The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-04-08
A WRONG TO THE DEAD AND oPFSNsE
TO THE LIVING.
Evil and Mischievous Disposed Per.
sons Enter Upper Long Cane Gem.
etery and Open the Grave Of Judge
Wardlaw...His Metallic Case Is
BrOken...The Body Left Intact.

The grave of Jude WardIaw. in Upper
Long Cane Cemetery, was opened one mig nj
last week, and The metaic case in which he
was buried, was broken. Circumstances In.
dicate that the deed was done on Monday
night. The TACT that the grave had the ap-
pearance OF being tampered with was re-
ported to his friends on Friday or Saturday,
when they Immediately sent man To exam
Inc 1t. He returned at once, without touch.
ing 1t, and reported the facts which presented
themselves. Hon. w. H. Parker, and Messrs.
without delay. They found that 1t had been
opened, and had been but partly refllled.
Part Of the fresh clay was lefL lying around
the grave. A piece OF metal. supposed To he
part Of a metallic case, Was found near by, the
edges Of which showing that 1t had been re-
Gently broken.
The Judges friends were of course appre-
hensive that the body bad been either taken
dirt was thrown out In opening the grave
1t was discovered that the depredators had
greatly widened it in throwing out the dirt,
and that they had entirely uncovered the
coffin.
When the COMA, or metallic case, was
reached by the Judges friends, the top was
found TO be broken IN the middle, Just above
where the bands of the deceased were folded
across his breast, but nc signs were apparent
that the body bad been at all disturbed. The
metallic slab, which covers the glass over the
face, was removed and the face and body
were found to be in a remarkably good state
Of preservation, though the deceased mad
been buried some eighteen years-since some
time in 1873
broken was found on the top of the ground.
From the mud which was thrown out
against the marble, tha hedge and surround
ing shrubbery, 1t Is en ident that the deed
was doue during the I'd n which fell Monday
night OF last week. grave stones which
mark the resting CO OF the wife Of the
Judge, and which W near to his own grave,
were bespattered W: muq. and one Of the
minor parts was bro d and the large mar
! bic slab bore evidenS # having been remov-
ed from its proper phcE, and afterwards set
back in position. The tracks OF the persons
doing the work were plain ly to be seen at the
| head and foot.
| Owing to the exceeding soft condition OF
the earth, the depredatbrs left the clearest i'm:
| presSionS Of their shoe tracks,-the ground
| being SO soft that Immediately around the
grave and in the adjoining field of pines their
tracks were distinct even on the pine
! needles. The tracks Of others of their num-
her. as they retreated in another direction
| and from their ghoulish deed, were too plain
! ly left to leave amy doubt as TO the condition
Of the earth, or the size and form Of the
| feet.
The depredators met at the grave coming
| from different directions, us by agreement,
and when their shameful work was done
they departed by different routes.
In opening the grave the monument which
had been erected TO the memory OF the Judge
was partially undermined and in cnnse-
quence. u is now three inches OUT OF plumb.
The news OF this desecration of the sacred
precincts Of the dead, was great shock to
the friends and relatives OF the deceased. and
they are at q loss To attribute motive for so
strange and SO unusual deed. Nothing like
the Dissertation OF the graves of the dead is
common in this country. and there Is no
known reason why his grave should have
been disturbed, but il is surmiscd that the
depreda tors hoped 10 find something OF value,
which they might remove.
Diligent effort will be- made to ascertain the
names OF the persons who have committed SO
outrageous u crime against ali our better SEN
timents, and If found they will be severel y
dealt with.