The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-01-21
DESP0ILING THE TOMB
Is the DISTINGUISHED DEAD
In tbs Hope Of s,eayiss Money By ihs Return Of
thu RsuAins--A Daring and Bteklsaa Plan 10
Steal tho BODY Of the Late bishop Nhslan
l', From = tho vAslt s. frustrated.

The most daring and reckless and OF the
aalne time tbs Eals. atrocious scheme 10 es.
cure large sum OF money by tho commission
OF crime, which was ever Sat on foot In this
part OF the country, was discovered on las!
Friday, but owing to the care with which the
s,cret WAS guarded It was only known to q
very low people, oil Of whom were soiemnly
pledged to Secrecy, until Saturday, when II
oa1ns to the cars OF several MEMBER OF the
press. Tho discovery first became public
yesterday and naturally created q decided
sensation. Tho plan was no less aadscsous
and deep laid Than q scheme 10 etsal the re.
mains OF the lata RI. Rev. K. Y. Whelan,
former B;shop az Wheeling diocese OF the
Catholic Church, from the brick vault, In
which his bones repose bsneath the sanctuary
OF the Whe!an Memorial Chapel, Ia Mt Gal.
vary cemetery, east Of the city. Such q
cylms could have but one motive, The desira
to secure large pecuniasy seward Tor the re.
turn OF the stolen remains.
| ~ gtt5 " "A YIEsD1sa SCHEME. 5 SI0'S /,
The would be ghou's were evidently long.
headed aud experienced professionals, who
reAllz,d the sensation the stealing OF Bishop
Whelan's body would create and the desire
which all good Catholics would feel 10 secure
lis return. They evidently counted on good
round sum for the return OF tho remains, and
had provided against nearly all risks; and II
was only by accident or special interposi.
ton Of Providence that their plans miscar.
ried.
The effort was made on last Thursday
night, aud discovered on FridGy; but as II
was e1 pected that the thieves would return
aud complete their work. on Friday night,
the discovery was carefully guarded, and
measures taken which could rot have failed
10 result in tbs capture Of the robbers had
they returned. Tbs secret was known only
10 few, who were under pledge OF conf
stated, II began TO be whispered about. =
The thieves secured an entrance to The
chapel BY forcing opsn ths outer door, which
opens into the tower or vestibule. A jimmy
was used, and rs the door was heavy and
ysry securely bolted, It must have required
extraordinary forcs TO affect an entrance.
On Friday, In making hts rounds In the
| cemetery, Walter Burke, the sexton, noticed
the marks OF The jimmy on the door. He
did not at first realizs wha. they indicated, hu
upon entering the church he detected that the
ullClokl NulCA CuNcieQ kue HJUE Wltulu Lie
chance! had been tempered with. tnvestf
CATION showed that the floor beneath had
also been torn up. and brick wall parallel
| to the wall Of the vault In which Bishop
Whean's remains are deposited had been
torn down. The oilcloth had been re.
placed over. the cut boards, and tfe outer
door closed, the design evidently being to
prevent the discovery OF the operations be-
fora they could be completed. 80 a ~.
Word was ut once sent to the Cathedral, 10
Bishop Kahn. and he and Father Sullivan
visited Sheriff Browns office, and, also Chief
OF Police Benefits, and arrangements wera
made to place q trustworthy guard In the
chapel Friday night, in the hops that the
sacrsligious schemers would return to secure
the coveted psizs. ,Constables ]. ?. St.
Myers and William Love, with three discrets
assistants, were stationed there. all heavily
armed, but no sign OF the thieves was seen.
No doubt they had become aware Of the dis-
covery, aad were too wary to return.