The Scranton tribune. (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, August 05, 1896, Page 11, Image 11

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    THE 8CRANTON XTRIBTJNE: WEDNEM) AY .MORNIKG,-AUGUST 5, 1896.
It
DRAMATIC STORY OF
ED-FATED MILLIONS
i Vast Indian Treaiare That Literally
Defies Discovery.
LIKE A PAGE TORN FROM FICTION
Hiddea Store of Gold and Precious
Stones in India That Has Eluded
Capture for Forty YearsExpedi
tions End in Death.
From the London Mall.
Kvery now and then we hear of ex
peditions starting In search of treasures
lost or hidden In various pnrts of the
world, India being the most favored, If
somewhat vague, destination of such
parties. Most people will remember
an endeavor being made not long ago,
under the direction of the British gov
ernment, to wrest from the waters of
the Ganges a vast treasure that has
been missing since the time of Indian
mutiny. For this search there was
more justification than many we hear
of. but after four months of ceaseless
exertions it had to be given up in de
spair. That the treasure is hidden some
where in India Is undoutetU portions of
It have been traced at one time or an
other, but there Is still enough left to
make its finder should It ever be found
a millionaire many times over.
Six or seven years previous to the
outbreak of the Indian mutiny the rajah
f the province of Gwallor was de
throned for treason to the English. He
had long been a ruler over one of the
largest provinces of India, and was
knowu to be one of the wealthiest In
the empire. He had an army of 2,000
men, a herd of 200 elephants, and lived
in a style no European monarch could
approach. While professing to be
friendly, he was continually plotting
against British rule, and when this was
discovered steps were taken to curtail
his powers. His army was reduced to a
body guard of 100 men; his right to Is
sue edicts and make local laws was
abrogated; English civil officers were
stationed here and there to collect the
taxes, until at length the rajah held
only his empty title. He bowed to the
terms Imposed, but became one of the
bitterest foes the government had to
deal with, and was first and foremost
In bringing about the mutiny. The date
of the outbreak was known by the de
posed rajah weeks in advance; It was
even said that he fixed the date him
self. At any rate, he was so well pre
pared that his troops were almost the
first In the field. Although his army
had been disbanded for three or four
years, he had secretly purchased and
stored away large quantities of equip
ment, and for two monthB previous to
the outbreak, It was afterward learned,
he was secretly enlisting and arming
his subjects.
FIFTEEN MILLION DOLLARS.
Two weeks before the uprising the
rajah made preparations to secure the
safety of his vast treasure. In his pal
nee, thirty miles from Gwallor, he
had a secret chamber, in which the
wealth of his family had been stored
for three generations. No European
had ever set foot In the palace, but It
was curently reported that the value
of the gems and Jewels, many of which
had ben handed down from his great
grandfather, aggregated $15,000,000. One
day the rajah left his palace with an
escort of ten of his oldest and most
trusted soldiers, and each soldier had
charge of a pack-horse.carrylng a share
of the treasure. His band traveled to
the northwest for three days, and then
halted amid the ruins of an ancient city
betwen the town of Jeypore and the
river ganges. This, of course, was only
learned years after. At the end of five
days the rajah returned, to his palace,
accompanied only by a servant, who
had acted as cook. But almost imme
diately thfs servant was locked in a
dungeon on some pretext, and was never
seen again. No one dared to ask what
had become of him or the soldiers, and
those who suspected wisely kept their
thoughts to themselves, well knowing
what would follow a word of gossip,
Two months after the rajah had tak
en the field against the English at the
head of a thousand men, he was killed
In battle, A month later his palace was
captured. When the treasure room was
entered-a great find was expected; but
It was empty. From some of the ser
vants it was learned how and when
the wealth had been removed, but the
government was too busy quelling the
mutiny to search for It just then.
When peace came a party In charge of
an official was started out to search for
the rajah's treasure. By this time not
a soldier or servant who knew anything
of the matter could be found. All that
could be discovered was that the party
had gone toward the northwest. After
several days' search the treasure hunt
ers came upon the ruins, and the spot
commending Itself as a likely hiding
place they began work. Their opera
tions had to be spread over fully a
square half mile of standing and fallen
walls, with trees and bushes and vines
growing In the greatest profusion, con
taining quite a thousand safe spots in
which to hide treasure. The party,
which numbered four Englishmen and
sixty natives, went to work, however,
nd It was five months before they gave
lip the hunt, and the leaders reported
to the government that It would take
a thousand men fully two years to clear
away the debris.
HOW TREASURE WAS HIDDEN.
Not long after a native was arrested
at Delhi, charged with the murder of
two European women at the outbreak
of the mutiny. When he was placed on
trial an English ensign came forward
to testify on his behalf, proving that
It was a case of mistaken Identity. As
soon as the native was released from
custody he went to his preserver and
declared that he was one of the rajah's
suldiers who removed the treasure. It
was buried In the ruins, he said, and
when the work had been finished the
rajah had given the party several bot
tles of wine to drink to his health. This
wine was poisoned. Every man who
partook of It, except this one, died with
in two hours. He had partaken spar
ingly of It, but was made very III, and
had simulated death to escape the ra
jah's dagger. When the cold-blooded
ruler departed, leaving the dead to be
devoured by beasts of prey, the sole
survivor crawled away, and after a time
recovered and made good his escape.
