The daily gazette., 1880-03-06
skeletons In The Vault.


STARTLING DISCOVERY IN TIE OLD
NICHOLSON MANSION OF BALTIMORE
THE BONES OF A WOMAN AND CHILD
-ENToMBKD IN THE CELLAR WALLS.
The historical old Nicholson mansion
No. 442 West Baltimore street, Bati-
more, was yesterday the scene of a
startling discovery, involving, mys, eri-
Gus double tragedy. The bnilding, v hicb
was recantly purchased from the estate II
the late John, j, Nicholson, the WE'LL.
known banker, was being tom down 70
make rom for the new German Savings
Bank, about TO be erected on the site
when the men engaged In the wofk
found two ,srched vaults builtin u D
walls OF tlie lower floor, in which we're
found the bones of two human beings.
The house, which is two story aud.
attic brick structure standing back from
the street, has been in course of demoii-
tion for several days. Yesterday after-
noon the men, having removed the
roof, commenced knocking out the wall
in the basement kitchen, IN the rear of
the structure. ...i .sIir.g RI
The men tore down the wall between
the stairway leading from The upper
door and the fireplace. The wall re-
ferred TO was built against The building
wall,and when sounded by the men gave
no evidences Of being hollow. To tie
casual observer the brickwork was ap-
parently portion Of the main wall, but
upon examination was discovered by
the men 10 be an unDece ssary adjunct,
having no connection with the main
building. The mass v as solid square,
and III some unaccountable manner had
been deposited in the corner, one side
projecting out from The side Of the huge
old-iashiOned fireplace. It, rose about
ak feet from the floor, leaving a space
ofahout one foot between IL and the
ceiling. The examinations of the work
men having Ievealrdethese cafious in
cidents, they became intere ted, and
operating fom the tip soon had the
mass OF brickwork lrve ed half way 70
the floor. tYI4fs .D
Finally, as the pick OF Fredericr Pleis-
cher, one OF the vorkmen sank Into the
mass there was dull, hollow sound,
followed by the falling in o the brick
work, while rush of Doxious air filed
the room, as they pressed eagerly, ,foI--u
ward to examine the aperture they we're
startled 10 fad that they hid peuetrattd d
vault In the ceptre Of the brick work,
about Two feet, high, four and half feet
long, aud perfectly ciruclar, like small
section of sewer closed at both ends.
Upon clearing tut the bricks and refuse
q ey found that the aperture contained
about half dozes houes, which were 1
discerninle In the faint light lying In the
&c tire OF the cavity. I4-i.N al.
The bones were carefully removed,
and, on sounding the wall, the men be-
came convinced that another cavity was
located, Immediately underneath the
first one. The pickaxe aid crowbar were
again vigorously applied, and l.. q few
secnnds erasllad ihfa ap4aseond vsAsi.
which was the count rbaft o ftlie s0ther.
7 In ibis, bones Of another 5umanSbody
were discovered lying along theL0ttomi
in the position they had evidently been
Iefi when the flesh Of the bodies fad dis
appeared in the course Of decomposition.
Upon examining the two cavities il was
found that they had been afched and
built, directly in the centre Of, the mass
OF brickWork, in the most substantial
and careful manner. The bricks had
been int edded in flint cement, instead
Of mortar, as an additional sreng bener,
and every precaution had evidently been
taken to prevent their presence being
asc. rtained by sounding the wall. al
The bones weIe Identified as those Of
woman aud child. ,n''r 'Inli -" /
From the. deeds in the possession OF the
German Savings B nix 1t was acertained
that the building, which, as stated above
was very old, was built In the year 1902
by a man named Phillips. An exam ina
tion of the brickwork Of the vaults, which
was made by expert builders, revealed
TIE fact that the tombs of the my sterious
dead must have been constructed shortly
after the building was finished, as all the |
surroundings have the same evidences of
age. - - s....nsnfs 5sri s'lI H'
"A few years after Its completion The
house, was sold by Pail lips 10 family
named Mccoy, ,one of whom named An-
drew who retained it until 1S41, when II
was purchased ny the late j. J. Nichol-
son, the wellknown banker. The latter
resided in it for many years, several OF
his children, who are now living, being
born there. MIR. Nicholson was living II,
the house at the time he was SO brwally
-.ssaulted ON the streets by fuffians, who
left him for dead, carrying of large /
UNI Of money belonging TO his bp nix
which lie had ON hlsperson. MIR. Nichol-
son several years after this moved to an
other residence and rented the no use 10
a slave-dealer named Grimes. - 90
After this the old house, which at that
time was situated in All isolated position
became notorious through the cruel
treatment by Grimes Of the slaves in his
charge. He transformed the room In |
which the vaults were discovered yeste
day into prison, where the uDfortun lie
negroes were kept hu died together un-
Til several of them died from sutfocation
and exhaustion. Finally the remon-
frances OF the neighbors resulted lin
Grimes removing from the house, and
The building was let 10 another tenant.
, Every effort is being made byithe
parties interested to unravel the mystery |
which at present can only be explained
by the theory that the house was the
scene of double murder, to conceal
which It was transformed into tomb
for the victims.
Il