Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-16
STEALING THE sTIEFS.
a Physician Recalls Several Exciting
Adventures.


Adventures.
at is comparatively easy for doctors t,
get subjects for dissection now. 1t was
much more difficult task twenty years age
when l was a student at the old Homeo.
pathic College on the Heights, The
above remark was addressed to a Cleye.
4 land Leader reporter a few days ago bv a
| physician engaged in the practice of his
! profession in an Eastern city. 1--WE ran
a great risk in stealing bodies then, and
! were often at our wits end for way to
/ get subject. l remember one instance
IN which l ran very narrow escape from
| arrest. An unknown man was run over
and killed by train near the Atlantic and
/ Great western passenger depot. We stu
dents heard of 1t, and determined to get
the body. One of the watchmen at the
depot was detailed to stand guard over
the corpse While ii was waiting identifica-
ton, and was told that if he permitted
anybody to take it he would lose his posi-
ton.
As soon as night came on we went to
the depot and waited for the Waterman to
leave his post so that we could get away
with the body, but he did not relax his
vigilance. Finally it Was decided to re-
sort to strategy. l was chosen TO 90 to a
warehouse near by and rattle the door as
If | was trying to get in. This had the
desired effect. The Waterman proceeded
to investigate. L left the door and started
down across Scranton avenue toward the
river, leading the Waterman hot chase
among the lumber piles and oil sheds in
that vicinity. After a long run he gave
up the pursuit and returned to look after
the body, but 1t was gone. 1t had been
dumped into a big sack and carried uD
the hill to the college. The next morning
the police were searching for the body, and
they naturally suspected that we had it,
We heard that they were coming to the
college, and looked about for a place to
hide the body. The wife of the ianitor
suggested that we place IL in the potato
barrel which was kept in the kitchen, and
she would see that the police did not get
it. The body was doubled up, put into
the barrel and the potatoes turned in on
top Of it. When the police called the wo-
man was sitting on the barrel pairing
some potatoes which she had in pan on
her lap. They looked all over but could
not find the body. DR.. Bigger, who was
dean Of the college, learning that the rail
road Waterman would lose his place be-
cause of his carelessness, made us return
the body the next night. We paid a
hackman twenty dollars to deliver it at
the depot, and were cheated out Of the
subject after all.
n 5Huib LIlHp dtLcT IDlS adventure a
man employed as cOachman by man
living near the college, died from Excess
sive drink, and we decided to get the body
at all hazards. He was laid out in a back
room OF the house, the window of which
opened into an alley. Two young men
and their best girls were engaged to SIT
up with the corpse, and when we visited
the place about midnight they were sit
ting in a room adjoining the one in which
hn 10
student was detailed to watch them while
the others slid the body through the win
dow. lie was instructed to notify the
others If the watchers should hear a noise
and attempt to investigate it. The stu
dents climbed in at the window, and TAX
ing the board ON which the body lay from
the backs of two chairs, proceeded to Lass
it through the window. They had nearly
accomplished their object when one Of
them stepped on the side of chair which
overturned and he fell to the floor with
terrible crash. The watchers started up
and looked in a terrified manner at the
closed door which separated them from
the corpse. The knees Of the men knock
ed together with fright, and neither would
open the door. While they were debating
what was best to be done the body was
removed and was soon safely hidden
under a big pile of coal in the college
cellar. Although we were suspected of
having stolen the body, the police never
found it, and as the dead man had no re-
latives no great stir was made about the
robbery.
These two incidents had the effect of
creating considerable feeling against us,
and when a short time afterward the BODY
of a respectable German woman was
stolen and taken to one Of the East Side
colleges we were the first ones accused of
the theft. A perfect mob congregated
about the college building, and we
thought at one time they would invade
the place and vent their Wrath, en- afe but
a-lI91pfGt iifsqJads, and were then followed
and booted at ON the streets. That body
was found in the old college at the corner
of Prospect and Ontario streets, however,
and they left us alone.
"There are several doctors now resid-
ing in Cleveland" continued the gentle
man, "whO had share with me in these
adventures, and who Will recall their
narrow escapes from acquaintance witha
g1iid9ntsfh my class boarded with DR..
BOyntOn, who was then somewhat of
chicken fancier. The two bOarders made
frequent visits to the coop and ] distinctly
remember several occasions on which we
enjoyed suppers OF fried chicken at the
DOCTORS expense"