Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-07
THE GREAT CARDINAL
Skull of RicheIieu to Be Almost
Perfect.
TOMB RECENTLY OPENED
Remains Lay in Chapel of the Uni
versity He Founded.
STUDENTS IGNORE RELIGION
Some Notable Exceptions-Fight for
Woman Suffrage in Finland and
Sudden Success.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.
PARIS, September 10, 1906.
Not long ago the authorities of the Uni
versty of Paris took the liberty Of digging
up the remains of the great Cardinal Rich
ellen to see how he was getting along.
When he died in 1913 he was buried in the
Church of the Sorbonne the chapel Of the
University of Paris, which he founded in
1929 and which, as told you the other day.
Is now the largest educational institution in
the world.
His tomb is one of the most admirable
pieces of mortuary marble. The grain of
the stone is so fine and pure that 1t looks
like ivory, and age has given it ripe, yell
lowish color. The eff1gy Of the great cardi-
nal lies in a semi-recumbent posture, his
head being supported by a figure repre-
senting Religion and another figure repre-
senting Science, weeps at his feet. The
Countess Julie, his famous niece, who ap-
pears in Bulwer's play, is said to have been
the model for the figure of Science, and the
guardian Of the tomb told us that it was
her portrait. The sarcophagus was design
ed by Lebrun and the carving was done by
Giradon. two Of the most famous artists of
the seventeenth century. All of the men,
bers of the Richelieu family who have died
since the cardinal built the Church of the
Sorbonne have been buried within it's walls
SO that 1t Is a sort of family tomb. Most
of them have stately monuments and full
some epitaphs. although only one of them
has ever distinguished himself That was
the Duke of Richeleu who was a member
of the cabinet of Louis XVI and an ambas-
sador. The present generation has furnish
ed one member Of the chamber of deputies,
who is said to be very respectable citizen,
but has never done anything to tell about.
The doctors who opened the cardinals
tomb found that his flesh and bones had
crumbled into dust but the skull remained
almost perfect. They took it out and pho
tographed it and then transferred; the con-
tents of the coffin to lead box, which was
placed in a hollow. stone and walled in un-
der the tomb. I send you a photograph Of
the skull so that you may see how one
OF the greatest heads that ever ruled ma
years.
Hotbed Of Atheism.
J. The University of Paris has a school of
Protestant theology which is attended by
more than three hundred students, but the
institution is generally considered a hotbed
Of atheism, neither the professors nor the
students taking any care OF their souls or
showing any interest in religion. There
have been no religious exercises in the uni
Versity program since the revolution Of 1893.
although the Chapel of the Sorbonne opens
into the quadrangle and It's doors are al
ways swung back as an invitation to the
students to come In and pray. Mass is cell
ebrated there daily for the benefit of those
who desire to attend, and the sacristan tells
me that there are number of students at
every service, but 1t is not considered good
form for student to attend church or show
any interest In religion. The innumerable
tablets that cover the walls show, however
that this indifference is not universal Row