Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-02-11
a SERIOUS OOaEDY.



MEN ENGAGED m HHsroRma srorxx BODIES 10 A
CEMETERY ARRESTED AZ RKsuRnEcf1oNrsrs-A
CURIOUS STORY OF DEPREDAFIoNs At aLENwooD
CENETERY-How A BOUQUET LED 10 THE Discov-
RKY OF A RoBBERY-A HEARING IN THE PoiICE
COURT TO-DAY.
new sensation in the veg of grave robbing was
brought to light last night. The story, though
rayed In all the gloon and ghastliness incident to
the business OF burking, has humorous side.
party OF men were arrested by the police in the
vicinity OF the Columbia Medical College. They
had wagon which contained two corpses and OF
course at first sight 1t appeared that the police
had made an important capture. The men were
very prosperous looking and did not have the a
pearance usually ascrbed to the Jerry Crunchers
OF Washington. 1t turned out that they were en-
gagged not in despoiling graves but in restoring
their graves bodies that had been stolen.
WATCHING FOR GHoUIa
The members OF the police force for the past
three or four evenings have been watching the
diSSecting rooms with orders to arrest all suspi-
cious persons found going to the rooms in vehi-
be In the grave-r0bbins business. This vigilance
OF the police was due to reports Of roDberies CON-
not informed what bodies they were looking for,
and they were also cautioned to keep quiet about
tnelr business, It appears that on Thursday Mr..
MckericnaT the superintendent or Glenwood Gem
etey, reported to the police That grave In Glen
wood had been disturbed and robbed The assist
recover the body ami have it rendered. The
body was that OF man, according to the state
ments OF the police. Detective Wheeler was sent
unable TO md II. The officers concluded that the
body had been used for scientific purposes and
had little hope OF recOveringit 1t.
ANOTHER COMPLAINT
Yesterday morning Messrs John B. Lord and
Isaac Quackenbush, wel-knOwn citizens OF the
county, living near Queenstown, ami prominent
members OF the Queenstown Baptist church, Wis
lied police headquarters and made an additional
complaint about depredatiOnS at GlenwOOd ceLne-
terry. Later In the morning superintendent NC
kerlcnar appeared at ponce headquarters and
made the same complaint. Aceording to hls
wifeol Lac pastor OF the Queenstown Bap-
list church, died on the 1st inst, and two days
later her remains were inferred in Greenwood cem-
etery. she was a beautiful young woman and was
general favOriLe among the congrega, ION. Sus-
plciouS circumstances having led 10 belief that
and IL Was found that the body was gone. Alter
The report was made Detective Wheeler was again
sent to look LOT both bodies. He reported that he
had found the body OF Mrs TeaSdale In the diSsect
Ing room OF Columbia College.
TO RESTORE THE BODIES.
The cemetery OfricialS were notified that the
body had been recovered, and arrangements were
made by them with the authorities OF the medical
college for the restoration and reinterment OF the
bodies. Last night, between 3 and O'Clock, Su-
pcr1uJendent McKerichar, and MesSrS Lord and
Quackenuusn, and a cOlOre laDOrer named Daniel
hindlnan Went 70 the neighbOrnoOd or the dissect-
ing-ro0m on ii street, between 18TH and 14Jh
ST. eUS, In compliance with thiS arrangement A
wagon drove up 10 the college door anu the body
or the young woman was place in a small covered
Wagon 70 be again taken TO the cemetery. DR..
King, OF the college,, sent for Undertaken Gawlcr
10 identity The body OF The man, II possible, for
both bodies had been mul1iated by tue surgeons
Instruments. Meanwhile the wagon containing
Inc body OF NJ s. Teaodale was driven about the
streets 70 avoid suspicion. In 1t We're seated Mr.
AM nnnrAn lnhO pnlinpman nypr'S
attention was attracted to the suspicious move
ments OF the wagon and he Called Policeman
kenIey. The Two officers then Overhauled the
wagon. Nutw1t hstanding their proteStatiOns Mr..
LORD and the colored ldborer were
PLACED UNDER ARREST.
