Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-11-13

have concluded that election night was an excel
lent one in which to rob the tomb.
This evenings train brought from Chicago ex-
Chief of the Secret Service Elmer Washburn, who
il seems, had been requested BY Messrs. SWEET
and Lincoln TO come here and aid Tyrrell. About
6 30 Washburn, Tyrrell, and three other men went
out to lakewood and concealed themselves IN Me-
mortal Hall, inside the monument, TO await de-
velopments. One man was posted IN the laby-
rnth in the rear, so called because of the walls
running in different directions and making numer-
Gus passage ways, these walls supporting the ter
race. His object was to hear the noise made in
the vault, ifsny were made. After patiently wait
ing for nearly three hours, and when about tired
out from standing STILL the utmost silence being
imperative, he heard grating noise, which lasted
perhaps five minutes. Then, in little while,
came several successive thuds, as if some one
hammering. The time having arrived for action
Washburn and his men slipped out of the door
with cooked revolvers in their hands, determined
TO shoot to kill if any resistance was made. Just
as they were turning the corner to the left one of
the men accidentally exploded his revolver. The
noise was very loud, so still were the surround
ings, and though there were but about 10 feet to
go over, when the officers got to the door of the
vault the dastardly villains were gone. They
must have had some one watching TO give them
the signal OF danger or else had come outside for
breath OF fresh air ana heard the swapping of
the cap and ran into the woods which surrounded
the monument. 1t is but a short distance, and
man could get within shelter and be undesirable
IN quarter of a minute. The men at once scat
tered, and went in the direction the thieves had
gone, and, while lodging behind the trees, two of
them exchanged shots, each installing the other
for one of the fugitivcs. After shooting at eacn
other they cried "Wash," "Wash," indicative Of a
friend in such an emergency, and then they found
out their mistake. The bullets whzzed close to
both, and 1t was miraculous that they escaped in
jury.
No traces of the thieves being discovered the
party returned to the catacomb. The body is in
closed in a lead casket This is surrounded by a
cedar case, and the receptacle of these is marble
sarcophagus. The latter had double lid, the up
per one being as large as the other. Both had
been pried of with chisel or an axe, and some
what clipped ia the operation. The under lid was
laid crosswse on the casket, the head piece the
floor and the upper lid standing against the wall.
The cssket itself was dulled out about foot from
the body of the sarcophagus, and a small piece
had been taken Off on the floor, where an axe with
the edge full of marble dust, an ordinary chsel,
and pair of nippers were. The other tools had
evidently been taken away, since the lock on the
iron grated door had been sawed off. 1t should be
stated that the salcophagus was in the cataComb
and not IN the crypt, being thus placed in order
that visitors mig ht see it, The damage done is
comparatively little.
Only one motive can be attributed to these de-
spoilers of the grave, and that is the hope of q
reward for the restoration of the remains. If
they had succeeded in carrying them off, it GER
tany could not have been their intention to take
away the casket, for it must weigh from five
numbered to six hundred pounds, and half dozen
men could not have carried it to the fence for
transfer to a wagon in the road. 1t is more tn an
likely that they intended to cut open the casket
and gather up the bones and dust of the martyred
President and carry them away