The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-01-21
LONG LOST Bones
OF CORTEZ FOUND
Remains OF the COnquerOr Of Mexico
Discovered Buried I'm a Hos
pital In Mexico City

Committee Of Historical Re
search which has been hunting for
the bones of Herman Cortez, the
conqueror Of Mexico, for some time
declares it has found them in the
chapel Of the Hospital Jesus de
Nazareno, In this city.
The bones were lost for more
three-quarters of century, and it
has long been the popular belief
that they were buried in some for
gotten spot in Havana, Cuba. The
discovery which the committee has
just made is, therefore, looked up
on here as being of great historical
Importance.
When the people Of Mexico arose
to throw off the yoke Of Spain in
the early part Of the last century
the bones Of Cortez were resting by
the altar Of the Hospital Jesus de
Nazareno. The cry arose that the
bones should be taken out and
burned or at least removed from
the country.
In 1922 the feeling ran SO high
that speeches were made in the
Chamber of Deputies here urging
the government to remove the re-
mains of the conqueror from Mex
lean soil. The agitation continued
until September IA, 1928, when the
government appointed a commits
sion to remove the remains to
"safe place
1t develops at this late day that
the commission found the bones
gone when it went to the sacred
spot to get them. 1t was then
that the report as circulated that
they had been sent to Havana.
This satisfied public clamor, and
the matter was no longer subject
for discussion.
Lucas Alaman, distinguished
citizen Of Mexico in those days, had
forestalled the proposed action Of
the commission by going to the
chapel and secretly removing the
body to another spot i'm the Hos
pital Jesus de Nazareno. He wrote
a detailed account of what he had
done, and when he died this docu-
ment passed into the hands Of his
son, Lucas Alaman, Jr.
When Lucas Alaman, Jr., came
into possession of this document he
quietly made an investigation on
his own account. He took the gold
en- key with which the casket was
locked and went to the temple,
where, following the directions of
left by his father in the written
document, he had no difficulty in
locating the spot where the bones
were buried.
Alaman made an excavation and
came upon the casket. He un-
locked it and found therein convinc-
ing proof that the bones were those
of Cortez. This done, he covered
up the casket and continued to
keep the secret.
Mr.. Alaman was accidentally
killed short time ago while hunt
ing The Cortez document was
found among his papers, and upon
the fact becoming known the His
torical Research Committee took
steps to substantiate the remark
able story. The committee has
done this to it's own satisfaction, it
is stated.
The bones of Cortez were remov-
ed several times before they were
finally placed in the Hospital Jesus
de Nazareno. He died in Castillo
ia de a Cuesta, in Spain, on Deem
Der 2, 1547. His body was placed
in the monastery of San Isidro del
Compo, situated just outside the
walls Of Seville, and was undis-
turbed until about 1866, when it
was brought to Mexico. 1t was in
TERED in the church Of San Fran
cisco de Texcoco i'm this city.
The body was removed i'm 1929
from San Francisco de Texcoco
Church to the Church Of San Fran
cisco de Mexico
This latter interment was made
in the presence Of the Spanish Vice
roy, the Marquis de Cerralvo and
the Archbishop of Mexico. After
reposing in the church until 1774
the bones were removed to the tenn
pie Of the Hospital de Jesus Naza-
reno. This hospital was founded
and endowed by Cortez. A monu-
ment of jasper and onyx was erect
cd to mark the spot 10 the temple
Of the hospital where the bones were
buried