The Tupelo journal., 1905-04-21
THE REMAINS OF
JOHN PAUL JONES
It Seems Reasonably Certain That
They Have Been Found.
THE BODY is WELL PRESERVED
Thorough Examination Tends to
Confirm the Belief That the Re-
mains Are Those of the Fa-
nous Sea Fighter.

Paris, April 15.-It now seems to be
reasonably certain that the remains Of
Admiral John Paul Jones have been
found, thanks to the untiring energy
and persistence in the search of Am
bassador Porter. The excavations be-
gun several weeks ago have been
pushed with vigor. Hundreds of wood
Wednesday were unearthed four leaden
baskets which gave promise of N
tanning the body of the admiral. Three
of them bore plates designating the
names Of the deceased. The fourth
showed superior solidity of workman
shij. No plate was found or this
casket, and it is supposed it was re-
moved when another coffin was super
imposed upon it. The leaden coffin
was opened in the presence of Gen.
Porter, Col. Bailey Blanchard, the sec
ond secretary Of the American en-
bassy, and Engineer Weis, who vas
| directing the excavation. The body
was found to be we'll preserved, owing
to it's being immersed in alcohol. 1t
was wrapped in a sheet with a pack
ing of straw and hay.
A Striking Resemblance.
Those present were Immediately
struck by the resemblance of the head
to that on the medallions and busts of
the admiral. AS vas anticipated, no
uniform, Ioonrntion or Cyrnrl WorQ
found, as all such articles have been
| accounted for after the burial.
The coffin was shaped like a num-
my coffin. which collins were common
at that period, widening from the feet
to the shoulders, With q round top fit
ting over the head.
A Thorough Examination.
The coffin was taken to the medical
school, where Doctors Captain and Pa
| pillant, distinguished professors Of the
School of Anthropology and recognized
authorities on such Investigations,
were charged with making a thorough
| examination with the purpose CT iden-
| tiication. To facilitate this, the am
| bassador furnished them with portraits
| and me&allions, two busts by Houdil,
| and authentic descriptions of the color
of the admiral's hair and the height
and measurement of his body. After
| this minute examination the following
| facts were fully s~ubstantiated.
Identification Practically Complete.
Length Of body five feet seven
inches: the admiral's exact height.
Size and shape of the head agree
with several peculiarities identical
with the head OF the admiral.
Hair. dark brown, the same as the
admiral's; in places slightly gray, in
| dicating a person of his age, As years.
The hair is long, reaching below the
! shoulders, and this combed in the back
| and gathered with a clasp at the back
of the neck.
The face is clean shayen, all CORE
| spending exactly with the descrip-
lions, portraits and busts of the ad-
miral.
The linen is in good condition. One
| article bears the initial, either 81" OR
an inverted "P."
The Body Carefully Packed.
The body was carefully packed. The
limbs are wrapped in tin foil, presum-
| ably for sea transportation, as indicat-
| ed in a letter of the admiral's nearest
| friend and a pail bearer of his funeral,
Col. Blakden, 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"
Further Proof by Autopsy.
Finding that all the internal organs
were singularly well preserved, the
doctors made an autopsy which showed
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 it's present state of preservation. 1t
| will be placed in a handsome caaket
| and deposited in the receiving 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 fitting sepulchre to the
body of the illustrious sailor whose
| place of burial had so long remained
a mystery.