The mans body had In the meantime been
identified by Mr.. j. A. Gawler, the undertaken, as
the body OF F. g. Dake, OF this city, who was
buried on the 29th OF last month, from the house
OF Mrs. d. A spencer, No. 2llO 10th street. AS 1t
was Claimed that the body was being removed by
arrangement with the detectives, Major Moore
was sent Tor, but he decided to take the case to
court, and the men arrested gave bail for their ap
pearance before Judge Smell to-day. The 6Ody OF
MIS-. Teasdale was removed 10 the morgue Out the
body OF Mr.. Dake was lett In the disSecL,ng rOOm-
HOW THE THEyTs WERE DISCOVERED.
The story OF the depredaLons in GlenwO0d Gem
etery that led to the occurrences Of last night as
told to-day TO a STAR reporter by officials OF the
GenwOod Cemetery Co. is substantially as follows:
GenwOOd Cemetery U, cupieS tract or 50 acres,
tinueS inLO the county from the northern end OF
North Capitol STREE. In this cemetery about ten
thousand dead have been buried. Mr.. Jno B. Lord,
who lives near the cemetery In the county, comes
into the city early in the morning, and Thursday,
as he passed the cemetery, he noticed Two palilg5
removed from the fence and other clrcumSta nces
that led to tile suspicion that grave robbers had
been at work. On the same day the Supertntend-
ent, MIR. McKerichar, detected signs about grave
OF man who had just been buried that aroused
his suspicious. He had the grave opened, and saw
that the BODY was gone. This led to the first re-
State that They applied to the police at once In Or
der TO secure protection for the cemetery and, at
the same time, secure their aid In recovering the
stolen body.
THE TELL-TALE BoQUET.
The discovery OF this robbery, together with
another suspicious circumstance led TO the further
discovery that the grave OF Mrs. Teasdale HAD been
robbed. Mrs. Teasdale as stated, was young and
but few months and death resulted from ma
ady that II Is stated had baffied the physicians
There was, so the friends say, much interest ex-
pressed in her case by physicians. Saturday the
members OF the bereaved family visited the ceme-
terry aud deposited flowers on the grave. They re-
turned Tuesday on similar erra1d: The grave
place. There were no evidences that the grave
had been disturbed. The members or the family,
hove Yer, were astOunded TO find pl ,ced upon The
mound with other flowers, bouquet that had re-
posed on the bosom OF the dead woman in her
cOffin. When the other robbery had been discOv-
cred and the facts about the tell-tae bouquet
made known TO the cemetery authorizes, Mrs
Teasdal' grave was opened. 1t was found that
the body was gone.
NEAT JOB.
The grave robbers had done an unusually neat
job. The upper half Of the grave had been
opened the lid OF the casket removed and the
body drawn forth head FIRST 1t was arrayed
when buried In The wedding robes In which few
months before Mrs. Teasdale had appeared as a
BRIDE Upon the bosom OF the corpse a loving
hand had placed bouquet. The grave robbers
had removed The wedding garments and thrown
them into the casket. 1t Is said that there Is
always some little point that the most Sk1lful
malefactor5 overlook, and which eventually leads
10 the discovery OF the wrong they do. In this
case 1t was the bouquet They had not noticed
that it came from the casket and they supposed
that 1t was a part OF The floral collection on the
grave. They reflled the grave and rearranged
were visible. Then they placed again on the fresh
mound the flowers that had been removed from 1t,
and with them the bouquet.
HOW THEY WORK.
The trustees OF the cemetery. with whom STAR
reporter talked, were confident that such depreda-
lions were not common at GlenwOOd or any other
private cemetery. the grave robbers, they said,
confined their work TO the POtters Field except In
special cases The robbery OF Mrs. Teasdale's
grave they attribute to the desire OF physicians to
make an examination OF her case Since the rob-
berries were discovered guard has been placed at
has been Investigating the NATTER said that grave
robbers preferred TO work when the ground was
wet, their spades could tn be piled nOtSeIeSSly
The grave robbers, he Said left two Of their num-
Der outside the cemetery with dog. This dog has
peculiar part to play. II the superintendent, or