Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-11-30
MURDER IN A GRAVE.
THE STORY OF IN ALLEGHENY TRAG.
EDT STRANGELY RETIYED,
The Butchers Fatal BlOw-The Mysterious
Death of an Aged Sexton Explained al
Last-The Man Who Killed Him Still
Alive.

Death of an Aged Sexton Explained al
Last-The Man Who Killed Him Still
Alive.
Pittsburgh Dispatch
Stranger than fiction" is an expression
often used but seldom true. However, the
story told by prominent Presbyterian
| divine of Allegheny, who has strong aver
| sion to seeing his name in print, proves
| conclusively that events transpire in real
life that cast the most brilliant invention
| of fiction into the shade. This incident
will probably be remembered by many of
the older citizens and some parts of the
story may even be news to them at this
late day. As to the truth of it there can
be no doubt.
Within the memory of middle-aged men
and women there stood log church in the
South Commons, Allegheny, not far from
where the Hope engine house now stands.
The graveyard was located between Sher-
man and Marion avenues; the drive which
now crosses the park from Stockton avenue
to Ridge street passes through the center
of the lot. A road leading from Rebecca
street across the commons to Woods Run
cemetery. At that time much of the butch
ering for the two cities was done back of
where the outer depot is now situated.
A MURDER IN A GRAVE.
Early one morning as butcher was
driving over to the Pittsburgh market he
heard a noise in the graveyard as Of one
pounding on store box. Instead of put
ting whip to his horses, as most persons
would have done. he stopped and listened.
Finally he heard a sound as of board
splitting or breaking, whereupon he deter
mined to see what it was and where it came
from. Climbing cautiously up ON the fence,
he saw man half hidden in the newly
made grave of a well-known young lady
who had been buried but the day previous
It would be difficult to say who of the two
were the most surprised as they gazed into
each others faces.
The enormity of the offense suddenly
flashed upon the mind of the butcher, ard
he gathered up rock or a bludgeon and
dealt the ghoul terrible blow on the head
| causing him to fall ifeless into the open.
ing he had made in the grave. The butcher
felt that he had struck the man in vital
part, and he became fearful that he had
killed him. His worst fears were confirmed
by getting down into the grave and exam
ing the limp. lifeless body, which be recog-
nized as that of the sexton of the old
| church.
FLIGHT OF THE GUILTY MAN.
Realizing what he had done he drove te
his home, changed his clothes and turned
| his face toward the setting sun, which
course he followed until he arrived in thu
central portion of Ohio, where he now lives
highly respected and useful life. Hi
name is only known to his relatives ant
personal friends, none Of whom will reveal
it, but who vouch for the truth of the story
During the day on which the tragedy &C
Cured it was announced that the old sexto,
had died suddenly and he was quietly
buried, only few knowing the cause O
his sudden demise. 1t is even probabl,
| that some of his own family we're not &C
quainted with the facts. The physician:
who had employed the sexton to resurrec
the body of the young lady made vigorous
efforts to suppress the matter and evident
ly succeeded remarkably we'll. It is said
! that one of their number is still living
but those who know him will not disclose
| his identity.
Verify truth, in this instance, is stranger
than fiction.