Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-09-22
DESECRATI0y OF JOHN SCgTT
HaRRISON'S GRAVE.
A Fearful Crime of Ten Years ago
The Father of General Ben
Harrison the Victim,
From The Cincinnati Ennuirer !

sation, and was the direct cause of the
passage Of Il law by the Ohio Legislature
to prevent body-snatching, by allowing the
medical colleges to have all the unclaimed
dead in hospitals and public institutions.
The part played by General Ben Harrison
in the matter was quite conspicuous, and
he did everything possible to ferret out
and punish the ghouls, but without success.
Hon. John Scott Harrison was one of the
most respected citizens of Hamilton county,
a son of President William Henry Harri-
son, the hero of Tippecanoe. On Satur-
day, May 25th, the venerable man was
found dead in the bedroom of his home at
North Bend, upon the historic farm, which
was the gift of his father. He had died
suddenly of
SOME MYSTERIOUS DISEASE,
And curiosity was so much excited among
the medical fraternity that the grave-rob-
bers determined to desecrate the grave. On
the following "Wednesday the remains were
buried in the cemetery under the shadow
of the monument of Tippecanoe. There
were many eminent Cinclnnatians present
at the funeral, which was held in the vii
lage church, where the sermon was
preached by Rev. Horace Bushnell, the
blind Presbyterian clergyman. Standing
at the grave were the relatives of the de-
ceased, including General Ben Harrison
At the time of the obsequies there were
rumors that grave-robbers had recently
visited this vicinity, and the neighborhood
was greatly disturbed thereby. Every pre-
caution had been taken to prevent any
thing of the kind. The cemeteries had
been guarded, the suspected parties
watched. To still further guard against
disturbance, the grave of John Scott Har-
rison was dug to an unusual depth, care
fully walled with brick, and when par
italy filled large stone, the weight of
which required the united strength of six
teen men to overcome, was placed over the
metallic case to prevent intrusion or vio-
lation, and the whole covered with cement.
Then to make assurance doubly sure
guard was stationed at the grave. This
watch was to be kept up for thirty days at
least, and the relatives of the honorcd dead
congratulated themselves that
THEIR SAD DUTY WAS PERFORMED.
Scarcely had this task been accomplished
when it was discovered that another grave
had been rifed, and one but a few feet
from the place to which the honored and
beloved one had been consigned. 1t was
the grave of August Devins, young man
who had resided in the vicinity, and who
had died of consumption but few days
previous The discovery being fully veri
fed by further investigation, John Harri-
son. a son of the lamented John Scott
Harrison, and George Eaton, grandson,
came to the city to search for Devins'
body, supposing it had been brought to
one of the medical colleges. The first
pointer obtained was from paragraph in
the Enquirer, which called attention to
the fact that a buggy had been driven into
the alley back of the medical college, and
something white was taken out and snug
gled into the college. Having obtained
the necessary search warrant, MIR. Harri-
son and his companion secured the services
of detective Tom Snelbaker, who has since
died, and accompanied by constable Walter
Lacy and deputy constable Cullen, they
proceeded to the Ohio Medical College.
They inspected every room and peered
into every ante-room from the first
floor to the dissecting room. The
SUSPICIOUS ACTIONS OF THE JANIToR
OF the building, a man named Marshall,
attracted the attention Of the keen-wItted
Snelbaker, who found that the janitor,
who had left ostensibly to ask the officers
of the college to be present during the
search, had gone upstairs to the dead
room, but finding he was watched, re-
turned. They proceeded to the dissecting-
room, and attention was directed to a wind
lass and rope 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,
Colonel Snelbaker felt the rope, and it was
taut. This convinced the Colonel. Hereis
he said, and seizing the crank
he began to turn the windlass. Little did
the son and grandson suspect as they stood
there awaiting what was to be brought to
their view by this terrible process. Nearer
and heavier it came to the surface, and
soon it came in sight. 1t was naked
body except the head and shoulders. The
ghouls had robbed the corpse of its grave
clothes, only covering the face with an
old, tattered shirt for the purpose of avoid
ing detection should the body be seen.
1T 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. at is not |
the man for whom am looking; he died
Of consumption, and was more emaciated |
than this one." And he was preparing to |
give up the search in this direction, when
Colonel 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" be |
said. You might be mistaken, and you'll |
never forgive yourself if you allow any |
doubtful point to pass" I" 1t is hardly |
necessary" said Mr. Harrison, hesitat-
ingly, and evidently desiring to retreat.
;" Still, since you insist upon it, will do
So" The body was then raised out of the
we'll, the trap dropped beneath it and the
body lowered upon it. As the head leaned |
forward 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 sguarely off an |
inch below the chin; white hair, closely |
cut at the back; face discolored by the |
pressure of the rope and rough handling
rom those by whom he had been dragged |
rom the grave. An old man," remarked |
,ome one, and Mr.. Harrison stopped down !
% take parting look at the face, when |
change came over his counte- |
lance.
THE BLOOD FLED FROM HIS FACE,
And he seemed about to fall to the floor
what is the matter?" Mr. S. said, as he |
stepped quickly to his relief Still Mr.
Harrison was silent, his blanched face
growing paler as, with eyes staring from
heir sockets, he gazed upon the face of the
lead man before him, supporting himself
lpon the arm of the detective, until fin
lilly recovering himself, he gasped, "It's
ather," and sank almost unconscious into |
he arms of his attendants Only an hour
before he detailed to Colonel Snelbaker |
he care taken to prevent the possibility |
If robbing his fathers grave, and now,
without the slightest warning or expecta-
ion, he was confronted with the mutilated |
cody of his father.
The moment was a terrible one, and one |
rb;cb oould NOT bo dacorihad OpIv,