National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-05-19
, HOW TO ROB A GRAVE.
The Business Publicly Illustrated by Jansen
"tho ResurreCtOnst'
Ills Bideous Work Unblushingiy De-
sCribcd ana Defended Ira a Lecture.

n grave, rounded WIN green tur1 anu pe'
deokod with punches of magnolias and lilies
was tho CHASTITY stage setting at the Theatre
Comique last night. The scenery back of tho
mound was woodland. In front Of it and
facing the audience stood Vigo Jansen,
known as the King Rcsurrectionist or body
snatchor." He was there to lecture on the
subject "body snatching" aud in imitn-
ton of tho modern lecturer, wore Il
full dress suit. Jansen has quite n
history in Washington and Baltimore. He
has played the human hyena in both cities.
His last adventure in this city was to Snatch"
the remains Of Charles Shaw, the colored boy
who murdered his sister, lilo was arrested
while driving the body about he city in n
carriage, and, after being tried, was sentenced
to six months in jail. He finished the term
several months ago.
The audience last night consisted of about
sevnnty-flve people, q majority Of them being
policemen and newspaper men. The remain
der included tbroo physicians, few medical
students. a delegation Of visiting bicyclists
and some curious looking young mon. Jensen
was introduced by Or" Crow, who invented
tho Centennial scheme in this city several
years ago, and then sued all of the gamblers
in town for using his patent.
Tho body snatcher is a rather short and
stout. built man, with mustache aud goatce.
The glare of tho footlights appeared to hurt
his eyes, for he rubbed them continually and
seemed to find relief in looking into the dark
entrances. lIo spoke in broken English, and
kept his hands in his pockets nearly all the
time. Hismovemonts were very unsteady, and
| many people in the audience imagined that
he had "bracod up" too -many times before
tho show began. In attempting to DO pro-
found while explaining the necessity of
resurrecting bodies, he became ludicrous and
caused the audience to guy" him and laugh
heartily. In fact his remarks were fire.
qucntly interrupted by outbursts of laughter.
especially when he made glazing grammatical
errors or referred to a dead body as the "in-
animate corpse"
~ have been shot at and hunted by dogs"
| he said while doing my work. On one
| occasion, in Baltimore, made two police
men, who stopped me on the street, arrest a
dead body. | told thom 10 was man dead
drunk, and that was trying to carry him
| home"
After walking nervously across the stage
twice he seemed to lose tho thread of his
story, and advancing quickly to tho foot
| lights, he exclaimed: "Why, gentlemen, tho
surgeon general of tho United States army is
resurrectionist." After a few rambling
| remarks about tho beauties of the trade he
said: 1--WE shall now resurroct dead Niger
in artistic style and handle him with care"
The curtain went down slowly Mt this
point. When it rose the stage was clear of
| everything except the grave and the lights
were very dim. Jansen then appeared. lie
sneaked around the grave on tiptoe several
! times like cayote, and then stopped down
and examined the mound, concluding by
| taking a handful of the earth and examining
| it. Rising quickly he shaded his eyes with his
! hands and glanced about in all directions. A
sharp whistle brought his assistant quickly
on the stage. He bore rusty shovel in his
| right hand, and without the least preliminary
ceremony began delving into the grave.
| Jansen in the meantime carefully removed
tho floral offerings and laid thom aside to be
! replaced after the job was completed.
While Crow worked with the shovel,
Jansen stood erect and folded
his arms, with supreme air and o largo
hickory club in his right hand. When the
collin was reached both men seized tho lid
and drew it OF. Jansen then took hold of
the corpse "a large and lively colored man
dressed in n sheet and attempted to lift him
out. The effort nearly precipitated him into
the hole. The corpse being too heavy for
him he was forced to say to his as
sistant who looked embarrassed, Hes
n heavy one come and help" They finally
got the man out and in attempting to lay
him on the stage Jansen touched ticklsh
spot, causing him to grin and wriggle like an
eel. The bOdy-snatchers then laid the man
out and felt all over his body. He explained
this act to the audience by saying: THAT is
to sec if the stifl is fresh" johnson whispered
to the colored man, and the latter stiHoned
himself out and was carried OF, Jansen re-
marking in tragical undertone: "Woll puI
him over behind that fence" The grave was
reilled. tho sod and flowers carefully re-
placed, and tho curtain went down. Will,
the audience gave grand howl and dis
persed.
Jansen did not deliver his written lecture
but REPUnLIcAN reporter secured thu
manuscript after tho performance