The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-12-08
HUMAN GHOULS.
THE GRAVE.

HORRIBLE REvELATICNs-THE SENSATION IN
FLINT, MIcHIGAN-THE EXCITEMENT AND
REA OF
The Chicago Times of the 2sth ult. gives a
long eccount of a horrible discovery at
Flint, Mich, from which the following
facts are taken: A story which is so hid
eous and frightful in its details as almost to
be beyond belief has come to light in the
town of Flint, Mich. There have been eff
forts on all sides to suppress the tale, and up
to this time the public have been kept some
what in the dark as to the true facts which
are about to be narrated. Although from
time to time rumors have leaked out, and
the state papers have even affected to
give some details of the story, it has re-
NAMED for the omniprescent Times to un-
cover the truth and present the mystery
in the fall light of its blood-curdling de-
tails, Such a story as is told disgraces
the name of humanity, and the traits of
character or iendishness revealed are
such as devils themselves must be horri-
fed to see exhibited. 1t appears nat up
ing about three miles from the town in
question a family by the name of McNamee,
consisting of a father, an old man 90 or go
years of age, named Joseph McNamee, a
son of 20 years, also named Joseph, and an
other SON called DIR. w. J. McNamee, the
latter supposed to be a student at Ann Ar
Dor University. and a daughter whose name
is not given. This family of five nave not
been held in good repute for
many years past, the father having
been arrested during the war for
running an illicit distillery, and as none of
since, and yet lived in good shape end had
plenty of money, suspicion attached to
them, and they were Stunned By their
n~eighbors and generally considered to be
bad characters. Suspicious, however, as
sumed no definite shape until, a short time
ago, stories began to float around to the e-
feet that
RAW HAD BEEN B
at the dead of night, portions of bodies and
shrouds had been foundi in different places.
Tombs were opened and found to be de-
spoiled of their sacred ashes. The Nc
Names, father and son, had been seen at
suspicious hours In the proximity of the
graveyard, and suddenly it becams clear
that the whole family had existed for years
by the horrible, shocking, remorseless
crime of body-snatching. They had the
contract to supply the medicalschool of Ann
Arbor, Mich, with subjects, and in the
prosecution of their gbOulish trade they
| SDarGU no CelnclGIkcS Ill tuO SuETOulQlnk
counties, and had no care tor the feelings of
any father, mother, son or daughter.
Scarcely was a grave dry, and its still un-
tainted occupant LETT in his last
quiet sleep, before these vampires
were lowering over tho damp clay
and snatching the body FROM its peaceful
| rest. Old and respected citizens, young
J girls and little children, young men in the
prime of their years, and grandmotheTs in
their white hair were taken from the abode
where their sorrowing friends had laid
them down, and were borne to the houses
of this company of monsters, hastily
| thrown into the oat- bins in the stable, and
LETT there until opportunity offered to ship
them off. The first discovery of the bust
ness of the McNamees was made by a farmer
named Goodrich, living In the neighbor-
hood. One night not long since he had
been to attend a grange meeting, and was
detained until midnight. On his way home
he had to pass what is known as the old
| graveyard in Flint, and it was we'll
nigh one o'clock when he reached it.
Just before arriving there he was surprised
to see a team coming toward him, and
on drawing nigh discovered that there
| were four occupants. These were McNamee,
the elder, sitting on one side of the seat,
Joe, the younger boy, driving; the girl re-
Ginning in the back part of the wagon, and
A FoURTH FIGURE
sitting between the young and old man on
the wagon seat. This latter wore a black
hat and clothes, and did not speak in re-
Spouse to the inquiry of Goodrich. No
wonder, for it was the dead body of a
young man named Wilbur Hill, eighteen
years of age, who had been buried that
very day in the old cemetery. A number
of spades and picks were lying in the
wagon, and the girl was dressed in mems
clothes. Goodrich noticed this, and his sus-
picions were aroused. He communicated
his discovery to neighbcrs, and the grave
was opened and the body found to be gone.
The matter was taken up by the father of
the youth, and he made investigation and
found the body of his son at Ann Ar
Dor. Subsequently an attack was
made on him in a newspaper, it is asserted,
with the intention of crushing him and
hushiDg up the story, TO which he replies
in the following communication, which
gives some further facts relative TO
the first discovery: "My son, Wilbur,
was seventeen years and eight
months old. He died and was buried
in Whigville cemetery on the 23d of
October, and ] reside II miles from that
burying-ground. i was sent word the next
day by Mr.. Milo Goodrich, of Burton, to
look at my sons grave, as he met the Nc
Names the night previous with shovels,
J ETC., in their wagons, coming from the ceme-
terry. (The McNamee family had long been