Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-23
TIE BODY OF MRS. CHEEK.
DR.. A. c. Adams Charged With Taking
1t From Congressional Cemetery.

THE REMAINS FULLY IpENrIFrED-rHE HUSBAND
APPEALS TO THE Law -FoRM OF THE WAR
RANT ISSUED FOR THE ARREsT-rHE yKwELRH
BURIED WITH THE BODY MESSING.
The law against the dissertation of graves BY
body snatchers is openly violated in this Dis
trict night after night, but prosecutions for the
CHASTITY work are few. Potter's field is generally
chosen as their scene of operations because they
can go there at any time after dark and drive
of with their plumber undisturbed. carriage
resembling that abandoned Friday night with
two dead bodies in it, as related in Saturdays
STAR, has stopped at or near the Jail many
nights and been left there, it is thought, until
go down to the burial place of the poor and
carry of CHASTITY burden. Friday night when
the buggy drove near the Jail il was seen by
the prisoners and by the guards on duty. The
guards were satisfied that there were cadavers
In the vehicle, but they did not imagine that
any other burial place than potter's field had
been visited.
THE BODIES OF THE TWO WOMEN
who had been taken from their graves were
Kept at the morgue Saturday afternoon. The
| officers there had been informed that both of
them had been taken from potter's field, and
| for that reason no effort was made to have
them identified. During the afternoon a young
man called at the morgue and asked permission
70 see the body of the white woman, saying that
his sister had been buried in the Congressional
cemetery few days ago. He saw the body
and thought it was that of his sister, but when
Station Clerk Tayman telephoned to the East
Washington station he was informed that the
6odies had been removed from potter's field
He told this to the young man, but the latter
left the station in an uncertain frame of mind.
MRS. CHEEKS REMAINS STOLEN FROM CONGRESS-
IoNAL CEMETERY.
Policeman Oliver, who had seen the white
woman's body, thought that there was look
OF refinement about her that is not often seen
about persons who occupy graves in the pauper
| cemetery, and he was not satisfied with the in
vestigation that had been made. He examined
the body and found on an undergarment that
was wrapped about it the name "B. Cheek"
The health Office records were searched and
1t was found that Mrs. Alvina Cheek of No. 1Ol5
South Carolina avenue southeast had died on
the 18th instant of phthisis pulmonalis and was
buried IN the Congressional cemetery last
Tuesday.
The piece of clothing bearing the name was
| taken to the house and there it was learned
that the name had been written on Mrs Check 8
undergarment. This left no doubt but that
Congressional cemetery had been robbed, al
though Mr.. Cross. the superintendent, said
disturbed The Identification was complete
when
THE HEART-BRoKEN HUSBAND
reached the morgue and there saw the remains
OF his wife lying on the board ready to be
placed in the ice box. Mrs. Cheek had been
sick for some time and had gradually wasted
away until there was hardly any flesh left on
her form. Her remains, with the body of her
infant, which was only few days old, were in
tered on knoll overlooking the Anacostia
river and not far from a gate which opens into
the rear end of the work house grounds. The
graves in the cemetery are not rammed, and
for that reason the task of opening the grave
was an easy one. The grave had been refilled
and the flowers on it placed where they had been
left by the bereaved husband. The body was
no doubt taken through the gate or over the
fence and stripped of clothing. Then it was
carried through to potter's field and there kept
until the body Of Mary Z. Hawkins was lifted"
THE DEAD BABE.
The grave was reopened yesterday and in the
broken coffin was found the body of the child
that had been buried in the grave with its
mother
Policeman Oliver made thorough investiga-
ton of the buggy and in it were found the
grave clothes that had been taken from the
body OF Mrs Cheek and heavy iron hook at
tached to long rope which had been used in
lifting the body from the grave.
DIR. A. c. ADAMS CLAIMS THE BUGGY
No one came to claim the team until about
noon, when DR.. A. C. Adams put in a claim. He
appeared before Chief Clerk Sylvester of the
police department and made affidavit in the
usual form, as follows:
"HDoRs. OF THE METROPOLITAN POLICE,
CLERKS OFFICE,
WASHINGTON, DC, Dec %. 1889.
Personally appeared before me, Richard Syl-
vester. property clerk of the metropolitan po-
lice district A. G. Adams, of Washington, D. C.,
who upon his oath, says that he is the owner
n nm h4U hsarJ NIT
and a top buggy; that the same was estrayed
from him on or about the 18th day of Deem
Der, 1889; and that the same is now in the
custody of the property clerk of the police dis
trict.
Sworn to before me this 22d day of Decem-
Der, 1889. RICHARD SYLVESTER,
Chief, also Prop. elk. NIP, De-
The receipt for the property was signed A.
G. Adams, MD.
When the doctor went to the sixth precinct
station to get the horse and buggy he met Mr.
Thos. b. Cheek, the husband of the dead
woman. Mr. Cheek was greatly incensed at
what had taken place. He questioned the doc
tor sharply, but the latter said he did not own
the team. The police lieutenant told them not
to have any trouble there and the doctor
drove off with the buggy.
Later in the day Mr.. Cheek called twice to
see the doctor, but did not succeed
MRS. CHEEKS JEwELRY MISSING
her jewelry be buried with her. Her request
was complied with, but the jewelry, valued at
about $780, cannot now be found
Mrs. Checks remains were placed in casket
yesterday afternoon and again her bereaved
friends followed the body to the cemetery. The
remains were placed in the receiving vault,
where they will remain for some days.
WARRANT FOR DIR. ADAMS
This morning Mr.. Cheek was at the Police
Court and swore to warrant against Dr. Arthur
c. Adams The warrant charges: That Arthur
c. Adams unlawfully and wickedly did break
and enter a grave, then and there being in Con-
gressional cemetery, in which grave one Venie
Cheek, deceased had lately before there been
inferred, and then and there with force and
arms unlawfully, wilfully and indecently did
open the said grave and take away the body of
the said Venie Cheek, to the evil example of all
others to the like offending and against the
form of the statute" &c.
DISTRICT GOVERNMENT.
ATTORNEY sHILLINGToN's SUCCESSOR