Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-03-14
A SPIRITUAL TIP.
Rich Robert Barnes Grave was Opened
in Consequence but the Missing VIII
was Not Found.-A Very Strange
Story.

Just before the meeting Of the City Coun-
ell Monday night, n committee of well-known
| Spiritualists waited upon that body and asked
for private hearing, which was accorded
them, says a special from Evansville, Ind.
They asked for a permit TO exhume the re-
mains of Robert Barnes. one of the wealth.
lest men of the city, who died in February.
| 1871, as they had reason to believe, from a
communication they received from an un-
known source, that the last will Of Barnes
was in the coffin.
This will was a famous one, and involved
an estate valued at about half n million dol
lars. In il Barnes made liberal provision
for the founding of college which was
to be controlled by the Spiritual
lists of Indiana. After his death
the will could be found nowhere and suit was
brought against the heirs by the State Spirit
ual Association TO recover the amount be-
queathed. In proof of their claims dupli-
cate copy of the alleged will was produced,
but the jury. not deeming il sufficient rem
dered an adverse verdict, and the property
was divided among the heirs.
In January, 1873, the spiritualists swore
out an affidavit charging Alfred Russell, A.
:. liayhurst and Chas. llayhurst with ab-
stracting the viii from its hiding place under
Barnes head, On the day set for the trial
the plaintiffs attorneys asked that the case
be dismissed, which was done, and the con-
trovcrsy ended Alleged revelations from
Barnes were afterward made public through
the spiritualists, said to have been secured
at their scances, but they never amounted to
anything.
The council, after delibcration, agreed
rot to interfere in the matter, but instructed
the committee to apply to Circuit Judge Par
rett for the necessary order,
On "Wednesday General James NJ Shack
olford appeared before Judge Parrett and
secured an order granting permission to
have the grave opened and examined. A
committee of county and city officials and
four Spiritualists were designated by the
Judge TO witness the disintcrment. The
work of opening the grave was begun in the
presence of about four hundred spectators,
who watched the proceedings with breathless
interest. The grave was found to have been
undsturhed, the long roots of sassafras
tree being across it at various pths. The
outer box was rottcd away, but the metallic
casket was found intact. Upon opening it,it
was found to be filled with dark, blush wa
ter, from which gas arose aud foul odor
The entire suit of clothes in good condition
was floating about. Prosecuting Attorney
Cutchan wen, over the clothes, carefully ex-
aiming pockets and seams, and even the lin
ing of the casket, but no trace of the docu-
ment could be found. The body was al
most decomposcl, the skull covered with
long, black hair and few bones being all
that remained. After thorough cxamina-
ton the casket was rc-scsled and the remains
returned to the earth. The Spiritualjsts
were greatly disappointed.
That morning Capt. Williams Reavis, the
leader of the association, read n letter from
another party whose name will not be re-
vcaled saying that il was useless to disinter
the BODY that while the will had been placed
in his pocket, it was afterward removed by
the writer who witnessed the transaction, and
now had it in his possession and was willing
TO surrender it for n consideration. But this
communication in view of the present fail
ure, does not receive much credencc.
II turns out that the information upon
which the SplrtualIsts acted, came through
an announcement made at scance by a
strange spirit that important news was to
come in few days. As if, in accordance
with this promise letter was received from
Mrs 5. IL. Flourncy of Chicago who had
been one of the nurses at Mr.. Barnes bed
side and who after his death produced a
note of 500, 900, signed by him and payable
at his death In the letter Mrs. Flourncy
said that she had taken the will from the
dead mans pillow. and placed II in his inside
coat pocket