The New York herald., 1878-11-10
ST. Marks Churchyad Again the Scene
Of Startling Discoveries.
A BLOODHOUND's INSTINCT.
Following the DeSpOilerS' Tracks from the
Vault Across the Cemetery.

thrilled the entire community with feeling Of horror
there has been such deep felt anxiety for the cap
t'ire OF criminal is expressed TOR that of the
perpetrators Of this shocking deed. Indeed. it was
generally said yesterday that the maximum punish
ment for stealing corpse from wanton purpose
with the intent Of selling the same, five years in
State Prison would be totally inadequate for their
punishment II the thieves should be captured.
THIS
It was asccrtaincd late last night that Detective
Stephen oBren, Of the Thirteenth precinct police.
had obtained an important clew which may
lead to the detection of the body snatchers
and the recovery of the stolen remains
Captain Copeland. who is in command
in that precinct. refused when requested by HERALD
reporter. to give any particulars concerning the
alleged clew on the ground that the facts his deec
tive had asccrtained were official secret. which
could not be divulged until his supcriors
had been made acquainted with it. Detective
0 Brien was invisible last night when the HERALD
reporter endeavorcd to him. Detective Cosgrove
Of Inspector Murray's STAFF, is working in concert
with OBrien, and it il thought that important par
hculars concerning the result Of their joint work
will be made public to-day.
1t was pretty well understood at Police Headqaur-
ters last night at least judging from q remark drop
ped by Of the officials it strongly suspected
that the police already in possession Of by
which they have located the despoilers Of the grave
and that they are now in communication with them
concerning the delivery of the body. t
DIscouRAGiNa THEORY.
discouraging theory, which appeared to be enter
taincd BY good many people yesterday that the
body had probably been finally disposed of by the
robbers the very day OF the discovery when they
saw from the afternoon papers that Judge Hilton,
fnsfc NJ hus Nc
private negotiations with them had given
it tho widest publicity and had expressed
his determination to bring the perpetrators
70 justice it, BY doing he should defeat their
proposed return Of the body How easy il would
be-" it was remarked, .'for the thieves who might
have the body in some small swift craft in the outer
bay to drop it into tho and thereby destroy for
ever the damning evidences of their crime ~ These
~ well o. many other theories in circulation
Of the rascas could be assured that by peachng
on his confederstes he would secure the reward OF
sa % ~ wei as immunity NUM- y is thought by some per
body would soon be returned and the band Of scoun-
drcls BE- in the hands of the police A such course
TRAITOR of the desecrstion uApunshei Judge Hiitois
~ % 70 t a s Of t even this ,h.ra
moral sense Of the community
CRITrCIsINts JUDGE HILTON.
At the same time Judge Hilton's management Of
The snar sharply criticised by those who declare
that when he received the first intimations or the
diabolical design. and heard that the had been
moved on October T. he should have notified the
Captain Of the precinct and given publicity to his
fears. 10 that both police and public might be the
watch Had this been done. it was said. not only
would the officers the beat have kept sharp look
put. but everybody who passed by the churchyard
would have naturally looked see II the attempted
villainy was not being enacted.
Here il instance" said a criminal lawyer YES.
tcrday. 'in which publicity would have thwarted
the design OF the conspirators, for it would have
turned every casual passerby into amateur dctec-
tive Instead Of publishing his fears however Judge
Hilton kept them to himself and employed watch
successfully carried out!''
WHAT YKxr?
There was much amusing speculation to what
inals.
Perhaps the next thing they'll do" said one satr-
teal gentleman. will be TO steal the Superintendent
OF Police and boldly demand a large reward from
the Commissioners for his return"
Extrsvagant ~ such M assumption may sound it il
quite certain that the public mind has been amply
prepared for II by the extraordinary graveyard rob
bvry which now battles the police, and which has
GRATED such general feeling Of insecurity Of prop
yesterday advocated that all graveyards within the
city limits should be thoroughly lighted at the public
expense, I'm order to the city good name from
such shame as has now been brought upon it,"
AT THH CENTRAL OPPICE.
superintendent Wang. who has been absent from
the city since the dcsccation of the graveyard was in
his Office yesterday actively engaged in encouraging
the search. No new development. however. was re-
ported to him nor TO Inspector Murray shortly after
noon q carriage drove mp to the door OF the
Central Once and a moment later the tall,
erect sn @ nsure s :, MT VIII Soey was seen mount
burly fellow. with detectivelike hayer
about him. and two other men in plain attire The
while they were closctcd with that onrciAl what
transpired could not be ,asccrtained, ~ both Mr.
;cs q their bns when ha Former 'ne won sn
off he lett the two plainly dressed men behind him
ruinor that they werctwo drivers who had noticed
certain suspicious movements on the night Of the
nhoulish upderfahnu vas brutad shout but r,seiyed
no official confirmation.
CAPTAIN x'curr.eH's DISCOVERY.
Il was IT. Mark churchyard that wss YESTERDAY the
ef the most valuable discoveries that have az
yet been made In connection with the case. They
we're the sequcs or rather the vcrihcation Of the
developments which grew out Of an investigation Of
the previous evening. Then IL was that Captain Nc
Cullagh set to work to follow mp ray OF informa-
lion chance had thrown upon him. and which seems
likely tn reveal much about the dark doings of Thurs
day morning. In examining the vault several
running close by. They mere specks in places
of strange brown colorharsily discernible on the
stones and altogether lost 30 view on the earth To.
bsrco stains they seemed TO be- and as such they
were regarded by every who noticed them. The
detective instincts OF the police captain, however
productive pf great results Ills examination OF
every little object mark in the confined compass
Of his observations was necessarily very close.
It intervals along the walk and in places
left larger mark than tobacco juice would he apt to-
On the portico the church tho Captain noticed
Of these stains larger and deeper than the rest.
Fancying that ts odor might still bc strong enough
60 determine it character he stretched himself upon
the ground and applied his nostrils to it, An instant
snd he started to his feet with face expressive Of in
tense disgust.
TEr.ITALE STAINS
The stains were not those Of tobacco juice
They we're putrid matter. The horrible stencil
OK the grave the sickenng odors of decay, per-
cspuDie ~ the efinvium arising from the stain.
light broke upon the investigator BY these marks
the steps OF the men who had rsnsacked the vault
could be traced for they nothing other than the
traces oi tne aecomposed remains which the church
communicated his discovery to Inspector Murray,
and yesterday morning its utility put TO the test.
BLOODHOUND THE SCENT
At eight O'Clock there strange gathering In the
old church chyard-such one rarely appeared there
till tne crime of Inursdsy morning invested IL with
so peculiar an interest. There were Commissioner
Nichols. Inspector Murray. captain McC,uIlauh and
hfs two aides, Detectives Robinson aud Dyer An
other intruder was there, too. and q strange
for such place. Held in leash by the
Commissioner. IL stood above the Opened
vauIt-a huge bloodhound. with snewy iimbs