He fought against the English to the
last, but was ready to divide the hidden
treasure with the man who had saved
his life. 'At that time the government
offered 25 per cent to finders of treas
ure, and the officer and native pro
ceeded to Jeypore and made up a party.
In due time they reached, the ruins, but
only to find that the treasure was gone.
The native pointed out the spot -where
it had. been concealed, and there was
no doubt of his veracity, but some one
had removed the wealth As It had
been taken away during the war It was
almost useless to hope for a clew, al
though the native declared he would
devote the remainder of his days to fol
lowing the matter up.
It was three' years before anything
further .was learned of the - rajah's
treasure. Then a native who was con
fined In prison at, Lucknow for theft
told a story which subsequently reached
the ears- of the government officials.
During the last six months of the mut
iny the regiment to which he belonged
waa encamped for some days near the
old ruins. By that time most of the
natives began to realise that ultimate
ly English rule must be restored, anil
this man and five others decided to de
sert their colors and make their way to
the east Believing they would be pur
sued if they started off across the coun
try, they secreted themselves among
the ruins until their comrades marched
away. In removing some of the debris
for their own concealment they came
across the treasure, .which was In teak
woou and Iron boxes. Here was a ran
som -of a king In the world to be di
vided among six natives, not one of
whom had ever been possessed of 5
at once In his life, but yet avarice at
once entered Into the hearts of them
nil. In making a division of the spoils
they quarrelled, and within five min
utes of the first hot words three of them
lay dead. The three survivors were
content that their shares were doubled;
but they could do little with their booty.
They could only carry away a few
handsful of It on their persons, even it
they could find purchasers in those tur
bulent times. When the nelrhborhood
was clear of troops, the treasure was
carried, on post horses stolen for the
purpose, a distance of nine miles to
ward the Ganges and reburled in a
thicket. The three men then started
for Delhi, each having a few of the
gems with him, but within a week they
were captured by mutineers, and two
of them iwere shot down. The third
managed to.escape. When the mutiny
was a thing of the past he was at
Lucknow, enlisting a party to go after
the treasure, when he committed a rob
bery and was sentenced to goal for a
year.
AN INVESTIGATION.
The government lost no time In In
vestigating this story: The prisoner
retold It to officials, and was promised
a pardon and 10 per cent, of the value
of any treasure, found for acting as
guide, and ho led a party straight to
the spot. The hole where the treasure
had been burled was speedily found,
but of the gems and jewels not one re
mained. The despoilefs had In turn
been despoiled. It was a year before
another clew was found, and then it
came through a woman. She was the
wife of a ryot, or farmer, and from a
hiding place In the thicket had seen the
three soldiers bury the boxes and cask
ets. Assisted by her husband she dug
up the treasure and reburled It in one of
the cultivated fields. Her husband
was killed In battle, and at the close of
the war, when bands of natives were
riding about and plundering right and
left, her hut was one day visited by a
band of six scoundrels who demanded
money. In order to save her life she
told them of the treasure, and they were
speedily In possession of It. They de
cided to convey It down the Ganges by
boat. It was taken to the river on
horses by night, but instead of pur
chasing a craft, they seised one by
force and murdered the crew of three
men. This craft, with the six robbers
on board, was seen by various people
during the following days, and though
every effort was made to discover what
had become of the men and their plun
der, it was a month before the govern
ment obtained any reliable information
concerning It.
Then It was learned that the boat
had reached Allahabad, where two men
had gone ashore to purchase supplies,
Anil aha u' a a n ira n ..on thl,-tv tnlloa
below the city. Then all traces of her
were lost. Every seaport was watched
and every dealer In gems notified, but
it was months b fore any new develop
ments took place. Then a villainous-
looking native offered some diamonds
and rubles for sale In Bombay and was
arrested. He had on his person about
2,000 worth of unset gems. For several
weeks he refused any explanation, but
at length confessed that he was the
leader of the gang who obtained the
treasure from the woman. After pass
Ing Allahabad they started to divide the
treasure. As all were grasping and
avaricious a quarrel arose, and in the
helghth of this the boat ran upon a
snag and received such damages that
she soon filled and went down. Five
of the men and all the treasure except
that found on this man went to the bot
tom in forty feet of water. The fellow
Btubbornly refused to name the locality
or to go with a party, and after a few
weeks died In prison of fever. A dozen
different parties searched for the wreck
at much trouble and expense, but it
had apparently been covered by mud or
sand and could not be found. Of the
vast treasures of the rebel rajah, com
puted on good authority at from 4,000,
000 to 5,000,000. the trilling amount
found on the robber was alone recov
ered.
As already stated, the government
made a new attempt to discover -the
wreck not long ago, but was again un
successful.
One gives a sigh when one thinks that
such vast treasure has so successfully
eluded capture for over forty years; and
It seems likely to remain lost forever.
IF ONE SH0DLDM0VE TO MARS.
