Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-12-29
rae pHnApEPaIA GnouLs.
Details OF the Breaking Up OF a Gang
of Grave Robbers In the City OF
Brotherly Love-How They Carried
ON Their HideouS Traffic.

The Philadelphia Press gives details
of the arrest of members of an organ
lied gang of grave robbers that hiss for
a long time been supplying corpses to
the Jefferson medical college IN that
city. This gratifying result was not
brought about by the palice or any
private detective buresu, but by FIVE
members Of the city staff OF a local
newspaper. 1t appears that the in
famous work has been going on for
nearly 20 years, and that Lebanon cem-
eteTy, where an average of six inter
ments are made daily, has scarcely 8
body left in it. The sexton of the
graveyard was in the conspiracy, and
he Is among the parties arrested. The
men were captured at the pistols
mouth as they we're driving from the
cemetery. Six bodies, four men and
two women, were found in the shallow
express wagon, covered merely with
tarpaulln. This wagon has been driven
through the streets with similar ghast-
~ burdens for years at suspiciously
late hours of the night, but it has never
occurred to any policeman on auy beat
along the four miles of street traversed
by the ghouls to stop the vehicle and
examine its contents. 1t is another
prof OF the superiority of earnest
reportorial work over that done by the
average detective" or policeman.
That systematic course of grave
yard despoilation was being carried on
in Philadel phia was first suggested by a
somewhat curious incident. About
eighteen months ago James Canon
Wicks, g. colored waiter at boomers
restaurant, then at Eighth and Chest
nut streets, died. The man a power
fully built fellow, was well and popu-
larly known By the customers, and he
was the subject of frequent conyersa-
taions long before his death. One
night, about a week after Wicks was
buried, two young men entered the
restaurant, and III the course of some
talk one of them said to the proprietor:
'Well, | see poor Jim is gone"
Yes" was the reply, 'he mas been
dead about q week"
"Why, | didn't know it was SO long,
remarked the visitor dryly;"I saw him
couple of days ago."
The two young men were said to be
medical students from Jefferson cellege,
and reflection on their remarks lead to
the fear that Jim" had found on the
dissecting table d subsequent resting
place to that provided him IL Lebanon
cemetery. By an ingenious system Of
investigation it was learned that as far
back as twenty years ago, an old
man, now dead, procured bodies from
Lebanon cemetery, from Jefferson col
Iege, their transportation being man
aged by public carter, whose stand
was for years st Tenth and Market
streets. When he died his sue
eessor was found in John Meyer,
who keeps a saloon at the
southwest corner of Tenth and Samson
streets. Meyer did the hauling of sew,
eral loads of corpses, and then had a
dispute with the demonstration of anat-
omy concerning remuneration. He
threatened exposure, but the dispute
was settled and Meyer quilted the bus
mess and until recently was proprie-
tor of beer saloon at No. 1926 Germ
antown avenue. Now he is bArtend.
er in New York. While on German
town avenue two reporters, who palm
ed themselves off as doctors, obtained
by skillful manouvering from Meyer
the whole story of his connection with
the work, and also the admission that
the present resurrecGonists were The
three people whose names are mention
ed in the warrant and who We're cap
ured last night. He also told the re-
porters that Levi Chew'5 brother was
superintendent of the graveyard down
town, and that he (Ghew's brother)
knew ali about the resurrection busi-
ness, but he did not take any active
part In 1t.
SHADoWING THE CEMETERY.
On the information thus obtained an
elaborate investigation was inaugu-
rated, and the plans for the exposure
completed last night. The ameteur
detectives had been steadily working
since jim Wick's death, and the I'M
guarded hint by the student in Doom
er's led to speculation and subsequent
investigation. Reporters Swallowed the
graveyard; McNamee's stables, at No.
024 SAMSON street; the saloons In
the neighborhcod of the college; No.
933 Lombard street, the residence
of a colored undertaken by whom Levy
is ordinarily employed, and other
places where it was likely important
testimony pointing toward the COM
plicity of the parties mentioned, could
be obtained. As far back as March
and April last sufficient had been
learned to establish the guilt of these
parties, but shortly after the sessions Of
the college ceased, and it was decided
to suspend the proceedings for time,
SO that the climax could be reached
when the ghastly work was resumed
with the e-assembling of the college.
This occurred some time ago, and the
investigation WAS recommended. II
disclosed the fact that the demand for
dead bodies had also begun, and that
the same parties were engaged in the
horrible business.
The elimination was reached last
night. Inc men shadowing Nc
Namee's stable saw wagon drive out
and away down town. The word was
passed to others in waiting, and five
reporters. Mr.. Megargee and Detective
Henderson, jumped into couple of
carriages in waiting and rode to Passy-
unk road and Broad street. At IL
O'Clock this point was reached and the
party walked up to the avenue. They
were all armed with revolvers, and af.
Ter short time separated in two par
ties of three, one on each side of the
roadway. a wagon drove out of the
cemetery and dashed down the road
way. The leader CT the investigators
stepped into the middle OF the street
and cried to the driver:
"Hold on! l want to see you"
"Peeripg into the wagon, which pull.
ed up, he saw the dusky features of
Levi Chew, and leveling pistol at the
three men he commanded them to
drop the lines or he would shoot. In
the meantime his companions had
gathered round the wagon, each with
his pistol pointed at the occupants
They saw themselves completely hem
med in and surrendered. Pellet aud
MaNamee were handcuffe1 together
and placed in one of the hacks with
Henderson and Megargee. Caew occu-
pied the other, with two reporters as
his guards, while the wagon, which
contained six stalwart negroes. was
taken in charge by the two remaining
oursurers. The load was driven to a
SAMSON street stable, while the prison
ers were convey ed to places OF safety.
To-day permission was obtained from