Evening journal., 1891-05-30
BARNUM'S BODY IN PERIL
Ghouls Attempt to Rob the
Grave at Bridgeport.
FIRED UPON BY THE MEN ON GUARD

The watohmen Were Awakened by the
Sound Of a Pick aud Frightened Away
Three DIiscreants who Dropped Dark
Lantern aud Made Their Escape.
BRmGEroRT, Conn, May 30. -Ghouls
have been at work at the grave Of p 4.
Barnum. Although two watchers armed
70 the teeth are stationed not more than
100 feet from the underground vaultwhich
contains the mortal remains Of the famous
Snowman, il has just been learned that a
dastardly attempt was made early Friday
morning to steal the body Either the two
watchmen at the grave, who are response
BILE for the story, which is believed by the
agents Of Mr. Barnum's estate and by the
Bridgeport police, who are investigating,
have for some reason not apparent invent
ed the whole thing, or an attempt, as bold
as that by which A. r. Stewards body was
spirited away from its resting place in
New York, and all but successful has been
the attempt to remove the corpse Of the
world famous king Of showmen
The story Of the Men.
The story Of the two men was substan
TALLY as follows:
On account Of not having had any sleep
Thursday they were very tired when they
went out to Mountain Grove cemetery ia
the evening. They had been there nightly
for many weeks, and as they had never
seen anything to excite suspicion they.
with feeling Of security, dozed on.
A little before 2 o'clock they were awalx-
ened by "a noise which sounded IA If il were
made by pick or a spade striking stone.
Looking toward the Barnum monument
they saw IN the shadow Of the monuments
the forms Of three men, two OF them bent
over husiiy at work and the other seemed
TO be standing on guard
Who is thereg' called out Callahan.
Dark Lantern Falashed.
AT that there was startled exclamation
from one OF the men. The rays Of a dark |
lantern were flashed in the direction of |
the guards, and then the light was sud |
denly extinguished ~ called again, . |
said Callahan, "and receiving no answer /
fired IN The air. The men at once started |
on run over the graves We ran after
them firing as we went They had a good /
start but we csuld hear them throw their
tools into the bottom Of a wagon over near
the cemetery pump. Not knowing how
many more men we might have To cope
with we thonght IL just as well not 30 ee-
any further, but as they started their horse.
on run we could just discern the shape OF
a covered wagon in the shadow ofthe trees
We then went back to the grave and
found that they had started a hole about
four feet long which they had dug foot
deep at the west side of the grave. The
dark lantern, the rays of which we had
seen, was lying upon the upturned sods
having either been forgotten or dropped
by the frightened scamps in their flight.
They Kept II a Secret.
Nothing else happened throughout the
night and at daylight Callahan and Blake
man covered up the excavation, replacing
the sods. They concluded not tomake the
matter public until they had communicat-
ed with Mr. James Bailey and Treasurer
Fish, Of the Barnum & Bailey show, as TO
what steps should be taken.
They thought that If they kept the mat
ter secret the grave desecrators might. ina
feeling Of security, become careless and
drop a clew that would lead to their arrest
The bulPseye lantern left BY the would be
body snatchers is Of the cheap kind made
Of brown iapanned tin. II may be the
means Of bringing the guilty parties 10
justice
The GhouIs Were Ratified.
The theory Of the guards Is that the
seoundrels who made the attempt were
either burglars or had been under the inn
preston that the guard had been with.
drawn, and when Callahan hailed them
were completely taken by surprise This
Is easy to account for, as Callahan and
Blakeman were stationed in small shed.
about a hundred feet from the grave. at the
foot Of three tall oak trees, and on a cloudy
night could not be seen at distance 81
more than forty feet
Therefore, when the ghoulish intruders
heard the sound Of Callahan's voice they
were, doubtless, stricken with a fright
which the pistol shots did not at all lessen
The watchmen are Of the opinion thar
there was fourth man who cared for tine
horse and wagon while the Others were az
work AT the grave. Your correspondent
visited the cemetery later in the day. The
hole was IN the position described by the
watchmen. What the object Of the body
was in digging the side of the
grave instead Of directly into il is Of course
matter Of conjecture. Perhaps thev IN.
tended TO effect an entrance through the
side Of the vault instead OF trying To re-
move the two ton slab which covered the
crypt. Il is likely that reward will b.
offered tomorrow. The Bridgeport police
are looking for the miscreants
They WIN Choose the Designs.
WASHINGTON, May 30-Augustus 81.