Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-11-20
A GRAVEYARD HORROR.
ResNrrectiOniSts at Work in RaIsi.
more Cemetery.


THE GRAVES OF MOTHER AND DAUGHTER OPENED
BY HUMAN GHOULs AND THE coRTSEs REaovso
A TERRIBLE STORY-PAKTICULAHs OF THIS orr
RAGE-REMARKABLE vERIFICATlON OF A DsisAN.
In secluded portion of Baltimore Cemetery
wednesday afternoon two rOug ally clad grave
Oggers might have been seen az work open ~ a
newly made grave while standing around were
nVe or six ladies and gentlemen. whose expect
ant and hoIror-Stricken appearance bsTokened 4
GRIEF far more deeper and heart rending than Is
usually witnessed even In the confines OF that
thckly populated "city OF the dc d." The ladies,
all OF whom were tastefully attired. rom time to
time leaned forward and watched with stream
ing eyes the narrow opening In the ground as
II sank deeper and deeper under the Skilful
play OF the workmen'S ShovelS. The men la
bored rapidly and amid an oppressive silence,
While their operations were watched with i'm
patient eagernesS by the little company assem-
bled. Suddenly one of the shovels struck hard
against SOME obstruction. and there was hur-
ried movement toward the opening. The two
wCfkmen rGdoubled their efforts and fnally
Gle AIRED away much Of the loose soil. disclosing
10 view the top OF coffin. AZ the same instant
one Of the party shrank backward and there
was hOfr0r-S stricken mIrmur:
my GOD. THE BODY Is GoNR.''
The gentlemen among the spectators moved
torwaro, and at one glance into the grave co 4
iirmed the terrible truth conveyed by the ex-
ciamation. The workuen stood respectfully
and quietly az one side, their eyes plainly be
speaking their sympathy. While the eSa mia-
alton or the grave was hurrieiiy Concluded By
tutSr IESotIt. HI l IL HISS Vi SSlI uuiO0S6QS
was plainly visible the top OF cofin, bat the
sides and bottom were torn and splintered in
dozens OF places. clearly showing that the
grave had fallen a prey to the desecra-
b.dy snatchers. Siddealy one Cf the ladies'
whispered 10 her companion who communi-
Gated her wish to the workmen. After a
moments hesitation the latter crossed In silence
10 second neWly-made mound adjoining the
first, and rapidly commenced the work Of open
Ing it. The same GREATNESS anxiety and doubt
characterized the action of the little party until
the shovels again turned up to the air a broken
and shattered coffin, from which the body was
missing. Here the grief of the ladies became so
demonstrating that they were removed from the
cemetery, and In few minutes the two empty
coffins were the sole evidences on the scene OF
one OF the fouleSt crimes recorded in the annals
OF the city. The desecrated graves were those
OF Mrs. Anna Carter, aged 43. aud her daughter.
Miss Jennie Smith, aged 10. the former of whom
died on the 18th OF September and the latter on
November 1.
HOW THE MOTHER DIED.
The details OF the crime to which the above
discoveries were the first conclusive clue. as
learned by q Gazette representative yesterday
are substantially as follows: Mrs. Carter pre-
vious to her death had been lying quite III at
the residence OF her sister-in-law, hrs. Annie
McDonough. lis South Chester street, and was
attended by DR.. G. Granville Rusk, who, until
few days before her demise. had not az
tc1pated any fatal results. Dr.. RuSk- was
satisfied, however, thai she had been suffering
from 'galloping" consumption, and gave the
usual certificate. AT the same time, however,
The laGy'S sudden demise was considered as
somewhat remarkable, and it was undoubtedly
this fact that tempted the resurrectionist5 to
select her as the victim OF their nefarOuS trade
knowing that the body would be OF more than
ordinary interest as a subject for dissection
The unfortunate lady was buried at 8 o. III. on
the goth OF September, being followed to her
grave by large number OF friends and her
daughter, who was SO soon TO fall second vic.
tim to the dread DESTROYER and afterward to the
wantoc hands OF the body snatchers.
MISS SMITHS SUDDEN DENISE.
