Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1878-08-01

And now Tor the sequel.
During the Chartist riots in 1910,
James BinDs was arrested for murder and
lodged in Lancaster Jail. He was tried,
and sentenced to be hanged.
Before the last sentence of the law was
executed, he made a confession of many
crimes, and among the rest of his exploits
as professional body snarcher, in which
business he had engaged for many years.
The following facts are taken frcm his
confession:
In July, 1920, he was living in Belfast,
having fled from England to escape pun
ishment for his offences. He had done
several small jobs in Belfast for the doc
tors, and on the night of July 90, in the
year named, we'll known physician of
Belfast sent for him and told him that he
had very delicate piece of work for him
to perform. A Mrs. Bell, lady of great
beauty, and the wife of rich proprietor
had just died of peculiar disease, and
the doctor and his associates desired the
body, TO Investigate the cause OF death.
The doctor paid him so much money
down, and dispatched him to Kilmare
with such instructions as were necessary.
He was to secure the corpse, and coach
would be ready at the churchyard gate,
in which there would be two assistants
who would be ready to assist him at a
given signal He went to Kilmare on
the day of the funeral, at which he was
present. He examined the locS on the
door of the vault, and was satisfied that
he could easily remove it. At midnight
he went to the churchyard armed with a
wrench, pair of shears, and picklock
First satisfying himself that the coach
was in waiting, he entered the graveyard
and proceeded to the vault. The night
was dark and the rain was falling.
Creeping up by the side of the church, he
approached the tomb of the Bell family.
To his surprise he saw that the door
was opened and a faint light burning in
side. Stealthily drawing near he glanced
in. He saw the coffin lying along the
marble slab, and in front of it woman
was standing. A second glance told him
that the woman was at work trying to re-
move ring frem the finger of the dead.
A sudden thought struck him, and SLOUGH
ing do WI, he reached in at the dour and
rid the corpse of its cumbersome shroud,
he cut piece from the skirt of the wo-
mans dress and retired unobserved. AS
he remained for an instant peering into
the strange scene, to his horror and as
constituent he saw the corpse arise and
raise the hand which the woman was APP
parently in the act of putting to her
mouth. The woman gave a shrek, rushe1
through the door and fled, leaving the
lamp burning on the floor. The body
snatcher guessed at once the woman's de-
that she was a person above the ordinary
rank, he resolved to follow and see where
she went to. He had no difficulty in trac-
ing the -apidly-retreating figure. It
passed out of the churchyard at small
wicket on the north side of the church
and entered the perse mage. Satisti d that
he possessed an important secret, out OF
which he could make monev, he returned
to the vault. Tue light was still burning
and he signaled the men in waiting
They were soon ON the spot, but on enter
ing the vault they discovered 10 theil
utter amazement, that the coffin was
empty. The body-snatcher kept his Sc.
cret, and the mysterious disappearance Of
the body was matter OF unmixed sur
prise. Distinguishing the lamp, the men
quit the churchyard, the body-snatehel
returning to his quarters at small inn
and the assistant going back to Belfast in
the carriage"
The next morning the news of Mrs
oil 10 60 oh h,
town. The body -snatcher fingered in the
neighborhood until he ascertained thai
the clergyman had quittede hom for g
friends house. Then he called at The
parsonage and asked for the lady of thu
house. 1t was with some difficulty thai
he obtained an interview, as the domes
tics informed him that the lady was in
Opposed ard confined to her room. my
business" he said, 6 is of very great i'm
portance, and it is absolutely necessary
that I should see her" After the lapse
of half an hour middle-aged, handsome
stately lady entered the parlor, and gaz
ing with considerable dignity at her Wis
itor, said: What is your business will
RE. sir?''
"Let me shut the door ma'am." b.
said, and quickly stepping behind tn
lady, closed the door. Is l think we hav
met before, ma'am." he said in firm
but respectful tone.
"Sir," the lady exclaimed, in offendet
accents.
81 am sure that we have met before
ma'am," the man said.
:.You are mistaken, SIR the lady re
piled, "utterly mistaken, sir; you will
oblige me by quitting the house immedi
ately.n
"You forget last night, ma'am, in tn
vault" the man said in low tone.
| The cheek of the lady evidentl
blanched, and she gave gasp for breath
Instantly recovering herself, she said:
81 don't understand you, sir. You ar
lahoring under mistake"
"Well may be-" the man replied
s'that's fact; but my impression wa
that saw you last night in the vaul
when you were trying to remove the rim
from the finger of what you supposed t
be corpse"
But the lady had sunk into chair. an
was deadly pale. By powerful effol
she overcome her momentary weakness
and said in strong tones: II don't know
sir, what you speak Ct. You are eithe
laboring under mistake or you. are
4 lunatic." M ~
do you happen to have a dress lik
this, ma'amg'' the man asked, DRAWN
from his pocket the piec which he ha
cut from the dress of the occupant of III
vault the night before.
The lady's lips grew white and DIR,
She tried to speak, but her tongue GLOW
to the roof of her mouth. and utteranc
was impossible.
81 am reasonable, madam" the ma
said al know your secret. but I will kee