The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-02
The cemeteries had been guarded, the sus-
pected parties watched.

The cemeteries had been guarded, the sus-
pected parties watched.
RECOVERED BY ACCIDENT.
1t so happened that the body Of con-
/ sumptive named August Devlns had been
stolen from the cemetery and henry Harrl-
son, brot5er of Gen. Ben, was engaged
with Detective Shelbaker in endeavorlng
to discover it. Naturally, perhaps, they
visited the Ohio medical college. They
| proceeded to the dsSecting room, and atten-
| ton was directed to windlasS which ran
| down through a square hole IN the floor and
| through the wall from the upper floor to
| the chute in the cellar. Regarding this with
suspicion, Col. Shelbaker felt the rope and
| it was taught. This convinced the Colonel.
Here is somebody" he said, and
Selling the crank he began to turn the wind
| lass. Little did the son and grandson suS-
| pect as they stood there awaiting what was
to be brought to their view by this terrible
process. Nearer and nearer it came to the
surface, and soon it came in sight 1t was
a naked body except the head and shout
ders The ghous had robbed the corpse Of
its grave clothes, only covering the face
with an old tattered shirt for the purpose of
avoiding detection should the body be seen.
at is not the man, said Mr. Harrison, little
thinking that it was the body of one nearer
| and dearer to him than the one which he
sought.
IRIS FATHER"
"Its not the man for whom l am looking;
! he died of consumption, and was more
emacated than this one" Aud he was pre-
pairing to give up the search in this direc-
ton, when Col Snelbaker urged him to
look at the face which was still covered
with the cloth which had been thrown over
it. "You had better look at the face" he
said. you might be mistaken, and you'll
never forgive yourself if you allow any
doubtful point to pass, sit is hardly neces
sary,n said Mr. Harrison, hesitating, and
evidently desiring to retreat. Still, since
you insist upon it, / will do So" The body
was then raised out of the well, the trap
door dropped beneath it, and the body
lowered upon it, AS the head leaned for
ward, blood streamed from an incision in
the neck. The light from the windows
| directly above shone directly on the head
and shoulders. When Mr., Harrison raised
the covering from the face of the dead it
revealed the features of an old man
with full white beard, cut squarely
off an inch below the chin, white
hair closely cut at the back,
face diScolored by the pressure of the rope
and rough handling from those by whom he
had been dragged from the grave. IAN
old man, " remarked some one, and Mr. Har-
| rison stopped down to take a parting look
| at the face when suddenly a change came
over his countenance, the blood fed from
his face and he seemed about to fall to the
floor. what is the matterp Mr.. Smell
| baker said, as he stepped quickly to his re-
lief. Still Mr.. Harrison was silent, his
| blanched face growing paler as with eyes
starting from the sockets he gazed upon the
face of the dead man before him, support
ing himself upon the arm of the detective,
until finally recovering himself, he gasped,
'It's father and sank almost unconscious
into the arms of his attendants Only an
hour before he had detailed to Col. Shell
baker the care taken to prevent the posi-
bility of robbing his fathers grave and
now, without the slightest warning or ex-
pectltion, he was confronted with the mu-
tilated body of his father.
THE GHoULS WERE NOT CAUGHT.
The moment was a terrible one, and one
which could not be described. Only twenty
four hours before he had seen the loved
father laid in the grave very near to that
of his hOnOred ancestor, whose memory the
United States is proud to respect. Now the
BODY lay before him mutiiated disfigured
robbed of its hahiliments, dishonored. The
first shock over, Mr., Harrison prepared for
the removal of the body, which was taken
to the undertakers establishment. Later
in the day Carter Harrison arrived III the
city with the information that the grave
had been robbed, and was preparing for a
search, when he was met at the depot by
his brother and nephew with the intelli-
gence that the body had been found Gen.
Ben Harrison was at his home in Indian
apolis when a dispatch from Cincinnati
| informed him of the dissertation of his
fathers grave. Without seeing a sis
ter who was dangerously sick, he
left Indianapolis Immediately, accom-
panied by his wife, and at 10 O'clock on the
night of the discovery of the body he joined
his brother in this city. He was very de-
terlnined that not only the perpetrators,
| but the aiders and abettOrs in the sacrilege
should be found and punished. The general
telegraphed before leaving home to the
| leading cities for the best detectives that
could be procured, and he remained here
several days directing operations. Mar
shall, the janitor, and his brother-in-law
were arrested, but were subsequently dis
missed The matter was brought to the
attention of the grand jury by Lewis W.
Irwin, who was then prosecuting attorney,
| but the decorators were never caught.
The faculty OF the college expressed great
regret that the affair had occurred, but
blamed it on the laws of Ohio, which have
since been satisfactorily amended and grave
robbing in this state no longer exists The
remains of John Scott Harrison were re-
inferred in the original grave, and no rude
hands have since disturbed his peaceful
sleep.