter, thus enabling
remarkably act correspondence with
the features.