A Globe Mould Appear, Mapped with
iHokt Delicate lines.
From Harper's Round Table.
It Is not necessary to consldf r the va
rious reasons that would Impel many
Inhabitants of the curth to go to Mars
If they had the opportunity. But no
one can doubt that the first train for
Mars or the first baloon, or the first elec
tric liner sent out by the Universal Ce
lestial Transportation and Safe Deliv
ery company, 'Mars division, would be
booked to its utmost capacity. Curios
ity alone would suffice to crowd It, and
it is certain that the Anglo-Saxon race1;
which has furnished mrst of the great
travelers, would be fully represented
In the throng of adventurers bound for
another world.
When Mars is nearest to the earth lt3
distance is no less than 38,000,000 miles.
But If we set our speed to match that of
an electric Impulse flying through the
Atlantic cable ay 15,000 miles per sec
ondwe should be there In Just forty
minutes.
On approaching Mars .we should be
hold a world looking In some respects
remarkably like the earth, having sea
sons resembling ours, with torrid, tem
perate, and frigid cones; turning on its
axis like our globe, and In nearly the
same time, showing in winter broad
white caps, as of snow, covering Its po
lar regions, and presenting many ap
pearances suggestive of continents.
oceans. Islands, and peninsulas. As we
watched It slowly turning under our
eyes we should see on one side, south
of Its equator, a huge, staring eyelike
spot, iwhlch Schlaparelll has named the
"Lake of the Sun," and on the opposlta
side, reaching from the southern hemi
sphere Into the northern, a great, dark.
crooked area.' somewhat, resembling
North America In shape, and known to
astronomers as the "Hour Glass Sea."
And then all the globe beneath us
would appear to be mapped with deli
cate reds and yellows and grays and
blues; long waving curves and sharper
Indentations would make their appear
ance In what looked like coast lines,
and presently, running east and west
and south and north, and passing "be
yond the horizon's utmost rim," a net
work of dark colored lines, like a vast
web covering the planet, would be seen.
These are the famous "canals."
But while we were wondering what
this could mean we should be struck by
another unearthlike thing. Being ac
customed to dwell on a globe, three
fourths of whose surface is- covered
with water.lt could not escapeour notice
that the iworld we were approaching
had far more land than water.- Indeed,
it Is likely that we should find that the
"Hour Glass Sea" and many other ao
called seas of Mars arc only part of tha
time filled with water, and that even
then they are not like terrestrial
oceans, but rather vast swamps, choked
with rank vegetation suddenly awak
ened to life by periodical Inundations
supplying moisture to their .roots.
Visiting them at another time, we
should .find only deserts with cracked
soil baking In the sun. .At any rate.
some of the discoveries made with
great telescopes in 1894 suggevt- thtsi
things..
; Tt'TrttE THEATRICALS.
Sosie of the Arrangements Being
Made for the Next Season.
From the Pltsburg News.
Richard Mansfield, who has thought
better of his determination to quit the
stage, is filling dramatic newspapers
with announcements of his next grana
tour. He will be supported by Beatrice
Cameron and the. Uarrick Theatre
Stork comtanv. of seventy people, ana
Will present these plays: "Richard III."
"Merchant of Venice," Richelieu," -lu-gliostro,"
"Beau Brummel," "A Paris
ian' liomance," "The Emperor Napol
eon.", "Jekell and Hyde." "Scarlet Let
ter." '"Hamlet," and "Haron Chevrlat."
His) tour will open In Omaha, Neb., on
October 5, and closes on April 18, at the
Garrlek.-New York.
Wilton Lackeye wil open his first
starring tour at Hooley's theatre, Chi
cago, November 9. He has signed a five
years' contract with Frederick M. Mc
Cloy, to manage his tours. Mr. Lack
aye has sailed, with his wife, for Ban
Francisco, bv the Panama route, from
New- York. The Journey, will occupy
about a month, at the end of which
time Mr. Lackaye will appear with the
Fiawlev company In a new piece, "The
Social Trust." At Its close Mr. Lack
aye will appear In Nat Goodwin's for
mer role In "In Mlzzoura." He will
afterwards come to New York to finish
arrangements for his starring tour. .
Peter F. Dalley hopes to have "A
Good Thing" in his new play of that
name, which Is being written by John
J. McNally. for next season's tour. Mr.
Dalley will have new managers, his
coming tour being under the direction
of Henry B. Harris, son of Wlllam Har
ris, of the Garrlck theatre. New York,
und E. Rosenbaum. Mr. Harris was
last season manager for May Irwin. A
tour of 40 weeks, the majority of which
has been booked, will be-played.' Mr.
Dailey expects' it to equal "The Night
Clerk" both In fun and attractiveness.
Robert Hllliard's ntxt starring tour
will be under the direction of Frank L.
Perley, who managed Mojeska for a
number of seasons. He was supported
last yenr by Barnabee and McDonald,
of "The Bostohlans," but it Is said those
gentlemen wore not fully satisfied with
the financial results, and would not sign
a new contract. Mr. Perley has booked
an extensive tour for Mr. Hllllard, who
is at present In Europe. It Is. under
stood that he will present a new farclal
comedy in place of "Lost 24 Hours,"
which has become somewhat worn.
