Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-12-23
SOLD aaAvE Rusagas,
Who Garry OF the Dead in the Face
Of the Guards.
The Authorities of Richmond,
Virginia, Compelled 10 Call
Out Part OF the Police Force
TO Protect n Cemetery.
D LOaIs Erenlpg chraniols.

St Louis Evsnlps Chronicle.
QAkwooa Cemetery, in Richmond,
Virginin, has bean on several nights
theater ofiatcnsely dramatic
scenes, grave robbers lowering about
the place and carrying of bodies
despite the fact thata guard was set
to watch them. The depredations Of
the ghouls we're confined to the colored
pauper burying grounds. Some time
since Mr.. Diekerson discovered that
resurrectionists we're at work, and
asked protection from the city, which
request vas complied with and a
special guard appointed by the
Council to assist him. The guard
wandering about the cemetery On the
evening OF the 18th came suddenly upon
a man who said he was from the
country and was lost aud wanted to be
shown the way out, which the guard
did. Soon alter this-the Richmond
Dispatch says-a dog that accpmpan
led the guard rushed past him barking
yiciously, aud instantly the sound OF
half a dozen men was heard hastily
r%etreating. The dog pursued and
seized one OF them, when the stiffness
of the night was broken by the sharp
report Ofa pistol. ~Instantly the guard
returned the fire, empying both
barrels ola double barrel shOtgun in
the direction of the sound of the re
treating footsteps. The fire, however,
was harmless on both sides. Later
on, when the night was still as
death, the guard could hear
strange noises, and could distinguish
one or two men signaling each other
by whistling, but he was unable to come
up with the parties. Next morning i
vas seen that the guard had been sue
essful in keeping the ~depredators
from work.
Ibis daring work aroused the an.
thorities, and the number of guards
vas Increased. Nothing occurred
until the succeeding Sunday night;
suspicious sounds we're heard among
the graves, aud one was found partly
opened. The guards instantly went
out on the road to town, hoping Ia
capture the intruders, but found
nothing. When they returned to the
cemetery they found they bad been
outwitted. Three graves had beer
pened and three bodies taken away
in their absence. A Mr.. Ellyson
one OF the guards, attempted t.
cut them of aud concealing himselfor
a road near town and waiting for The
robbers. He presently heard som,
one whistling, and next the sound O.
voices; some one asking. lis j
bloody" Advancing in the direction
Of the voices he passed a side roaC
from which a buggy darted at once
this he pursued until it reached til,
city where it disappeared in a liver
stable. 1t was afterwards found tina.
a wagon with three bodies in it hat
been overturned in a Mr.. Voegler',
cabbage patch, and is supposed tia
the buggy was then brought into use
thus deceiving the guard.
The authorities we're now full,
aroused aud a police sergeant viii
Two regular police officers anC
eight special policemen were Sc
- watch the cemetery. Or
the succeeding Tuesday nigh
their vigil was rewarded. The gray
robbers we're heard prowling abou
the cemetery. A dash was made b,
the officers and, though the depreda
tors made a desperate attempt t,
escape, they failed. There we're to-
many officers for them. W. A. Mere
dith and W. A. Saith, both student
at the Virginia Medical College, an,
two negroes, Caesar ROane and Chri
Baker, were captured They had
complete robbers outfit. This par
ticular group of ghouls seem to hav
reduced the business to a science. 4
wagon is secured; a strctcher, an ak
spades and a pair of graphing iron
made especially for the purpose
placed in 1t. The grapplin
irons resemble a pair Of nip
pers with long handles and larg
forceps, When the grave is reache
three or four men seize the spade,
and commence rapidly to sink a hol
at the he d Of the grave. When tn
coffin is touched the lid over the hea
is cut of, the graphing irons ar
brought into use, inserted in the aper
ture in the coffin, squeezed around III
neck of the victim, and then a stron
pull brings up the body. The gray
clothes are stripped off and throw
back into the grave and the hole hast
lily covered up. The body is throw
upon the short stretcher, covered wit
an oileloth. and hurried away. N
more than ten minutes is consumed i
the work.
The men arrested did not deny tha
they we're the ones wanted ano ad
mitted themselves perpetrators {
previous grave robberies. The Vii
GINA law appears to be somewhat la
in regard to that particular crime, an
the cases against the four as we'll a
AGAINST the two principal professors i
the college do not appear likely to b
followed by conviction. The negroe
implicated are in Jail, but the whit
men, who belong to good families, az
at large on bail
RICHMOND, December l8.-The tw
medical students aud their colore
assistants, who we're arrested Will
attempting to rob a grave. were eac
sentenced TO six months imprisor
ment.
SUICIDES CRANKs;
n &C. n--