The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-15
PAUL JONES'
 BODY FOUND The Remainss Discovered in Freucytemetery.
 -s- LONG sE sCH REWARDED Ambass Sor Porter Patriotic z, Undertaking. Washington Gratifed at News-An That Is Mortal of Famous Ad- n,irnI to Lie in National
 Cemetery.

Paris, April 14.-The remarkable 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 expert, as unquestionably that of the Famous American admiral who founded the American navy
 Ambassador Porter cabled to Wash ington tonight announcing the suc- cessful 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 fi- nal discovery of the body are partic- ularly interesting. General Porter has been conducting the search for the last five years and when congress recently took no action on the Presidents re- commendations for the expenses in- cident to the search. the Ambassador continued the extensive labors at his own expense A large force of work men has been engaged night and day tunneling and cross tunneling the old St Louis Cemetery. This constituted huge operation embracing nearly block covered with buildings and re- uuiring a system of subterranean min ing.
 Hundreds of, wooden caskets were fou Hundreds of wooden caskets were found but not until Wednesday were unearthed four leaden cas- kets which gave promise of containing the body of the ad- mirai. Three of them bore plates des- iEnating the names of the deceased. The fourth showed superior solidity of workmanship. No plate was found on this casket and 1t is supposed 1t was removed when another coffin was su- | perimposed on It.
 N7va ad in ha presence of General Porter Colonel | Bailey Blanchard. the second secretary L of the American Embassy, and Engi- | neer Weis, who has been directing the excavation. The body was found to be well preserved. owing to its being im- l mersed in alcohol. It was wrapped in sheet with a packing of straw and 1 hay.
 Thbse present were immediately | struck by the resemblance of the head to that on the medallions and busts of l the admiral. As was anticipated, no uniform, decoration or sword were l found. as all such articles had been accounted for after the burial. The coffin Is shaped like a mummy coffin, which was common at the period, vii dening from the foot to the shoulders with a round top fitting over the head. | The body was taken to the medical l school where Drs. Captan and Paillaut | distinguished professors of the school of Anthrolopology and recognized au- l thorities on such investigations. were | charged with making a thorough ex- l animation for the purpose of identifica- l tion To facilitate this, the ambassa- | dor furnished them with portraits and | medallions, two busts by Houdill and | authentic descriptions of the color of the admiral's hair aud the height and measurement of his body. After the ! most minute examination the follow | ing facts were fully substantiated:
 Length of body, feet inches; the l admirars 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 admirals; in places slightly grey. in dicating & person of his age, 45 years. The hair Is long, reaching below the shoulders and is combed back and gathered in a 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 ad- 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 tin foil. pre- sumably for seal, as indicated in a | letter from the admiraIs nearest friend and a pallbearer of his funeral, who said: His body was put in a leaden coffin so that in case the United States, l which he had so essentially served, should claim his remains, he might be more easily removed.
 Finding that all the internal organs were singularily well preserved, the doctors made an autopsy which showed distinct proof of the disease of which the admiral is known to have died.
 Care has been taken to keep the body in its present state of preservation. It will be placed in handsome casket and deposited in the receiving vault of the American church on the Avenue de TAlma 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 d
 mystery.
 WASHINGTON GRATIFIED.