Alexander Salvinl Is said to have
made a most encouraging hit In his es
say at pantomine In Boston. He sailed
for London with W. H. Wilkinson, last
week, and will spend some weeks rest
ing In that country, and on the contin
ent. The fall season wll open early
for this actor, and will begin at some
city on the Pacific coast. From there
the tour will extid southeast, and east,
reaching New York next April. Mr.
Salvinl will appear for the first time
as "Romeo" In a new production of
Shakespeare's great tragedy "Romeo
and Juliet." His repertoire will also
include "The Three Guardsmen," and
"Othello." A new play is also said to
be in contemplation.
The Holland Brothers will open next
year's tour In "A Social Highwayman,"
In which they have been unusually suc
cessful. A new play by Clyde Fitch
will also be produced, and If It attains
the success expected will probably be
given an equally prominent place. Min
nie RadclifTe will support the Hollands
next year, having been engaged as
leading woman by Joseph Brooks.
Edward Harrlgan will produce a new
character piece, In which he Is said to
have an excellent part. The scenes
are laid In New York, and are said to
be particularly rich In "local color."
They are laid on the river front, and in
and around sailor boarding houses, in
troducing a counle of strong negro
characters. These will assist the vll
lain.whn will have nn unusually wicked
part. Mr. Harrlgan will enact the role
of nn Irish seaman.. In addition, "Old
Lavender" and "My Son Dan" will
probably be retained. Mr. Harrlgan
will devote the summer and early fall
to much needed recuperation at his
summer home, Schroon Lake, N. Y.
Nellie McHenry will commence re
hearsing her now play "A Night in New
York," on August 1. It was written by
H. Uratan Donnelly, and Is described
as n musical comedy in three acts. The
dialouge Is said to be bright, the lnci
Ndents farclal and the musio . very
catchy. Miss McHenry will be seen In
an entirely new and original character.
She is at present resting at her summer
cottage In the Hlg-hlands, although di
recting the work of organization of her
support. Her tour will be under the
direction of John Webrter. "A Night In
New York" will probably be the only
piece in which Miss McHenry will tour
next fall.
One of the most startling novelties
among next season's offerings will be a
new electrical melodrama, "The Heart
of the Storm," If advance reports con
cerning it are true. In the opening act
there will be an aurora borealls.llghtnlng
and a rainbow, a realistic storm, an In
cantation scene with elertrlc flames, a
treacherous quicksand. The second act
will show an electrical fountain In the
Everglades, Florida, a great bed of
electrical flowers and starlight effects.
The third shows a water wheel In oper
ation, a Southern sunset, a runaway
horse, and a Hood in which 75 persons
on housetops, float across the stag". In
the fourth act there will be an entirely
new wave effect, a fierce thunder
storm, nnd natural lightning, a bolt of
which demolishes the house, and n duel
scene. In which the lightning figures
thrilllngly Then the audience will go
home and die.
James J. Corbett will continue next
year In "A Naval Cadet." There will
be but one '.Trilby" company ou the
road next year, this being the one now
playing In Australia. Mclntyre and
Heath, who will star jointly next sea
son In Dixie land, promise an Innovation
In the portrayal of Southern plantation
character. Eugene Canfield opens this
season with a revival of Hoyt's "A
Temperance Town." on September 7.
George Ober has secured for his origin
si part of "The Oldest Man In Town."
Irving W. Kelly will present an entire
ly new version of Nell Burgess' "Coun
ty Fair." The exciting race scene will
still remain a principal feature. .. .
CURIOUS FANCIES
AS TO BURIALS
i . .
Strange Devices Pateated la Connection
, i with Funeral Ceremonies.
PLAN TO PREVENT BODY-SNATCHING
What It Known at the Collin Torpedo
.Is Introduced Into the Collin and
Explodes When the Coffin is Tarn
ocrcd WithOther Unique Ideas.
Washington Letter, plobe-Democrst.
The "coffin torpedo" Is the latest pat
ented device In the line of burial ap
pliances. It is Introduced Into the cas
ket before the latter Is closed, the ar
rangemenrVelng such that any attempt
to force the recentaele- open will re
lease a spring, strike a percussion -cap,
and set off the bomb. This means-almost
Bure -death' to the unsuspecting
grave robber, whose Industry the in
vention in question is designed to dls--courage.
- - -...-. i
Live people do a great deal of think
ing about death, if one is to judge from
the immense number of patents that
have been granted for Inventions hav
ing relation to the tomb. They run up
Into the thousands, and not a few of
them arc weird and grisly enough to
make the flesh creep. Among the most
interesting are the so-called "life sig
nals." These are contrivances Intended
to secure the release of persons prema
turely Interred. There can be no doubt
that to many human beings the fear
of being burled alive some day Is a
haunting dread through life.
All of the patented devices for life
signals have one feature In common
namely, a wire or cord attuched to tha
hand of the supposed corpse. In each
case it is Intended that any movement
shall set off an alarm of some kind.
