Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-24
GRACELAND LOT OWNERS
They Will Apply to thetOourts for an In
Junction..
A Report Making strong Objections
to WOodlawn Ms IN Substitute
Cemetery.


apply to the courts for an Injunction to
restrain the officials of the cemetery from
the further removal Of the dead from this
burying place. 1t is probable that the In
junction will be applied for today or to-
morrow. This decision was the outcome OF
a largely attended meeting, held In the
Metropolitan A. M. E. Church last night,
at which the different phases of the sub
5ect were presented. The meeting was call
ed to order by Mr.. H. A. Davis, who asked
the Rev. A. w. Shields to invoke divine
blessing. At the conclusion Of the prayer
Mr.. Davis stated the object for which the
meeting was called. and said that COM
mittee had visited the cemetery to ascer-
tain the true condition of affairs, and that
the meeting was called for the purpose Of
taking some definite action to stop the out
RACES which were being perpetrated upon
the owners Of lots and sites in Graceland.
He presented Lawyer J. Harry Smith. the
chairman Of the committee which visited
Graceland and he submitted his report, in
which he said that he spent the day Mon
day In trying to ascertain just what
the people were doing in clearing out
the cemetery. He detailed lengthy
interview he had with Secretary Ben
jamin Needs, stating in substance that
the secretary advised him that Wood
lawn cemetery, the place selected by
the Graceland people for the reintermept
OF the bodies from Graceland, was selected
because it was the cheapest ground that
could be selected, and that this was ascer-
tanned after corresponding with other GEM
etery officials in the District of Columbia.
He said that the secretary advised him
that it was doubtful, according to their
construction of the law, whether or not
the lot or site owners had any election as
to the locality where a body should be re-
moved, ana if they selected other than the
site selected by Graceland the cost of re-
moval must be at their own expense, and
they would have to seek reimbursement
through the courts, after the lots were sold.
AS to when a body would be removed he
was informed that Graceland did not feel
it incumbent upon 1t to advise parties in
terested; that they would have to seek in
format ton for themselves.
He was informed that certain bodies
would not be removed until the fall pro-
vided the lot wherein the body was located
was not sold for building site.
He asked for copy of the regulations of
the Commissioners for the removal of bod
les, etc, and plat Of the cemetery to
which the bodies were removed, and was
informed that there were no copies for the
public-only so many published as were
needed for the Office.
He detailed his visit to Woodlawn. The
cemetery, he claimed, did not exist when
the law was passed prohibiting future in
tcrments in Graceland. and exists now only
in name. Claiming that 1t Is at least two
and half miles from Benning bridge and
more than five miles from any colored
church in the city. at least cne-thfrd of a
mile from Benning road. up hill all the
way. Supposed to contain thirty acres,
and not more than, five cleared, the rest
being covered entirely by thick woods and
underground. Two incomplete roadWays
construct ID which would be impossible In
winter. No vault constructed in which to
deposit bodies. reinterments being made at
the rate of twelve per day in graves nine
inches apart, from. head to foot and side
cid Al nd wards
on the level.
Some; Remarks.
At the conclusion of the report Mr.. Dan
lei Murray announced that as Dr.. ]. r.
Francis, who had been selected at former
meeting of the association as the president,
had resigned, a new president should be Sc
fected. He named Mr.. H. A. Davis and he
was selected as tho president. Daniel Muir
ray, esq, was chosen as the secretary and
treasurer. and an executive committee, in
Guiding J. H. Smith. Eugene Brooks and
Warner Hurley, was appointed. Mr.. Muir
| ray said that he thought that the associa-
ton was now in working order, and that
some effort ought to be made at once to
secure to the lot and site owners some OF
| their rights in the cemetery.
DR.. J. T. Jenifer, pastor of the Metropoli-
| tan A. NJ. E. Church, said that while he
| was not a lot or site owner, he represented
|
African Methodist Episcopal Church. which
| had three of its bishops inferred at Grace
| land, and the church was interested in
| knowing just what was to be the final dis.
posal of the bishops bodies. He thought
that the proper thing for the association tc
| do was to retain competent counsel at once
| and to ascertain just what standing the
association could have in court if any in
| junction was applied for. Mr.. Warner
| Hurley advocated injunction. He saiG
Woodlawn was nothing more than a pot
| ter's field; that it was unimproved; there
were no vaults for the reception of the
| dead; the graves were only eight inches
| apart, with woods and hills covering the
| grounds. Rev. A. w. Shields concurred il
the opinion of the obtaining of an injunc
| ton, and 1T was decided that each lot an(
| site owner should contribute so cent:
monthly to defray the expenses of the as
ISOLATION. as this would mean $500 monthly
| 1t was finally decided that counsel SHOULD
| be secured Immediately, and the question
| OF the rights of the lot and site owners b,
| brought to the attention Of the courts