The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-10-17
WHAT BECAME OF
THE REMAINS Of
ROGER WILLIAMS

The memory OF Roger Williams. the
founder of Rhode Island. was long
neglected He died I'm 1888 after a long
and active life, but for a long time his
grave lay unmarked.
In 1856 the Rev. j. II McCarty contrib
uted TO the Ladies Repository series Of
articles on Roger Williams. I'm one OF
which he told the following interesting
story OF the discovery Of the dead Puri-
tans grave. and hinted at the unconscious
cannibalism OF the neighbors
During a period of 1888 years not even
a rough stone has been set up 10 mark
the grave Of the founder OF Rhode Island
TIL the precise locality OF his grave had
been almost forgotten. ana could only be
ascertained by the most careful investi-
cation. Suffice IL 10 say, however. the
spot was found. and the exhumation was
made a short time ago-though there was
little 10 eXhume.
on scraplng off the turf from the sur
face OF the ground. the dim outlines OF
seven graves. contained within less than
one square rod. revealed the burial
ground OF Roger Williams The easterly
grave was Identified as that OF Mr.. Will
liams
on digging down into the "chsrnel
house" II was found that everything had
passed into oblivion. The shapes OF the
coffins could only be traced by a black
line OF carcenaceous matter. the thick
ness OF the edges OF the sides OF the cof-
fins, with their ends distinctly defined.
The rusted remains OF the hinges and
nails. with a few fragments OF wood and
a single round knot, was al, that could
be gathered from his grave. In the grave
of his wife there was not a trace of any
thing save a single lock Of braided hair
which had survived the lapse OF more
than $50 years.
Near the grave stood a venerable ap
pie tree, when and by whom planted Is
not known. This tree had sent two OF
its main roots into the graves OF Mr.. and
Mrs. Williams.
The larger root had pushed its way
through the earth till II reached the pre-
else spot occupied by the skull OF Roger
Williams. There making a turn, as II
going round the skull. IL followed the d.
rection OF the bankbone TO the hips. Here
1t divided into two branches sending one
along each leg 10 the heel, where they
both turned upward 10 the toes.
one OF these roots formed a slight crook
al the knee. which makes the whole bear
a close resemblance to human form.
There were the graves, emptied of
everp particle OF human dust! Not a
trace OF anything was left II is known
to chemistry that all flesh. and the gel
atinous matter giving consistency to the
bones are resolved into carbonic-acid
gas water and air. while the solid lime
dust usually remains. But in this case
even the phosphate OF lime of the bones
OF both graves was all gone! There stood
the guilty apple tree" as was said at
the time. caught in the very act OF rob
bing the grave.
TO explain the phenomenon is not the
design Of this article Such an explana-
ton could he given and many other. sim
liar cases adduced. But this fact must
be admitted tho organic matter Of
Roger Williams had been transmitted into
the apple tree sc had passed into the
woody fiber and was capable Of propelling
a steam engine: IL had bloomed in the
apple blossoms. and had become pleas
ant 10 the eye: and more, II had gone
into the fruit from year to year, so that
the question might he asked Who ate
Roger Williams?-The Scrap Book.