One contrivance employs a small red
flag, which shoots up from the grave
and displays Itself above ground If re
quired. Another is called a "grave an
nunciator." A disturbance In the cof
fin closes an electric circuit and springs
an alarm in the watch house of tin
cemetery. The superintendent takes
bote of the number of grave Indicated
by the alarm, and proceeds without de
lay to dig up the victim.
Yet another species of apparatus is
operated by a Bprlng catch which
throws open the lid of a tube extending
from the coffin to above the ground,
thus admitting air. At the same time
a bell Is set ringing. On a somewhat
different principle Is an indicator In a
glass case, to be placed on top of the
grave and communcatlng by wires with
the alleged defunct below. It the lat
ter moves at all, a needle shows It.
Most elaborate of all such devices Is
one In which a wire is attached to a ring
on the thumb of the corpse. The
slightest movement of the hand pulls
a trigger which starts a clockwork me
chanism. This sets off an alarm and
at the same time puts In operation a fan
which forces air down a tube into the
coffin. . There is a second tube provided
with a lamp and reflector, so arranged
that , one may look down and see the
face of the deceased. After a reason
able period has elapsed, the tubes are
to be withdrawn.
The practical value of contrivances
of this kind is Impaired by the fact
that the bodies of people really dead do
frequently move In their coffins by rea
son of causes wholly normal. To this
circumstance is largely due the wide
spread belief In the frequency of prema
ture interments. During -the late civil
war many soldiers were said to have
been burled alive, being merely in a
stupor arising from loss of blood or ex
haustion. Corpses have often been
found turned over, as if they had
waked up and tried to get out. In oth
er cases the tongue has been discovered
protruding from the mouth, as If from
suffocation, and there have been stains
from bleeding on the clothing. It Is
now known that such phenomena are
occasioned by the expansion of the
gases of putrefaction. Bleeding often
occurs after death.
MANY KINDS OF COFFINS.
Glancing over the record of patents.
one finds mention of an astonishing
variety of materials for coffins. One
Inventor proposes to make burial cask
ets out of blown glass, the mortuary
receptacle being in two halves, united by
a strip of rubber so as to be air tight.
There are coffins moulded out of paper,
pulp, coffins of artificial -marble, cof
fins of wire coated with asphaltum, cor
fins lined with artificial stone, coffins
of potter's clay, coffins of celluloid, cof
fins of hard rubber, and cement coffins
filled in with excelsior and glycerine for
a perservative. One of the queerest
coffins Is manufactured out of a mix
ture of plaster of parls, cork dust, ani
mal hair, dextrine, Indian red and
water. Itis warranted light and dur
able. Ordinarily, the main thing sought In
coffins seems to be that they shall pre
serve the body . as long as posiblc In
other words, extend the processes of
decay over as great a length of time as
practicable. The Idea does not seem
very good sense, and It Is Interesting to
find that some Inventions look the op
posite way. One patented perishable
burial casket Is composed of glue, resin,
Unseed oil, and whiting.-The moisture
of the earth quickly disintegrates the
substance, leaving the corpse exposed
to nature's resolvent action. Another
style of coffin Is a mere skeleton frame
with a covering of plaster of paris, dex
trine, carbonate of sliver ami other ma
terials pioperly mixed. This coating Is
very hard In the air, but Is soon dissolv
ed when exposed to moisture under
ground. Equally worthy of note is an inflam
mable coffin, made of highly combusti
ble materials. It is designed for use in
the crematory, helping. Instead of re
sisting, the process of combustion. A
coffin of open wlckerwork has the same
purpose as those of perishable fashion,
I. e., to expose the Inclosed body Vi
contact with mother earth. Another
style of burial case Is made In the shape
of a human form, being cast out of
metal In two parts which fit together.
One inventor proposes to fill his airtight
casket with a preservative gas. A "por
table vault," intended to hold a coffin,
Is of Iron, with catches inside so ar
ranged that the receptacle can not be
opened. If grave robbers should suc
ceed In carrying it away on a truck,
they would have great difficulty In forc
ing It open. "
Glass coffins are no. novelty; they
were patented in England In 1847. They
were not new, even then, for it is known
that the Egyptians used them over 2.000
years ago. Ancient Egyptian coffins
were frequently stained to represent
rare woods. Just as Is done now. Sy
camore was the principal wood employ
ed carved. Inlaid and painted. Usually
the body was Inclosed in a nest of sev
eral cotllns fitting neatly Inside of each
other, each bearing a carved likeness
of the defunct, and painted with pray
ers, etc., In hieroglyphics. The' prepar
ation and coffining of a mummy In first
class style cost a silver talent, or some
what- over $1,000. Coffins of baked clay
are found In the ruins of ancient cities
of Mesopotamia. The Ethiopians of old
used for coffins hollowed blocks of
quarts crystal, which material Is very
plentiful In that country. ' Thus the In
closed body was kept visible. The only
coffin mentioned In the Bible Is that of
Joseph, whose remains were "embalm
ed and coffined."
PRESERVING THE BODIES.
