Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1879-10-31
GRAVEROBBERY ATKNGS-
= VILE.
Two Medical Students Ghs PeFPetra-
JOrs-ArFested, Examined and
Bound over for Trial.

I
| They were Immediately visited, and found
to be a couple Of students of the Cleveland
Medical College Their bearing and
frankness of manner, created a favorable
impression of their intelligence and
gentlemanly character. Their story
which was told with much freedom and
ruthfulness, was that Dr.. Webster had a
son, also a student in the college, and no
tice had been given of the decease, which
occurred at the Inirmary, on Tuesday OF
last week and buried on Thursday, The
expectation of obtaining the body had
been-it seemed = contemplated and
though they intended to have made the
trip to secure it at an earlier time after
the notice of death, they were unavoida-
bly, prevented from carrying this purpose
into effect, until Saturday-that they
came in obedience to this notice, went to
DIR. Webster's house where they remained
couple of hours, and then went and OBJ
tanned the body, and were thus far on
their way back, when they were arrested
and placed where theywere in a cell of
the lookup. They admitted that the body
was in the trunk at the station, and when
informed of the necessity Of its being
opened for examination, the key and
check were handed to the coroner.
These young men-MilfOrd W. White,
and F. W Daykin, arrived by rs P. NJ.
train with their trunk and tools, and pro-
cured a team from the stable of ]. S. Full
Ter, stating that they had a trunk at
the depot which they wished to take to
Kingsville-that they were going to the
house of Mr.. or DR.. Webster and expected
to be back to take the 5 A. NJ. train west,
next morning. Fuller proposed to send
to the depot tor the trunk, but they pre-
ferred to go after it themselves, which
they did Their bearing showed that
they were not familiar with the matter in
hand, as every action rather excited sus-
picion. Fuller's suspicion was fully arous-
ed, and he determined to walt and watch
the progress of events. At about o'clock
A. NJ, the wagon was driven up at the
station by one of Fuller's drivers, with
the young men and the trunk. They re-
fused to allow any one to handle the
truck, but they themselves took it to the
baggage room and had it checked for
Cleveland. It was strapped with single
strap and wound with cord. Fuller mad
secured the presence of officers Scoville
and Rennick. The young men concluded
to have little rest until train time, and
curled down for that purpose. Fuller
made his appearance and took payment for
his team, and then the officers appeared
and made the arrests. The men were re-
quired to open the trunk, and clear them
selves if innocent, OF the suspicion that
they had been on a felonious errand.
Finding that there was no other course to
take, the same story was told that had
been related to the coroner. They were
therefore, brought up town and placed in
the cell where they were found by that Of
fcer.
Tie story carrying truth upon its face
the presence of Superintendent Curtis
after examining the grave and finding it
vacant-tor the Identification of the body,
seemed to be the next step to be taken.
He was sent for and arrived early in the
afternoon. He was accompanied by the
coroner to the baggage room where the
trunk was opened, and found to contain
the body of Mrs. Sarah Goodrich who died at
the Infrmary on Tuesday and had been
buried on Thursday, couple of short
shOvels for working in close quarters,
dark lantern, brace and bit, and a couple
of Iials of oil, and the rope, still around
the neck of the corpse, with which it had
been drawn from the coffin and lifted from
the grave. The knees having been drawn
up to the chest, the space necessary for its
accommodation was much smaller than
would be supposed, so that it had been
slipped into a heavy canvas bag, very
much like a mail pouch. The identified
tion being undoqhted, from the tumor
that covered the mouth, if from nothing
else, and death thus proven to have been
natural, there remained no more for the
coroner to do but to make complaint to
the civil authority, and turn the further
management of the case over to a magis-
trate, which was done to E. W. Richards,
Esq, and the body taken charge of by
Supt. Curtis. The young men, who still
remained in their cell, without process,
were now taken upon proper legal authority
and arraigned before the magistrate, Theo.
Hall, Esq, becoming attorney for the
prisoners, and Prosecuting Attorney elect,
acting for the State. After examining
various witnesses, and arguments, the
young men were required to recognize in
the sum of $500 each to appear before the
Common Pleas Court for trial. The bond
was signed, gs we understand, by Drs.
Hubbard and King, and the prisoners
availed themselves of their liberty.
The woman died of cancerous tumor
which had had an existence Of some four
or five years. Its growth was from under
the tongue, and had protruded out of the
mouth and for some distance down the |
breast, and as it was described by Mr.. |
like the tongue of an ani-
NAL" 1t had been taken off at two differ
ent times, and at death covered the mouth |
with projection of one inch and half. |
The poor sufferer had wasted away to a
mere skeleton and only weighed ninety
pounds. The whole trunk and contents
only weighed 10 pounds.
The mode of proceeding to open the
coffin, was to bore a series of holes across
the lid below the glass and split off the
upper part, and drawing out the body as
stated, leaving all the grave clothes in the
coffin. Mrs. Goodrich had also been in
sane for a number of years.
When Mr.. Curtis, attention was called
to theItranssetion-that a grayein the GEM
etery had been violated, went to the yard
to see about the truth of it, as he knew
nothing Of it. The fact was soon revealed
upon digging down into this grave,
though the work had been so adroitly
done as without special attention to the
surface, notice would hardly be attracted,