Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-27

The Mystery Of the ws. Olivet Grave
Robbery Cleared Away.

The Myssery Of the Ws. Oliyet Grave
Robbery Cleared Away
ENGINEER SMITH, OF THs B. AND O. RAILROAD prscoy.
ERs THAT IT WAS HIS WIPES BopY-How THE REL
ATIVEs wEEE THROWN OFF THE TRACK-THE BODY
REISrERREp IN BROKEN cAsEET-THE GRAVE RE-
OPENED YESTERDAY.
The repeated publications in THE STAR of the re-
cent grave robbery at Mt. Oivet cemetery led yes
terday TO the discovery by Mr. VIM. T. Smith that it
was the body OF MS wife that had been stolen and
not the body OF man, as had been positively
stated by those connected with the cemetery In
tneir endeavor TO keep the matter quiet Mt. VIM.
I. smith is an engineer on the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad, and lives at No. 81 Ii street northeast
HIS deceased wife, Rebecca Ann smith, was FORTY
eightyears old, and formerly lived 10 Baltimore
sue was very heavy woman, Weighing about 30
pounds. She became Ill a week ago last Tuesday
WITH what tn physician said was erysipelas.
heT lace anu portion OF her body We're much
funeral took place Monday morning at 9 80 O'Clock
from St AioysluS church. Her remains were
placed 10 grave In the cemetery not FAR from the
renee, convenient Tor the grave robbers.
THE GRAVE DISTURBED.
Tuesday morning when one OF the cemetery
employees made a tour through the grounds he
noticed that the earth on the grave OF Mrs. smith
Ind been disturbed, and that fact was at once re-
ported 10 Father Ryan, OF the Immaculate Con-
trustees OF the cemetery. The case was placed in
the hands Of Private Detectives McDevitt and
FIin1er. It was published in Tuesdays STAR that
robbery had been comIni ted and the next day
The Office or the private detectives was thrOnged
with persons who had recently buried relatives,
and each was given satisfactory answer. De-
ieCjiye Fliuder anxious TO conceal what he could,
80 Is TO allIy anxiety, gave out the Information
that the body not that o. a woman but that
It was "a mans body and that it was found near a
railroad switch, and not In dlssecting room. He
also said that member OF the family 10 which de-
-.sl IytD ~ lnDt % ~ hos
Ryan and superintendent MCHenry. Stin Mr..
Smith and MS daughter were fully satisfied that
the stolen body was the member Of their family
whom they had so recently buried.
MR.. SMITHS DISCOVERY.
Yesterday morning Nh. Smith visited the ceme-
tory and discovered the truth. When seen by
STAR reporter last night Mr. Smith expressed much
indignation at the action OF the cemetery officials
in attempting to keep the facts from him and at
the manner IN which the body was Ia en- back to
the cemetery and reinterred. lie said that after
reading the publications In THE STAR he was con-
WINGED that 1t was the body OF his wife that had
been stolen. Yesterday morning he called on Su-
perIntendent McHenry at the cemetery, but the
latter denied to him that the grave OF his vile had
been disturbed. He wanted the grave opened TO
satisfy himself OF that fact. which Mclienry de-
clined 10 DO The latter then admittad that IL was
the body or his wife which had been stolen but
said that It had been buried again and was all
night. he declined To open the grave unless per-
mt vas obtained. Mr.. Smith then went to see
Father Ryan. The latter said he would guarantee
that the body was In the grave all right, but as he
insisted on opening the grave the priest gave him
the Necessary permit, which Mr.. Smith handed to
Mr. Jos. Geier, the undertaken
THE GRAVE KEoPENED.
Mr.. Geier, he said, went TO the cemetery and
opened the grave, only TO witness revolving sight,
The body, which was In the coalition 1t was when
found on the dissecting table In Columbian Col
lege, he said, was stained with mud which had
made its way through the broken casket. In the
afternoon, when he visited the cemetery he found
tEe corps on cooling board In the vault. The
lJ or the co.Sket had been smashed IN, ana IL was
taken away by the undertaken. This morning the
corpse was placed in a new casket, aud 1t will be
kept in the vault for SOME time.
AT TIE MEDICAL COLLEGE.
one or the students at the college said to a STAR
reporter that the body was brought into the COL
lege Monday night and placed In a room where
medical subjects never kept. The students
were told not 10 90 into that room. Some OF them
he said. obtained key and went into the room
and siw The body. The body, he said, was brought
there BY negro.
AFTER 1t was discovered that the grave had been
tamp-red with an examination showed that sew
eral picktts had been taken from the fence and
had not been repl ICED. y portion OF the grave
clothes OF the decreased was picked up In the
prints OF two mea were seen in the snow and
Private Detective Finder thinks he can trace the
crime TO certain individuals.
Mr.. SMITH AND THE POLICE.
Last evening Mi. Smith reported the facts to the
police. He first visited the sixth precinct station
but the cemetery Is not In that precinct he was
referred 10 either the eighth precinct or police head
quarters AT police headquarters Mr. smith SAYS
ne was Informed that the grave robbers could not
be prosecuted unless the clothing was carried Of
and a civil suit was suggested. Mr. smith Is
anxious 20 have the guilty parties arrested and
prosecuted As TO the statement that the grave
robbers cannot be prosecuted unless they carry OF
the clothing several lawyers laughed at the idea,
aud said 10 The STAR reporter this morning that
II the parties are captured there Will be no
question as 10 the conviction, II IL can be estab-
nsned thai the body was removed from the grave.
THE HARMONY CEMETERY RoBBERIEs
The fact that q number Of graves had been desc
Grated at the Harmony Cemetery (as mentioned in
yesterdays starr, was reported sunday night to
MeSsrs John +. COOK, John Fl. BROOKS and L. c.
Bailey, by some OF the lot-holders who had found
evidences OF the crime. Other lot holders havln
learned the facts are considerably agttated.
CHARTER GRANTED.-Judge Keith OF Alexan-
dra, Va, has granted a charter To the Knight
Electric Gate CO., the object OF which is to manu-
1acture and sell electric gates. The authorized
capital stock Is 81 100000 and not TO exceed
S,OOO,OOO In shares OF SO each. The officers TAIL
OF TINS city,, are: Calvin Wilmer, president; Chas
A McEwen, vice. president; III. j. Burnhard sec
rotary; JAS +. Brown, treasurer.
MISS HOWELL DECLARED SANE-Yesterday the
jury de iuadtic0 fLQuirendo I'M the Case OF Miss
Elizabeth Howell found verdict that she was
sane and capable OF managing her affairs. Mr.. ii. E.
Davis represented the commissioners, and Me,srs-
Lander and A. A Brney, the respondent Dr.
Blyne Testified to conversation will The respond
ent. and said that she seemed to be iaboring under
delusion that she had committed grievous Of
tense. In his 0pini0n she was Incapable OF taking
care or herself. DIR. Mchim, Lieut.. Kelly and
others testified similarly. Tley ali stated that she
sand she had committed a crime against tue moral
law, and was, therefore, unit 10 live with To
SIP, ctable people.