The bodies of persons burled in the
froxen soil of Northern Siberia have
been found perfectly preserved after a
lapse of nearly a century. Corpses In
terred In hot sand do not decay, but In
come mummified. There is no other
way In which a body can be preserved
so long leaving freezing an mummifi
cation out of the Question as by
burial in a lead coffin. If the receptacle
be alr-tlght. lack of oxygen brings pu
trefaction almost If not quite to a
pause, and the face of a defunct per
son may be recognizable after a long
period of time. The attempts frequent
ly made to destroy bodies by covering
them with lime are very apt to have
the opposite effect, preserving them by
keep -out the air. When Interred
In wet soil, corpses are sometimes
transformed into a true nmmonlacal
soap, which has been named "adipoc
ere." Thus very often they retain their
form Indefinitely, Inasmuch as adlpoc-
ere te not perishable under ordinary cir
cumstances.
There is a man In New York who
makes a business of photographing
corpses. He takes a picture of the face
of every dead person who turns up at
the morgue in that city. The likenesses
are mounted on cards and kept in a lit
tle cabinet at the morgue office. In
each case the photograph is made with
out arranging the hair or In any other
way modifying the, appearance of the
defunct, inasmuch as to do so might
Interfere with the recognition of the
latter by friends. Sometimes, after
many years have passed, relatives of
these unfortunate individuals find out
their fate by seeing their features on
the cards. Suicides are often neatly
shaved and dressed, as If they had pre
pared themselves particularly to have
their pictures taken. The likenesses In
the cabinet run all the way back to
1SC8.
TO PRESERVE THE ASHES.
One of the most Interesting patents
In the mortuary line Is the Invention of
a citizen of Canandalgua, N. Y. It Is
a process for preserving the ashes of
the dead, and Is designed to do away
with some of the prejudices against
cremation. The ashes of the late la
mented, as they come from the crema
tory, are to be mixed with silicate of
soda and formed Into a paste. This
paste is molded into the shape of a
bust or statuette of the defunct. If
preferred, It may be made Into a paper
weight. However fashioned, It serves
to remind the bereaved of the dear de
parted. To an heir to a large estate
such a memorial would be most Inter
esting. The Inventor makes the addi
tional suggestion that the statuette or
bust might be electroplated with cop
per, silver, or gold, for the sake of
decorative effect.
Another Inventor has devised a
method of preserving the bodies of the
dead by plating them with sliver or
gold. His idea is to embalm the corpse
In the customary manner, and then
place It In a chemical hrth, depositing
the metal upon It by electricity in the
ordinary fashion. Nickel, of course,
would be good enough for persons of
moderate means. More practicable
would seem to be a scheme for desiccat
ing bodies by a process that is guar
anteed to reduce them to absotute dry
ness and about one-third of their or
iginal weight. The bodies thus mum
mified are to be placed in a mausoleum
iwlth. compartments like those of a
safety deposit vault. These compart
ments could be hired In sets or suits of
sepulchers, each of them having an
outer door of Iron and an inner doof
of glass, so that the owner of a com
partment could at any time obtain a
view of his defunct relatives by the use
of his private key. A system of elec
tric alarms would give notice in case
any person prematurely desiccated
should come to life.
The morbid dread of being burled
alive that Is entertained by some ner
vous people is entirely groundless. Such
a thing is practically Impossible, for
the simple reason that a person sup
posed to be a corpse, but not really
rnch, would Inevitably be frozen to
death In tha lee box long before the
funeral. There Is one readily applied
test which the French Academy of
Sciences has declared infallible as a
means of determining whether or not
the vital spark Is present. If between
the fingers of a presumed cadaver, held
up to the light, no redness Is visible,
the Indlvldaul Is dead beyond the per
adventure of a doubt. Other evidences
of death are apt to be deceptive. The
stoppage of the heart's beating Is not
satisfactory. In cases on record that
organ has apparently ceased to perform
Its functions tr as much as fifteen
minutes, yet the person has survived.
. SUE MADE TsEOF HIM.
egress Was Not Taking Any Risks
. While There Was n Man Around.
From the Chicago Tribune.
. An aged negress weighing nearly 200
pounds, a small white man and a Texas
steer created considerable fun and a
little excitement yesterday afternoon at
the stock yards.
The negress, with a red nubia over
her head, was ambling slowly toward
the bank building, "when suddenly gonv;
person raised a cry that a wild steer
was loose.
A moment later a big-horned fellow
with a crowd of horsemen after hltn,
plunged west on the thoroughfare to
ward Hnlsted street.
All who could make a plunge for the
high fence, but the negress could not
climb and the steer seemed to have her
in his mind, as he was cavorting toward
her.
To climb the fence was for her
physical Impossibility, while Vm
chances of being thrown over it were
good.
Just then a little man ran down tha
sidewalk. As he reached the colored
woman she seized him by the shoulder
and turned his face toward the steer.
The big animal halted and looked at
the pair. As the steer turned so did
the woman turn the little man, wno
kicked to get free. Just what made tha
steer take .water no person knows,
but after looking for a moment he
walked away and was soon aftec driv
en Into a pen.
Once sure she iwas free from danger,
the colored woman released her hold
on the little man and walked away.
