The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-01-16

| WHEN THE ROBBERIES WERE REPORT
ED-THE GRAvE.ROBBING STORY RE-
ToLD-TEsTIMONY OF THE SECRETARY
THE COMMITTEE iXtMINED By MIR.
| sMITE-No DECISION YET.
| Pursuant TO notice from the chairman,
| meeting Of the joint Committee on Gene
/ terieS was held yesterday afternoon in the
Chancery COurt-rOom-Mr. Mcdowell,
chairman, presiding. Present; Messrs.
Hayes, Kelly, and Pierce.
Mr.. Hayes stated to the committee that
Mr.. Lipscomb was prevented from attend
ing the committee-meeting on account Of
sickness.
The subject OF the grave-rObberies at
OakwOOd was resumed, and Mr.. w. J..
Smith, the keeper at Oa6Wood, again took
the stand, and the investigation was re-
sumed.
Mr.. Mcdowell: Mr.. Smith, when was the
first tine you noticed these rObberieS:
Mr.. Smith: The morning before re-
ported lhe fact to the chairman-abOut two
months ago.
Mr.. McDOwcll Your card says about
two weeks afterwards. Did you report the
first time in perSoDI
hIs Eblltli u GiNs
Mr.. Mcdowell: Have you any recollec-
tiOn OF having come TO my office and re-
ported the fact except when YOU came to
have your payroll signed:
REPORTED OR NOT REPORTED.
Mr.. Smith: | did. l reported on other
occasions than VIXEN went to get my pay
roll signed.
Mr.. Mcdowell stated At this point that he
| I. of
10 him but once before be got his letter.
Mr.. Smith: Mr. Mcdowell, did you not
admit having received a notice from me
about the middle of November?
Mr.. Mcdowell: 1t was either about the
middle Of November or first Of December.
Mr.. Mcdowell How long bad the bodies
| that were first taken been buried!
Mr. smith: am confident that the first
TWO that were taken had been buried about
two days.
Mr. Mcdowell: Were any but colored
paupers' bodies taken?
Mr.. Smith None that l am aware Of.
Mr.. Mcdowell: How many graves did
you state had been robbed when you nOt-
fed me the second time?
Mr.. Smith: | stated at one time ii was
about nineteen; don't remember whether il
was the first or second time.
ROBBERlEs REPORTED.
At this point the card of Nh Smith which
appeared in the Dispatch was read, together
with Mr.. Smiths letter written to the char
man.
The following is the letter referred to:
OFFICE OF OAKwOOD CEMETERY,
December 6, 1879.
". H. McDolreN, Esq:
Dear Sir,-As chairman of the Cemetery
Committee OF the honorable Council Of the
city Of Richmond, | again call your atten-
ton 10 The frequent depredatOns on graves
and robbery Of bodies buried here. During
this week the thieves have visited this CEN.
c eterv three different IT, es, and on one oc-
caslon lifted and carried away in one night
r three bodies, and really think that some
> extraordinary efforts should be made TO ar
rest and capture these thieves, and this
shameful and inhuman practice Of traflick.
ing in human bodies be stopped forever.
Very respectfully,
[Signedl WILLIAM l., SMITH,
Superintendent.
THE BODIES TAKEN.
Mr.. Mcdowell: You say about nineteen
bodies had been taken when you reported
TO me about the 1st OF December!
Mr.. smith: | did say about nineteen.
| MI, mcDONtll Dtlt ubIttN ~his CuIltu q
PAPER. and asked him if that was bis report
OF buras of paupers for the nenth OF No.
vember.
Mr. smith: This is my report for No.
yember.
Mr. Mcdowell: The report states that
there were nine intermentS. Ii there were
only nine intermenls for the month, how
could nineteen bodies have been taken
away?
Mr.. Smith: ! never said that ] reported
nineteen as having been stolen when | re-
+ ported 10 you on the 1T of December, but
/ did on one occasion. Haven't reported
) TO YOU, Mr. Mcdowell, the facts that | have
stated in ny published card?
Mr.. Mcdowell: No, sir.
Mr.. Smith still insisted that he had re-
ported The facts TO the chairman.
Mr.. Mcdowell: Your first communica-
ton was about the 10Th OF November?
Mr.. Smith: think so.
| Mr.. Mcdowell: Your card TO the public
states that two weeks afterwards [l5!h OF
November that about nineteen bodies had
been removed. | want TO know how nine
teen bodies could have been stolen from the
10Th of November 10 the 1st OF December,
when YOU report only nine had been buried
during the whole month, and one OF them
was Whlte
Mr.. Smith have answered this question
already.
TEMPORARILY STOPPED.
Mr.. Mcdowell: You say In your card that
YOU reported TO me about the last OF De-
cember, but you failed TO state what my re-
ply was on that OCCASION. What did say
10 YOU at that time?
Mr.. Smith: As well as remember, you
said If the graves were disturbed again to
report ioyou.
Mr.. McDowell Did not tell you that l
had employed guard for your
Mr.. Smith You did not.
Mr.. Mcdowell: Did you not tell me that
after the reported grave robberies In Oak
wood had been published In the DiSpdtch
[about December 22dl that no graves had
been disturbed, and that you did not think
a guard necessary
Mr. Smith: did tell you that no grave
had been disturbed since the publication
up TO that time, but have never SAID ttat q
guard was not required, the object Of my
visit being 10 obtain guard.
Mr.. Mcdowell: did offer Mr.. Smith O
guard on that occasion, and he said 1t was