Al frequent intervals thereafter Mrs. McD0n-
ough and other relatives OF the deceased visited
the cemetery and strewed the grave with
flowers, having no suspicion that the body had
been removed. About two weeks later Miss
Smith, who resided with her aunt, Mrs. Eliza
beth joiner. at "A Hamburg street. showed signs
of failing health and was soon seen TO be rapidly
following In the footsteps Of her dead mother.
She continued to grow worse, and died Novem-
liar 20 those already remarked in her mothers
case. She was young lady OF great refinement
and pronounced personal attractions, and had
many friends In East and South Baltimore,
where she was widely known. Her funeral on
the following Sunday, the eth instant. was
largely attended, and her grave, which adjoined
that OF her mother, was strewn with flowers
that by their prOfuSion testified to the esteem
In which she was held by her friends. Here the
interest In the narrative ends until abruptly
recalled by dream OF Mrs. Joiner on Monday
last. The lady states that she imagined she
was at the cemetery, just after heavy rain,
and saw numher OF footprints In the earth
around the graves A group OF men We're dis
appearing In the distance, one OF them having
the body OF MrS. Carter cla5ped In his arms.
rhe men, she thought; placed the body Ia
wagon and drove away. The next day. Ia COM
pany with young lady friend, Mrs. Joiner pro-
ceeded to the cemetery for the purpose II visit
ing the graves. The ladies placed some flowers
on both mounds and finally arose TO depart.
THRILLING DISCOVERY.
Suddenly The younger lady noticed an object
q
inspecting it found that it was Catholic soap
dlar.. She showed it 10 Mrs. Joiner. who at
once became violently agitated, and after eX-
aiming 1t closely stated that the trInkeL had
Teen tied around the neck OF Mrs. Carter when
she was buried. Mrs. Joiner, while fllly con
yinced lhat the scapular had belonged to Inc
dead lady and had been buried with her. Wa at
4 loss TO account for It's presence on the railing
but did Tot suspect that the grave had been
tampered with SO conclusively did she Identity
IL that she recognized the knot In the rlboon
which she had nade in tying 1t around the dead
wOmans neck. The two ladies returned home
with the ornament, which they showed to other
members OF the family, all OF whom positively
Identified IL.
AN INvEsTIG NAND THE RESULT.
On Wednesday n. Joiner and several OF her
friends becoming greatly excited proceeded to
the office OF the Baltimore cemetery company,
No. South street, where they saw Mr.. Geo. A.
Reed, the secretary. They related to him the
discovery OF the scapular and Mrs. Joiners
dream, and made formal demand that the
grave OF the deceased be opened lii order To
ascertain If the body was missing. Permission
was accordingly granted them to do So and they
proceeded at once to the cemetery. The con-
flrmation of the dread suspicion, and the fact
that the body OF Miss Smith was missing also,
was made under the circumstances detailed
above. The discovery caused great excitement
among the friends OF the family which is widely
known In the eastern and southern sections OF
the city, and many rumOrS and theories In refer
ence to the mystery were being circulated yes
terday. The officials of the cemetery company
state that there is no evidence that the graves
were opened by professionally resurrectiontStS
and intimated that all the facts In the case have
not yet come TO light. Miss Smith during her
illness was attended by the Rev. Father Mccoy,
OF st. Mary's Star Of the Sea Church. who also
Officiated at her funeral services. rumor was
in circulation yesterday that the body OF a
young girl answering Miss Smiths description
had been dissected in the hospital attached TO
one OF the medical colleges In the city, but IN
quiry among the physicians in charge failed to
confirm 1t.
CLUES TO THE ROBBERS.
The police were notified OF the robbery yes
terday and steps We're at once taken to lead to
the arrest OF the perpetrators of the crime if
they are In the city. Deputy Marshal Frey
stated last evening that he was satisfied the
work had been done by professional" body
SnarcherS, as 1t bore every evidence CT tue
handiwOrk OF the craft. Only the upper part
OF the graves had been disturbed, tie robbers
as usual, having dug down to the head and
shoulders Of the bodies and then drawn them
out by rope placed around the neck He was