As she climbed on the walk In front of
the bank she said to the crowd: "Tell
you what, boss, I was determined that
man would die first."
WHEAT EXPORTS.
Fiscal
year Bushels. Value.
1890 lU8.1l.31lt 916.275.9IM)
1891 2J.".fW.,812 61.420.LT2
1892 191.ftl2.K35 01.39U.132
1893 1M.283.12 63,331.970
1894 144.812.718 60.407.011
1895 75.831.639 43.K6.841
ISM ...f (0,470,714 - 39,(09,337
ROMANCE OF AN
AMERICAN GIRL
A Revival ol the Life Story ol Madame
Bonaparte.
GREAT'GRANDDAl'GHTER TO MARRY
Miss Loisctte Bonaparte, of BaltU
more. Engaged to Do Married to
Count Adam Yon Moltkc, Son of
the Danish Ambassndor at Pnris,
and a Distant Relation of the Fam
ous Chief Marshal of the Prussian
Army.
Washington Letter, Philadelphia Times.
The recent announcement that Miss
Lolsette Bonaparte, of this city, was to
be wedded to Count Adam Von Moltke,
son of the Danish ambassador, at Paris,
awakens renewed Interest in the ro
mantic history of the famous woman
whose life's story reads with the thrill
ing interest of a novel. This person
age was the celebrated Madame Bona
parte, of Baltimore, the daughter of a
merchant In the New World, and the
sister-in-law of an emperor in the Old
Continent. Madame Bonaparte was
the great-grandmother of Miss Bona
parte, who follows an Illustrious ex
ample In her. foreign marriage.
No woman in the whole list of Ameri
can notables ever occupied as promi
nent a position as that taken by lad-
ame Bonaparte, and no woman ever
held the sway of a queen with more
regal grace. The child of a simple citi
zen of the union, she became allied to
emperors and kings, her Imperial beau
ty made her famous as the loveliest
American in Europe, while her brilliant
wit, that fenced with the keenest In
tellects of the day, lent a fascinating
charm to her personality. - Beautiful,
wealthy and gifted, yet she was lacking
In any of the tender qualities of soul
and her whole character seems to have
been formed in the mould of ambition
and worldly success.
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.
. Elizabeth Patterson was the daughter
of William Patterson, a rich merchant
of Baltimore, a man who had made his
money by hard work and wlfbse wealth
at the time of the close of the revolu
tionary war was computed to be as
great as that of Charles Carroll, of Car
rollton. The child, was born In Febru
ary, 1785, and in her earliest youth gave
promise of the loveliness Into which she
later developed. In the summer of 1803
she was In the first flush of womanhood,
the reigning belle of the little city of
Baltimore, where her father's ample
means enabled her to lead among the
fashionables of the place.
Napoleon .was at this time first consul
of France, and the eye of the world
centered on his rising ambition. Young
Jerome Bonaparte, brother to Napo
leon, came on a visit to America in
this year, and while here was made
the lion of the day, feted In New York,
feasted In Baltimore. It was while at
the races in the latter city that he saw
for the first time the beautiful Miss
Patterson, and Is proved to be a case of
love at first sight, for the young man
Instantly declared himself a captive
to her charms.
Mr. Patterson, who had no weakness
for titles, discouraged the suitor, but
Elizabeth, who loved rank above all
things, declared that she would not
break her engagement to the brother of
Napoleon. "I would rather be the wife
of Jerome Bonaparte for an hour than
the wife of any other man for life,"
she declared. So on Christmas eye,
1803, the wedding took place In the
Cathedral at Baltimore, the ceremony
being performed by the Rev. John Car
roll, bishop of Maryland. The bride's
gown was an exquisite one of richly
embroidered muslin, the picture she
made being one of ravishing beauty.
Some time was then spent by the happy
couple In travel and entertainments,
but Mr. Patterson, whose judgment did
not approve of the match, set to work
at once, now that the marriage ,was a
fact, to see that his daughter's position
would be recognized by the Bonaparte
in Europe. The first news that reached
America was that Napoleon was highly
enraged at the fact that his brother
dared to marry without his consent,
and the mall brought the disturbing
advices that the marriage would not
be regarded as legal by the laws of
France.
BARRED BY NAPOLEON.
Napoleon sent word to Jerome that
all would be forgiven if the young man
would "leave In America the young
person In question. Should he bring
her along with him she shall not put a
foot on the territory of France."
Jerome was ordered to sail at once for
France, disobedience forfeiting his
brother's support. Napoleon was now
emperor, and the younger brother had
great dread of the anger of one who had
constituted himself the head of his
family ui well as of France. The em
peror wished that his brothers should
by marriage from alliance with the
daughters of Europe's crowned heads.so
that Jerome's wedding to the daughter
of an American was a great blow to his
ambitious plans. Reconciliation with
the emperor was to be had only by de
sertion of his American wife, but this
the young man, who was now a prince,
refused to do. So It iwas decided that the
best plan would be for Jtronie to obey
his brother by returning to France, but
that his wife must accompany him.
STEPHEN
-From the Chicago Time
hoping; that her youth, grace and beau
yt would touch the heart of Napoleon.
