New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-06
CRAZE ROBBERS ARRESTED.
SUCCESSFUL DETECTIVE woRK BY PHILADELPHIA
NEWSPAPER MEN.

SUCCESSFUL DETECTIVE wORK BY PHILADELPHIA
NEWSPAPER MEN.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 5.-Francis McNamee,
Dutch Pillett and Levi Chew the latter colored
man. arrested late last night while driving wagon
containing five dead bodies the Jefferson Medical Col
lege. The arrests made by five reporters OF Ihe
Press and detective The bodies had been taken from
the Lebanon Cemetery in the lower part of the city,
from which The Press asserts many bodies have peeh
taken for dissection that 1t is now almost empty.
The prisoners professional grave robbers. ana
their operations have been carried for long time
Two arrests made early this morning, when
detective visited the cemetery ground and arrested koo
ert Chew, its superintendent and Andrew Mullen NC
Nance had a contract with the Government for carry
ing the mails between this city and Newton Square
Delaware County. Mullen drove the wagon with this
mall and was about his journey this morn
ing when taken into custody. He pleaded immunity
from arrest this account, and was accordingly re-
leased upon his promise to attend hearing this after
noOn Four OF the bodies have been identified One OF
them is that Of Hans JOrgenten who shot himself on
Press this mo1ng said Tie Press first dsco
cred the fact that agents OF Jefferson College were
spring but Just as the meshes of evidence com
pleted the resurrectonsts ceased their nocturnal ps
nights thwarted expedition is only the second made
this fall and the arrest unprecedented in the history OF
scapes 10 bodies gwen by the law Evidence
in possession of The Press indicates tna Lebanon Gene
population, has been Systematically robbed for years,
and that hundreds of graves have been despoiled."
TRYING TO LYNCH THE PRISONERS.
Crowds of coored people bockaded seventhst. for
hours before the hearing began Plots to lynch the prs
oncrs their arrival were discussed but Constable
Myers Pnkcrton Detective Henderson and others rushed
the prisoners through the crowded hallway TO back
door and had them inside before the mob realized what
going II vented its disappointment in jeers and
yells. The Office crowded, the coored ele-
ment being strongest. Several Of the officers
Of Lebanon Cemetery present Louis N.
Megargee testified that two keys found
on McNamee fitted doors in the room where bodies
prepared Tor dissection at the Jefferson College Nc
Nance denied knowing who gave them to him or what ne
TO haul but finally said he had waited outside the
cemetery while the others brought out the bodies and he
knew where they came from Robert Chew when arrested
at the cemetery about half-past o'clock Yesterday
morning began crying, and said he was paid s3 for
the money handed to him by his brother. He
did not know how many graves had Deen
robbed Sometimes Pille did the digging and sometimes
Levy. He had been i'll the cemetery eleven years and
the grave robbery had been going for nine His
brother-in-aw Solomon Butler now in Maryland did It
first. then one Myers and then McNamee. sometimes
short the collins were opened In the receiving
vault the corpse snatched and the farce OF buryng
the empty coffin was gone through next day.
The records OF the buals found at the cemetery this
morning showed that in two months hfty-tve bodies
were put in grave This created a sensation
Upon conclusion of the testimony the defendants were
declared committed in default of $4,000 for a
further hearing Friday As soon as the crowd
the case Inning rush made for the
entry and gateway with threats TO lynch the prisoners
and Sergeant and ten OF the had TO be sent
for. The crowd 4nade another rush aud men and
struck at the captives who shrank and covered
before them. The policemen drew their CLUBS and al
most trOt down Chestnut-st. to the Central
Station where the prisoners were locked UP for the