Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-14
GRAVE ROBBERS AT WORK.
Invaders of Potter's Field Frightened
OFF After Opening a Grave.

-
THE POLICE FAIL TO ARREST THE RESURRECTION
lists, BUT CAPTURE HORSE AND wAGoN-How
THE GHoULs WERE FoLLowED-AN OUTSIDE
SENTINEL GIVES THE ALARM TO THE WORKERS
There is no denial or concealment of the fact
that resurrectionists are at work in the Dis
trict. Potter's field no doubt, furnishes many
subjects for the dissecting table which are
taken from tbs graveyard in violation of law,
and for which the offenders lay themselves
liable to one years imprisonment in Jail. Some
weeks ago it was reported that cemetery not
owned by the District had been visited by
resurrectionists and three graves opened, but
as the ''night Doctors struck the wrong ones
the cadavers were not removed from the GEM
etery, but were left in the open graves. The
policemen of the fifth precinct received in
formation some time ago that an East Wash
ington doctor and well known negro were
paying frequent visits to potter's field and re-
moving the bodies of the poor which are
placed there. Several efforts of the officers to
capture the resurrectionists failed. and lately
they have not paid so much attention to the
pOor-house cemetery, because they supposed
that the recent exposures had put an end to
the business for at least short time.
DAYTON WAGON AND A DARK BAY HORSE.
Last night Dayton wagon, drawn by dark
bay horse, was seen by some colored residents
going in the direction of the Jail. 1t was then
after midnight. The colored people we're con-
slderably agitated over the appearance Of the
vehicle at that hour, and they decided to frus-
trate the plans of the occupants of the vehicle.
They imagined that the wheels of the vehicle
and the shoes of the animal were covered with
rubber, as but very little noise was made as the
wagon passed over the frozen earth Over the
down no lOh 11axy = lo HI la
went until it arrived under the hill near the
smallpox hospital. The team was left stand
ing i'll an out-of-the-way place while its occu-
pants with pick and shovel, made their way to
the grave OF some unknown colored person who
had lately been buried thare. 1t took but
minute or TWO for one of them to remove the
frozen crust of earth from the top Of the
grave.
THE COFFIN WAS SOUNDED
to make sure that it was not blank. This test
is made because it is possible that some one
has been there before them. or that no body
was buried in the coffin. While this operation
was going on, some Of the residents in the
vicinity hurried off in the direction of the
police station, but on their way they met police
men Fitzgerald and Kraemer. They told the
officers their story, and the bluecoats fastened
to the scene of operations. The ''Outside SEN
tlnel, who was on guard, gave the resurrec-
zionist the tip" and they
ESCAPED BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF THE OFFICERS.
They did not get frightened off until they
had removed the body from the grave and car
ried it to the fence. The horse had strayed
away some distance. The Waterman at the
cemetery was found, and with his assistance
the body was reinforced. The officers took
pick and shovel they found near the grave and
put them in the wagon. There were no hooks
found there, as they not used in that ceme-
terry, because it Is said that the bodies are not
buried deep. The horse and wagon with the
grave tools was taken to the station. This
morning they were turned over to the property
clerk, who has them awiting claimant.
NOTHING KNOWN AT THE ASYLUM
At the Washington asylum it was not known
to the officer on duty whose body was taken
from the grave. There was an interment made
in the cemetery Monday. 1t was the body of a
colored child named Mary Teemis, who was
buried from No. 928 18th street. The child was
two years old.