The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-13
THE MYTH OF THAT GRAVE
IN TRINITY YARD.
1t Is Vacant and Il Never Held the
Body Of the Charlotte Temple Of Mrs.
Rowson's Novel-In Barnum's Time
the Headstone Was Faced Westward.

One hundred years ago Trinity
churchyard gave rest to $4,000 per-
sons. Since that time the marvellous
growth OF the city has added too many
OF the faithful for accurate count. OF
| those, however, who have entered into
| the life beyond was one whose grave,
while covered by ono of the smallest
! monuments of the holy ground, In OF
| ceaseless interest to visitors. Citizens
and strangers seek the simple name
OF Charlotte Temple. Men and women
whose merits speak in civic and ma
tional affairs receive languid courtesy.
Signs and whispers never fail day after
day over the slab OF brown sand from
| the Jews quarry near Trenton.
There is no date. There is no word
to tell what manner Of woman once
| lived and died. The failure of full in
scrlption Is particularly noticeable in
| violation OF tho general custom Of the
day. Along with the absence OF monu;
mental workmanship, Charlotte Tenn
pies plain marker offers another cause
Of surprise and inquiry. And that Is
the mutilation Of the well preserved
.
An examination shows that the cut
ting was done with a chisel and care
fully fooled throughout. The piece
| OF stone removed was one foot An
length by two across and ono inch
thick. At the corners and on the sides
where once were holes are now filings
Of lead. 1t Is clear that a plate here
Atted in the cavity and was held by
bolts. Instead, then, Of emitting the
common rule Of churchyard vanity Of
the living, the metal device made
rather n distinction unique and artis-
tically attractive.
What, then, brought about the
| mourning over name? The popular
belief was born altogether from senti-
mental origin. That, too, in face Of
the assurance Of the author Of the
Eovel Charlotte Temple" The sequel
Of womanly weakness and hard fate
under weight Of sorrow and snow be-
fore the Old Tree Inn at Chatham
Square filled imagination.
Who, then, was Charlotte Temple,
really Of city life. born under bright
est auspices, on whose broken token
raised in love the affected tenderness
OF strangers yet spreads flowers?
Account other than Susanna Row
sons often told tale OF despair must
answer for Charlotte Temple of Trim
ity churchyard.
The last British representative in
New York was Sir John Temple. TIE
City map. has always shown the name,
while time has saved the tablet OF
Charlotte Temple TO recall one with
| out reproach of libel or shame. But
where the public knowledge here fails
tradition and living witnesses link a
chain Of $50 years. In that is the
| statement long since made Of an en-
ployee OF Trinity Corporation for forty
years. This mans father had pre-
viously been active around Trinity
Church and st. Paul's Chapel Tor the
prolonged term of fifty years. The
first hard fact brought out was that
the remains of Charlotte Temple Of
Trinity Church eepulture do not lie
awaiting the resurrection under the
flag carrying the name. The guardian
had full faith in this conclusion as
indisputable. With the disinterment
Of the daughter should properly go
the plate. with crest and lineage: GER
tainIv a dea, nosso.s,on M, a. no ,os,
in foreign land:
The rejected stone remains witn..s
To title to-day against tho burning ~
records and ediace on eyacuation n,
the city by the British forces. There
Is a remarkable feature in tho nosit,on
OF the slab. There Is In it copfr-
nation OF tho empIovee.s contentio,
against the nresent claim OF burial of
Charlotte Temple. That is the re-
yersal of the monument. That unusua,
change OF situation IL evident In the
cutting made for the one time en-
bedded design. That metal bearer Of
the reyered name must have necessa.
rily indicated the head of the grave
Furthermore, we see that there 4.
violation of the Christian manner
Of burial through the centuries That
has always been in pious keenlnr with
the entrance of the HOLY Senulchre
which Is toward the east So shall
man await the trumpet call and arise
with face ready turned 20 meet the
Lord: For as lightning cometh out
OF the east, so also shall the
coming Of the Son OF Man bes fst
Matthew, xxiv.), Under this deter-
mination of cemetery law tho memo
rial should be legible from Broadway,
But OF the hundred names inscribed
on either side Charlotte Temples
alone turns TO the west. There could
have been no Indifference to custom
nor carelessness of work in thus law