Wednesday, family members of explorer Meriwhether Lewis again asked the federal government to exhume his body to find out the true cause of his death.
As Tanya Snyder reports from our Capitol Hill bureau in Washington, one of the lead investigators is a Middle Tennessee professor.
This year marks the 200th anniversary of Lewis’ death about 70 miles from Nashville on the Natchez Trace. The wife of the tavern-keeper where he was staying said it was suicide, and history has recorded it that way. But there are theories he was assassinated. Howell Lewis Bowen is the great-great-great-great nephew of Meriwether Lewis.
“Our family wants to put an end to the mystery hanging over how Uncle Meriwether died. We deserve an answer, as do all Americans.”
Lewis’ descendants want the federal government to let them exhume the body to do modern forensic tests that could determine the cause of death. Forensic doctor Hugh Berryman of Middle Tennessee State University is the family’s pick to examine the body.
“If we look at gunshot wound and it indicates side to side – could be suicide, could be homicide. Front to back – could be suicide, could be homicide. Back to front – it’d be hard to build a case for suicide if it’s back to front.”
Public parks normally don’t allow exhumations. But the family has been lobbying since 1996 for an exception. They’ve gotten the support of several governors. Phil Bredesen hasn’t yet responded to the family’s request.
Reported by Tanya Snyder
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