Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-11-27
From the Chicago Times. Nov s.
Tobhing Graves Of Their Dead-Arrest OF the city



This is republican city. 1t is governed exclusively
by republicans John Wentworth the leader of the re-
publican party in Chicago and in Illinois, is Its mayor
before whom all good republicans bow, and excaim in
reverental awe, Lo the great reformer" ~
But another " conspiracy" has been formed - to
break down this republican administration = another
city ocehoder is about to be inundated on the altar
which his political prisons and his te deum tnudamus
Johannes have been so fervently and frequently offered
NIGHT before last somewhere about that witcEng
hour when churchyards yawn and graves give up their
dead the republican city sexton of Chicago was ares
ted in the act of stealing human bodies from graves III
the Chicago cemetery The arrest was made by detec
tives in the employ of Mr. Allan Pinkerton who were
set to watch the cemetery sometime ago The particu-
lars of the affair follows -
About two weeks ago. four bodies were, III one day
inferred in the Chicago cemetery One was the body OF
fireman who killed by accident at the Rock Is
land Railroad depot the others were bodies OF persons
who died about the time. On the day following
their BURIAL the grave digger observed appearances
about the graves which led him to suspect they had been
opened To satisfy this suspicion he proceeded to open
the graves and found that his suppOstiOn was correct
The grave-dgger proceeded at to inform the city
undertakers Messrs Wright & McCucr of what he had
discovered and these gentlemen went to one OF the city
aldermen and laid the facts before him. knowing the
inecency of the city police, and that it would be use
less to expect them to ferret out the robbers the alder
man thought it best to seek the assistance OF the private
police of this city With this in view he proceeded to
consult with the chairman of the committee on claims
and get him to agree that the bill for dong the work
should be reported for payment to the council 1t was
then agreed between the two aldermen to place the job
in the hands of Mr. Allan Pinkcrton of the North Yves
tern Police Agency 1t also, and wisely as the Sc
que proves agreed that the whole matter should be kept
profound secret from Wentworth and all his friends
There was even then reason to suspect that one OF the
mayors avOre officers connected with the neiarlous
affair which suspicion the result shows has been well
founded Had Wentworth or Capt. Yates been appris-
ed of the steps TAKEN the public doubtless would never
have been acquainted with the precious piece of vany
Mr.. PinkertOn at arranged his plans of opera
tons for the detection and arrest of the graveyard rob-
bers On the night of October 28h, six men first
placed on watch. They were placed so to form a
Gordon around the cemetery rendering it impossible that
any person could approach without being seen. No
discovery made that or any of the subsequent
nights until Friday night last After the first night,
the guard formed of experienced detectives
who kept their silent vgis hour after hour without
suit The dead slumbered in peace, and the silence
of their repose was broken save by the dasng waves
of Lake Michigan.
Prior to Friday night the sentinel had been placed on
the inside OF the cemetery Enclosure. On that night
ly four detectives duty there, and the plan OF
operations somewhat varied. They reached the
neighborhOod about ten O'Clock at night and instead Of
entering the grounds took up position in the northwest
of the Catholic cemetery and to each other
The night unusually dark and grew darker as it
advanced No object could be seen at any great dis
lance About halfpast eleven O'Clock, they discovered
through the darkness buggy proceeding slowly and
with little noise as possible westward along North
avenue Two of the detectives overlook the buggy be-
fore it had proceeded the distance of square One of
them took hold of the aXetree, and in this
behind for some distance Both detectives were so
close that the smell of human corps asSaied their Oac
tories from the bottom of the buggy. Pretty the
horse stopped the crossing of Chicago avenue
and one Of the men-there three in the vehicle
got out He Immediately seized by one of the de-
tectves who passed him over to his companion, and
drawing his revolver presented it at the other two and
warned them of the danger they would incur by making
any attempt to escape The man who got out was Mar
tin Quinlan, city sexton under the present Wentworth
government. The detective to whom he given in
charge held him and the horse at the time, while
the other standing between the shafts and Wheel pre-
vented the others from escaping They did not attempt
to get out of the buggy, but kept saving upon the
horses bit making him fractions and getting the
whole establishment into the ditch By some means
the second detective got one of his legs through the
wheel and fearing that sudden start Of the horse might
result in breaking it, changed his position for moment
in order to get clear of the ENHANCEMENT In doing
the revolver withdrawn from its aim, and taking
advantage of this circumstance the remaining occupants
of the buggy capcd out opposite sides and took to
their heels. One of them heard scaling fence and
fired upon by the detective in pursuit but without
effect. Both for the time succeeded in making their
cape Quinan conducted to the Office of Mr.. Pink
| erton and there kept until morning.
|
had been disntered and crowded into bags such
used by the government for mail purposes and
by John Wentworth to contain potatoes and Goldfish
1t is supposed these bags obtained at jackson
Hail. from the supply which Wentworth has on hand
One of the bodies of and the other of wo-
man. One of the legs of the male had been amputated
and it identified the body of who had been
injured time ago by the falling of pile of lumber
and who died soon after the amputaton Of his limb
The female body recognized by acquaintance of the
deceased Both delivered to the coroner Yesterday
morning, who proceeded to have them reburied.
Yesterday forenoon, the city undertaken in company
with of the detectives proceeded to the cemetery to
examine the graves which had been robbed. In the
course of their search they upon two other bodies
which had likewise been disinterred, packed in similar
canvas bags, and concealed among the bushes on the
east side Of the cemetery These and the two found in
the buggy all the bodies of persons who had been
buried in the cemetery on the previous day
Quinian yesterday morning taken before Justice
Miiken, who required him to give bail in the sum of
| $4,000.
From some circumstances which we are not at biber-
y to MENTION the detectives had to suppose that
one of the persons who escaped medical student by
| the name of Eli York.
/ He arrested at his boarding house between and
O'Clock last evening, and taken before Justice Alken,
who required him to give $500 bail for his appearance
again on Monday. The third grave-robber has not yet
| been captured.
We hear that Wentworth flew into towering passion
when he heard of the arrest of Qunan and horr
bly, damnng the private police and the tratorous alder
men who had set them on to his gzzardS content His
anger and basphemy knew no bounds.
II In connection with this affair have learned that
about two years ago stranger from: the east died in
this city, upon whose person papers were found which
showed him to be the Of considerable property
and it deemed proper to inquiries to be made
hn had T,,Eo