Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-14
GRAVEYARD GHoULs.

An Attempt to Steal the Remains of
Private Henry-was it Successful?
ArocEd a dullkerosene lamp in a saloon
1ea the entrance to the Cypress Hill
Cemetery, says a New York special OF
Sept. 10 to the Cincinnati Tin1es-StGr,
there was gathered, soon after dark last
night, a company of the men who make
thei rEving in various ways in the grave
yard. They were engaged in whispered
cor versation, and an air of mystery was
thrown around the burden of their talk.
A reporter who had entered the barroom
in search Conformation noticed the group
and asked the man behind the bar if the
mysterious knot were connected with the
cemetery.
They're all cemetery hands, the dis
penser OF eaSr replied in a whisper. land
tney'r9 talking about the attempt that
was made to-day to carry Of the bedy OF
Private Charles Henry, the member of the
Greedy party who was shot while stealing
provisions"
The reporter asked one OF their number.
whose appearance betckened the most in.
teiIlgenk, fer information as the at
tempted removal Of Henry's body.
''It you're not afraid of graveyard af.
ter dark, and don't mind climbing over a
few fences, PHI take you to the poor fell
lows grave and show you that it has
been disturbed.o
The implied challenge was accented.
and after overcoming some difficulties a
lonely corner Of the United States plat in
the cemetery was reached. As no lantern
had been provided and the trees obscured
the rays of the moon, it was difficult to
distinguish the grave, but by the light of
number Of matches the fact was made
plain that the earth had been removed
from the top of the coffin of the dead Arc
tic explorer.
The chance companion of the reporter
was not able to definitely state whether
the body had been stolen or whether the
attempt to take 1t from the cemetery had
been frustrated. 81 was called away by
one Of the Bosses" he said, 'Wher the
United States officers and those who be-
gan TO dig out the grave got into the
trouble. There were six men IN the party
who attempted to steal the body, and they
were accompanied by a slight woman
dressed in black, with long Grape veil
that completely covered her face. Poor
thing, l felt sorry for her. When the
men began throwing out the earth she
walked up and down beside the grave
wringing her hands and putting a hand
kerchief up TO her yelled face. snake
haste, make haste" she cried several
times, they'll be here before you have
done. pll add 800 to the amount if you get
away quickly" and other EXPLANATIONS
Of that sort the poor lady used. Before
the hncCx had been reached i've men, who l
understood &c be United States otncers,
appeared, and then there was a muss,
but before it was over was called away
aWere the men who we're digging cut
the grave armed with permit from the
Coronerw
"No, believe that the woman who was
so affected, and so anxious to get the
corpse, was a relative Of poor Henry, and
that she had hired the men to get the
body, so that the horrible story about his
having been eaten might either be proved
or disproved."
Mr.. Runcie, the President Of the ceme-
terry, had retired, but the reporter was
permittad1 Q see him,
81 don't know whether or not Eenry's
body aas been stclen," said the gentle
man. see me at a SO tomorrow, and
Pll let you know. Henry is buried in
ground in the cemetery that belongs to
the United States, but everything in con-
nection with these grounds has to be done
according to our rules. If a gang tried to
snatch the body, Of course the United
States authorities would interfere. We
have had no end of trouble about Henry,
but if his body has been stolen am not
aware Of it,"