The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-11
ENRAGES THE 40. q. w.
Meetings Called in the Seven
Lodges Tonight
To Set About Ferreting Out the
Grave Robbers.

Last night the skeleton of Mrs. A. N.
Dake was found by her husband on the
dissecting table of the college. The
flesh had nearly all been removed from
the body, and The teeth, by which MIR.
Dake hoped to identify his wife, had
been broken off or pulled. All the pre-
caution was vain, however, for some of
the flesh still remained on the fingers OF
the hand and Dir. Dake identified the re-
mains from cut on the fingers.
The story of Dake's trip to Rochester
| cemetery yesterday afternoon was told
in last evenings JOURNAL. He is
miller who works at the Inter Ocean
mills of North Topeka, and lives at 1909
North Quincy street. He buried his
wife week ago last Sunday. just week
before Mrs. Van Fleet was buried.
When Dake went to work yesterday
morning the other employees did not, at
first, tell him of the discovery of the
body of Mrs. Van Fleet, the evening be-
fore. Finally one of them mentioned it
to him, and this preyed on his mind all
morning.
| Dake was seen at the mill yesterday
afternoon by JOURNAL reporter. He
said:
IL had thought this morning of going
out and asking the sexton if he had no.
ticed anything disturbed about the grave
| the day after burial, and of looking about
myself, but l had not thought of going
any further than this. If l were sure of
| finding the body there, l wouldn't mind
| digging down to be satisfied, but if it
were gone, had rather not know it if
were unable TO find it. would not
want to know that it is gone unless | was
sure could get it back again.
This has not been off my mind an in
stant this morning. You, see this goes
back farther than my wife with me.
have buried five persons in my life short
as it has been, and l always tried to see
| that everything was done ds well as posi-
Bile. 1t is the least we can do for one
when he is dead, and it would break my
heart to know that any of them had been
disturbed. 1t make me think of my
boy, turning to J. N. Shellabsrger, who
had come up. l would hate it almost as
much to have his grave touched as that
of my wifes.
"What had better do, Mack? Do you
think could find the body if it is gone?
Try to help me think. Do you say that
both of the bodies at the dissecting rooms
are those of womenf" he asked the re-
porter.
Yes"
81 won't be back this afternoon, Mack"
he said quickly to Mr.. Shellabarger.
"Stop at my house and they'll take
you out in the carriage" said Shellabar-
ger.
"All right" he called back as he start
ed up Quincy street.
An hour and a half later Dake and
! Fred Shellabarger reached Rochester
cemetery and with Sexton Scott went to
the grave where Mrs. Dake had been
buried.
The mound was smoothly made as
though the sexton had taken the greatest
care TO leave it as nice as possible.
you see there is nothing wrong" said
the sexton, They stood and talked for q
long time. About 3 o'clock Police Cap
tain Gardiner, Officer John Haisch aud
1. o. Van Fleet. drove up. The two
officers had gone out at the request of
Van Fleet who knew what Dake expect
ed to do.
Il think everything is all right" said
Dake finally, as they stood by the grave.
The officers then left at $3.50, leaving
Dake. Scott and Fred Shellabarger. The
three we're on the point of going away
satisfied when Dake asked: what kind
OF dirt did you cover this with?'
"Black dirt"
"Here is little clay" said Dake.
1t was decided to dig little way into
the mound. After going but little way
the lid of the coffin was unearthed.
Dake groaned at the horrible truth
fastened upon him that the body was
really gone.
The digging was continued, and at .
o'clock the empty coffin was reached,
with the grave clothes near it.
The usual ceremony of getting a
search warrant WAS gone through
with when Dake reached Tope-
|
street, Captain John Gardiner and
officer John Haisch, with Dake
and Mrs DR.. Mary L McKinstry went to
the college. The usual time gaining cere-
mony was enacted by crafty "Janitor''
johnson, and the party waited until DR..
Minney came, accompanied as before by
DIR. w. S. Lindsay. "Janitor" johnson
is cousin of DR.. c. S. McClintock.
Albert N Dake is an intelligent man
of remarkable self possession, but when
the reporter was talking to him yester-
| beneath the surface. When he saw
the two skeletons lying on the
tables in the disseciing rooms
his brain reeied at the horrible sight and
the thought that one of them was the
body of the one dearest to him in this
world.
He staggered to the second table and
there the skeleton of his wife was laid
bare before him. He picked up one hand
which still had flesh on it, and found the
bent fingers for which he was looking.
''Its she." .he said. ."The scoundrels
have mutilated her to prevent identifca-
tion." s
He was taken away. DeMoss s. Pen
well came soon after and removed the
remains. They are still at the under.
taking establishment and will be KEEP
| there for q short time in case ANYTHING