The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-10
into them, anyway" some of their num-

into them, anyway" some of their num-
Der persisted.
DR.. Minney walked to the door of the
west one and thrust key into it. "There
is nothing here" he said as he opened the
door. "Why, yes there is" he cried al
most in the same breath There's
body here. This is unbeknownstt to me-"
There, wrapped in a canvass made
especially for the purpose, lay the body
of Mrs. /. o. Van Fleet. 1t lay on its back
among shutters and other cast off arti-
cles thrown into the room.
The body was quickly uncovered and
the CHASTITY sight revealed. There was
no clothing upon it and nowhere had it
been harmed but the head, but that pre-
sented horrible sight. With all the
hair and skin removed from the face it
was fearful to look at.
"Turn it over" said Mr. II. s. Van Fleet,
This was done and he quickly identi-
fed the remains from marks told him by
his brother. There was a mole on the
shoulder blade, slightly deformed foot,
and several broken teeth. ut is the body
of my sister-in-law'' positively asserted
VanFleet.
A telephone message brought l. o.
VanFleet to the place. The others waited
and talked about the horrible discovery
until he arrived. Used as he is to scenes
of death Sergeant Tim Donovan could
remain in the room but minute to view
the shocking sight
Presently the woman's husband ar
rived. Way was made as he entered
the door and he walked towards the body.
"My God, my God" he exclaimed as he
sObbed in anguish. MY wife, my wife"
His grief was pitiful The tears stream
ed down his cheeks, while his frame
shook with sobs.
"My God, my wife," he repeatedly ex-
claimed, in heart rending accents, while
those about respected his grief.
t'My God, it's my wife," he continued
in few moments. "That's my wife
They've taken the hair and skin off of
her face so I wouldn't know her"
II don't know anything about how she
came here, Pm sure" spoke up DIR. Min
nev
VanFleet turned fercely upon him.
eyes, you dc" he cried. in the physicians
face. "Ycu know all about how she came
here. You doctors know all about it,"
The husband of the dead woman turned
again to the body, while DR.. Minney left
the room and college and drove away in
his carriage.
"Of course 1 had nothing to do with
bringing the body here, and know moth
ing of it, but you are welcome to take the
body" suggested DR.. Lindsay.
mo, sir" answered Van Fleet "The
body has to be returned, put in new
casket and left as it was before it was
taken"
Here Van Fleets brother led him away
out of the college, and the officers came
down the stairs. There were TIVE lectures
| in progress at the time, and the place
was full of students.
Whose stiff is it," several of them
asked the officers. "Who are you going
bo stiff9D
tinued, as they laughed and joked about
the ''stiff"
It is considered the proper thing at
medical colleges. for the students to pre-
tend that they have no feelings. The one
who can make himself appear most bru-
tai, debased and horrible. imagines that
he is hardening himself to the scenes of
! grief and suffering he must witness as a
! physician Some students have brutal
Instincts, and instead of fighting off the
brutalizing influences, they encourage
them, and make themselves SO much the
4 more horrible.
All the corpses seen by the officers had
the marks of rope on their necks. A
rope is lowered into the grave, placed
about the neck of the dead person, and
the body is jerked from the coffin to the
air above.
As there have been no paupers dying
in the last week or two the mutilated
! bodies of the two women found in the
dissecting room are not Legitimate
| corpses for the college. Tho hair and
skin had been removed from the heads
of these, showing that they were illegiti-
mate bodies, and that Identification was
feared.
Several students were seen to go up
stairs while the searching party was
waiting below Tor DR.. Minney to arrive,
and it is the opinion of the officers that
they scalped and Inutilated the face of
Mrs. Van Fleet while they were waiting.
1t seems certain that they carried the
body into the side room from the dissect-
ing room in this time.
Constable Williams Immediately put
Janitor and Student Johnson under ar
rest after the identification for receiving
the body. He was taken to Justice
Furry's court, where DR.. Minney signed
his $500 bond.
The fresh tracks of vehicle which
looked as though they were made by a
lumber wagon were found at the side of
the college by the police sergeant. This
is where the wagon backed up Sunday
night with the body which had been
brought from Rochester cemetery.
Undertaken c. w. Willis arrived about
o'clock and took the body from Con-
stable Williams. who was guarding it.
1t still remains at the undertaking rooms
on the North side, and will probably be
buried tomorrow.
The whole North side was talk ing
about the occurrence last night and using
strong expressions against the medical
college.
johnson will have his hearing Friday
morning at o'clock in the justice court.
EXCITEMENT OF RELATIVES
Who Have Newly Buried Dead in the
| Cemeteries
Today a number of people who have
buried relatives recently made quiet
trips to the cemeteries near Topeka &c
see If ANYTHING ahont the grave had beer