The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-19
TAKEN UP AGAIN.
The Remains of u. W. Pierce" Exhumed the
Third Tlme-The Texas Wife Identifies Him.

man. were taken from his grave in Westview
Cemetery again yesterday.
This is the third time that the body has been
| pulled from its resting place.
The body was exhumed so that Mrs. Pierce,
Mr.. R. w. Pierce, Mr.. W. W. Thompson and a
half dozen other Texans who knew the dead
man. could look upon his face and say positively
whether it was the man who traded the carload
of ponies for Gypsy, and who passed his life in
the Lone Star State.
Mrs. Pierce, accompanied by her youngest
child, a bright, blue-eyed pretty girl of four
years, reached the city yesterday morning. She
was accompanied by Judge Milton Mays, one of
the leading attorneys of western Texas. Mrs.
Pierce and Judge Mays were met at the union
passenger depot by Jimmy Pierce, and con-
Quoted to the National Hotel, where the lady
was given apartments. During the morning
Mr.. Lovelady, Major Heath and other Texans,
who are in the city, called to see Mrs. Pierce.
They all knew Mr. Pierce during life and of
course knew Mrs. Pierce. Toward noon GEN
eral Gartrell and Mr.. Ladsden called at the
hotel to see the LADY. The conference between
the attorneys and the lady was lengthy, but as
to what was said nothing is known. During the
conference it was agreed that the body ought TO
be taken up SO that the wife and son could sat
isfy themselves beyond a doubt as to the dead
man. Mr.. Walter Brown, one of the attorneys
for Mrs. Weaver, the Indiana claimant, was
consulted and an agreement was made to take
up the body at 4 o'clock. AT 3 General Gartrell,
Mr.. Ladsden, Mrs. Pierce and the little girl and
Mr.. Pierce entered a carriage at the National
Hotel and were driven to the cemetery. There
the party met Mr.. Thompson. the son-in law.
Mr.. Lovelady, Mr.. Nasworthy, Major Heath,
Mr.. Bolton, Judge Mays, all of Texas. and Mr..
Walter r. Brown. Every Texan present had
known Pierce, and as the cemetry hands began
throwing the dirt from the grave Mr.. Nasworthy
said:
IF the body is at all preserved and everyone
here doesn't instantly recognize Pierce we will
leave the State at once"
The grave hands worked hard. Their shovels
went deep into the ground, and as the loose dirt
NAMED silent. Mrs. Pierce remained in the
carriage with her child. She fully realized the
trying ordeal before her. She knew that she
would be called upon to look into the face that
was full of life and health when she last saw it.
She knew that her husband had been killed in
one of the most terrible railroad accidents on
record, and she naturally thought the sight
would be a terrible one. The hands worked
hard with their shoyeis and in a half hour the
pine boards covering the coffin began to show
up WIG ~ IL pOoEuS bppCdFcO " kuOSo
about the grave until they were all exposed to
view. Then, in a few minutes. the coffin was
lifted out and placed on the ground. The un-
dertaker at once began removing the lid. AS he
turned the screws which held the lid over the
dead body, an anxious crowd stood around.
General Gartren was at the head of the coffin.
Mr.. Ladsden was at the foot. Judge Mays,
Major Heath and Mr.. Nasworthy stood on one
side; Mr.. Lovelady, Mr.. Bolton, Mr.. Thompson
and Capt. Ed Cox stood on the other side. Mrs.
Piarcar QmqInQd in the arriaoa uhi1a tho CON
stood a dozen feet away looking deep down into
the ground. The last screw that held the lid
down was given its last turn, and then the I'M
dertaker lifted the lid off.
The body was there, the face and feet alone
were uncovered. The burial robe, which had
been placed carefully about him when he was
first buried, was thrown loosely and carelessly
over the body after it had been taken off, when
The socks. which had been taken off to examine
the feet when the body was first takea up, were
crammed between them. The face was black.
The mouth was wide open, showing a full set of
beautiful teeth. Decomposition had not de-
stroyed the features, and the instant the lid was
removed Mr.. NasworthJ said:
THAT'S Wood Pierce"
''Of course it is" said Mr. Levelady.
ut amt any one else" said Major Heath.
Then for a few minutes the crowd looked 81
lently upon the dead. The undertaken stopped
down and arranged the burial robe over the
body so as to leave the face alone visible. Gen.
Gartrell stepped to Mr.. Pierce's side and spoke
to him in a subdued tone. The young man
turned about walked up to the carriage, and
lifting his mother out, gave her his arm. The
lady laid her weight upon her son., and slowly
the two mourners approached the coffin.
Those about it stepped aside. and the wife
walked up beside the husband and father. She
looked upon his face in silence. The young
mans hat was pulled down over his face so as to
hide his eyes. The lady's veil was down. For a
minute they looked at the dead man, and then
the son turned his head slightly and said:
sThat'S him., ma"
EYES," said Mrs. Pierce between her sobs.
Then silence prevailed again. No one present
could speak. Finally General Gartrell asked:
DO you recognize that man as your husband,
Mrs. Pierce2'
Eyes, sir" she answered.
by his features, his teeth. Sec them. /
would know them anywhere, and then his fore
head. too"
.And you. Mr.. Pierce, do you recognize him2"
Eyes, sir, that's my father
That's him. said Mr.. Nasworthy. ''That
forehead is known by hundreds Of Texans. No
man in the State was better known than he.
Why, if they were here now. there are hundreds
of men in Texas who would swear that that is
Pierce, and that he has passed all his life in
Texas"
II have known that man for over twenty
years. said Major Heath, and it is Pierce. Any
number of people will swear to it."
Mrs. Pierce stood quietly by, hearin e the re-
marks. Her son was beside her. Suddenly the
young man, as though unable to command his
feelings further. wheeled quickly about and led
his mother back to the carriage. The undertaken
then replaced the lid, the coffin was lowered into
the grave, the dirt was thrown on again, and
then the party started back to the city.
After the party had returned from the ceme-
terry, a Constitution reporter called at the Ma
tional TO sec Mrs. Pierce. The lady appeared in
the parlor, and greeted the reporter kindly. She.
was attired in full mourning. Mrs. Pierce is large
expression. Her eyes are blue or gray. and her
hair, which she combs back from her forehead;
is dark. She talks plainly and calmly. s
"Yes," she said, in response to a question,
that's my husband. l married him in 1879,
and had no trouble in recognizing him. His fore
head and his teeth would be enough were it not
for the general impression one you love leaves
on your mind.
Mrs. Pierce could not talk much. She had