The empereror applied to the Romaa
Pontiff, Pope Pius VII., for an annul
ment of the marriage, but this step h -Pope
refused to take, asserting; that the
Catholic church allowed the marriage,
to be a legal and binding- one. Jerome's
plan -was to go Immediately to France '
himself while his wife was to land In
Holland. On the vessel's reaching; port .
at LiBbon the ship was surrounded by a
trench guard and Madame Bonaparte
was not allowed to land. A representa
tive of the Emperor waited on the young;
wire, asking what he could do for Miss
Patterson. The reply sent back was: .
"Tell your master tnat Madame Bon
aparte Is ambitious and demands her
rights as a member of the Imperial fam
ily." Jerome went to meet Napoleon and
his wife, finding that she -would not be
allowed to land at any port in Co:i
tlncntal Europe, sought ifuge In Eng
land. Here her son was born In July,'
1805, and given the name of Jerome
Napoleon Bonaparte. The father was
with the emperor, who was using every
effort to overcome the resolution of the
young husband, and at last the de- '
sires of ambition became stronger than
those of affection. Jerome, who but a
few months before had left hfs wife
with every protestation of undying- love,
now consented at the emperor's request
to abandon her, and even take an
other consort, one whose rank would
elevate him Into, power.
RETURNED TO BALTIMORE. '
The deserted young wife and her chllil 1
returned to Baltimore, making their
home with old Mr. Patterson, whose
forebodings of trouble had been so truly
vet Ifled by events. Here Madame Bon
aparte remained for several years. In
1807 Prince Jerome was married to the
daughter of the Duke of Wurtemburg.
After the fall of Napoleon Madame '
Bonaparte returned to Europe, where
she spent many years, visiting the gay
capitals, where she was received In the
highest circles of society. Her life was
one round of pleasure, her company waa
sought by the most distinguished men
of the day, the courts of all nation
paid her homage, her loveliness, sad
history, rank and Intellect making her
the most conspicuous woman In the old
world. Her son accompanied her much
of the time, receiving most of his ed
ucation abroad. Onr- day, while visit
ing a gallery, Madame L'onaparte cam
upon her former husband with hla sec
ond wife on his arm. The recognition
was mutual, but no word passed be
tween the two. Young Jerome returned
to America and wedded a Baltimore
girl, a Miss Susan May Williams, 19
whom he waa married In November,
1829. This marriage was a great cause
of distress to his mother, who was am
bitious that he contract an alliance
with some of the powerful families of
Europe. Her letters, written at the time
to her father, show that she, having
never known the tender passion, could
not comprehend that any one would
prefer to marry for affection's sake In
stead of so as to elevate their position
In the social world.
Madame Bonaparte herself returned
to Baltimore in 1834 and spent most of
the rv .aining years of her life In that
city. 'To her dying hour she retained
traces of her wonderful beauty. In
April. 1879, she died at the age of 94, her
keen wit and bright mind remaining to
her last breath. To her two grandsons,
Jerome and Charles, she left her large
property. Jerome became In later life
Colonel Jerome Bonaparte, and is the
father of Miss Lolsette.
Colonel Jerome Bonaparte died a few
years ago.but his handsome home in this
city has been kept open by his widow,
who was a Mrs. William Edgar, her first
husband's brother being Commodore
Edgar, of the New York Yacht squad
ron. Miss Bonaparte Is also a lineal
descendant of the Indian King Philip,
of Colonial times, and a great niece of
Mrs. Daniel Webster. Count Moltke
belongs to a branch of the family of
that name distantly connected with the
great German warrior.
WORKINGS OF GENIUS.
Cowper required three days for the pro
duction of John Gilpin. He revised the
work very carefully, almost rewriting
many of its lines.
Longfellow turned out about one volume
of poems a year ror mny years; nearly
four years were required for bis transla
tion of Dante.
Hume spent fifteen years In collecting
materials and writing his history of Eng
land and two years more in revising and
correcting it.
Cooper is said to have written "The
Spy" In less than six months. Most of his
stories were founded on legends well
I known In his neighborhood.
Carlyle, It Is said, required about ten
months to complete "Heroes and Hero
Worship." This time comprised also that
of the necessary reading.
Sir Thomas More devoted the leisure
hours of over three years to the writing
of his "Utopia." Lord Brougham com
monly spent three or four weeks In study
before writing a great speech. Von Ranke
Is said to have devoted nearly thirty years
to his great work. "The Lives of the
Popes."
Noah Webster, from first to last, spent
seventeen years on his dictionary of the
English language. Keats commonly wrote
a short poem in a single day, taking two
or three more to polish and complete it.
George Eliot Is said to have written
"Jllddlemarch" in four months. Some
doubt Is thrown upon this statement by
the fart that f-he commonly worked slow
ly, writing with great care and dellbta
tlon and making few erasures after her
woric was done.
The composition of the first part of
Goethe's "Faust" was done at odd inter
vals (luring nearly twenty years; the pre
paration of the second part continued
over twenty-six.
CRANE.
Herald, By the Courtesy of H. H. Xeakaat,