The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1882-06-22
DISTURBING The DEAD. "
MARIETTA, Ga June l6tl

Columbus Enquirel'. San A few days since
friend handed me copy of your paper con-
tanning an article with the above caption, pur-
porting to have emanated from the Atlanta Post
1ppeaL / had determined TO give no needless
publicity to the transaction referred to IN that
article 1t was largely private grievance ADD
too sacred to be paraded in the columns of a
newspaper But there are material errois in
the published account which demand correc-
ton | therefore ask that you will allow me
sufficient space for a brief and dispassiOnate
statement OF the affair.
Ia 1855 l was stationed in Columbus in con-
neclion with Eustace w. Speer, row an honor
ed professor of the State University. My
brother w. H. Scott, whose grave was desc
Grated WAS an inmate OF my household and a
law student of Messrs Crawford a. Ingram.
He was not wealthy, as the article ststes. l
was his testamentary guardlan-holdlug fnr
him II small estate of SO 600. He had, however
what was better than a large Inheritance, IN
tegrity of character and thoroughness OF IN
telleciual culture that made him the peer of
any young man of his native state. He was
beside a consistent member of St. Luke church.
| shall never forget the unstinted kindness
lavished both upon him and myself during his
protracted illness.
Two ut the best physicians of the city, some
times three, were in attendance on him. Such
young associates az Psyton ii. COlqlitt, James
| Hamilton, James Russell, and others particu-
larly, watched around his sick bed. and were
! his pail bearers when he was borne to bis
burial
These young men and older members Of the
congreg alton requested the privilege OF detray-
| ing the entire expenses OF his sickness and flu
| neal.
| While deeply moved by their kindness
would not nsentlbecause his estate was ample
for the purposes.
1t is well enongh that these facts should be
known by the pr sent generation of your citi
liens as they can the better appreciate tbs
minglt pride aud humiliation with which
refer to this subject.
On the evening of my brothers death. re-
quested Oliver II. Dantorth Esq, my life long
| friend and my brother. to 90 to the cemetery
aud select an eligible lot tor the interment -
Mr.. d. replied, We cannot allow you to pur
chase a lot hsve one of the best lots n the
cemetery. and you must bury on the lot You
are in the conference, and will often change
your residence. will enclose his grave witt
nv own and will treat his as n family grave
His promises induced me to agree to the ar
ranpement He was perfectly sincere, and hu
for his removal from Columbus this unfortu
nate affair would not have transpired All
this occurred in September, lS55, nearly
| twenty seven years ago
Imagine my establishment aud just indigna'
ton when in May, 1882, whilst confined to a
sick room. | received letters from two promi-
inent citizens of your city, informing me that
the lot had been sold first to Mr.. Kiunie and
then to Mr. +. j. Springer, and the monument
that |, not Mr. Danforrh. bad caused to be
erected, had been removed without notice TO or
consultation with any of the surviving relatives
of my deceased brother.
To intensity the wrong, one of the CORES
pOndents informed me that the sexton had
| been instructed to remove the remains
| I was utterly unable TO make the trip to
| Columbus. and Immediately enclosed the cor
respondence to my brother, IL. NJ. Scott, Esq,
| of Atlanta requesting him TO go at once. He
accordingly left on the frat train He found
young Mr.. Danforth, from whom he obtained
a written certificate that in the sale OF the lot
it was expressly stipulated that the grave aud
monument We're not to be molested
Mr.. Springer whom he saw subsequ entity.
discamed all thought of remO' ing the remains
and consented TO restore promptly the monu
ment to its original PLACE This was done be-
fore my brother left tha city. have no dis
position to re: open the ma ter which he and
udicious friends on the spot have adjusted.
1t is noble utterance of Zanga in the TRACE
dy of Revenge Il war not with the dead
II is grander because Christian sentl'
ment that prompts us TO esteem the resting
place of the departed AS hallowed ground,
which no ruthless foot should trample and
no profane hand should deface or despOil.
thousand thanks to the kind friends of differ
ent churches who have manifested an interest
in that solitary grave in former years as well
as in the past.