The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-11-23

and aid Tyrrell. About half-past six
Washburn, Tyrrell and three other men
went out to lakewood and concealed them
selves in Memorial Hall, inside the monu-
ment. to await developments. One man
was posted in the labyrinth in the rear, so
called because of the walls running in
different directions and making numerous
passage-ways, these walls supporting the
terrace. His object was to hear the noise
made in the vault, if any were made. Aft
CT patiently waiting for nearly three
hours, and when about tired out from
standing still, the utmost silence being
imperative, he heard a.gratingnoise which
lasted perhaps five minutes. Then, in a
little while, came several successive
thuds, as if some one was 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 cor
ner to the left one Of the men accidentally
exploded his revolver. The noise was
very loud, so still were the surroundings,
and, unfortunately, it was too loud, for,
though there were but 100 feet to 90 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, and heard the swapping Of the cap
and ran into the woods which surround
the monument. 1t is but short distance,
and man could get within shelter and be
undesirable in a quarter of a minute
The men at once scattered and went in
the direction the thieves had gone, and
while dodging around the trees two of
them exchanged shots, each mistaking the
other for one of the fugitivcs. After
shooting at each other, thew cried
Wash, p" WASH" indicative of friend
in such an emergency, and then they
found out their mistake. The bullets
Whizzed close to both, and it was miracu-
lous that they escaped injury.
No traces of the thieves being discov-
cred, the party returned to the catacomb,
them sad. The body, as is known, per-
haps, is enclosed in a lead casket. This
is surrounded by cedar case, and the
feceptacle of these is marble sarcopha-
gus. The latter had double lid, the
upper one not being as large as the other.
Both had been pried off with chisel or
an ak, ard somewhat clipped in the ope-
ration. The under lid was laid crosswise
on the casket, the head piece on the floor,
and the upper lid standing against the
wall. The casket itself was pulled out
about foot from the body of the sar-
cophagus, and a small piece had been taken
Oft on the floor, where an ak with the edge
full of marble-dust, an ordinary chisel,
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, perhaps, be stated that the sar-
cophagus was in the catacomb and not in
the crypt, being thus placed in order that
visitors might see it. The damage done
is comparatively little.
The officers, of course, were disappointed
at not catching the vandals, but they think
it is only question of little time when
they will be apprehended
Only one motive can be attributed to
these despoilcrs Of the grave, and that is
the hope of reward for the restoration of
the remains.