Ancient Death Chamber

A special cablegrain from Rome to the St. Louis Globe-Democrat states that the governor of the ancient citadel of Aquilla, contemplating repairs In the subterranean arrangements of the old pile, a wall was broken through, whereupon an ancient death chamber was discovered full of bodies of men and women, many of them wearing uniforms and fine dresses. The bodies, being shut off from air, were perfectly preserved; there were no coffins. Some of the corpses leaned against the walls, others lay in heaps on the floor.

Investigation showed that the dead were prisoners of war during the French invasion of 1795 and that they were either murdered by the garrison or by the French when the citadel was taken. Many of the bodies had stab and shot wounds; others had knives and stilettos sticking in the throat or breast. One hundred and forty-five bodies were recovered, among them many belonging to noble Italian families, according to papers found In their clothes.