New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-08
AN OLD GRAVEYARD TORN w.
THE BONES OF FORTY OR FIFTY PERSONS
TAKEN TO WOODLAWN IN ONE BOX.
AN INCIDENT OF sTREEToPENING IN THE AN
NEXED DIsTRICT-c. b. scHufLEkS

AN INCIDENT OF STREET OPENING IN THE An
NExEp D1sTRIcT-c. b. scHuYLERs
THREATS AND PROTESTS.
-rh. skull. and bones OF between forty and fifty
members OF the old Berrian, Schuyler and Cole
families OF Kingsbridge and Fordham' were ias'
week placed in a plain wooden box, TWO anu one
half feet wide by six feet eight inches long, ana
Transported from almost forgotten private Dury-
Ing ground 10 Woodlawn Cemetery.
Some months ago Charles w. Collins, con-
tractor Of No b3s East One-hundred- and-fortieth-
ct got the contract from tho city for the opening
Of Roston-av from Bailey-ave. to Sedg"!ck-a'e'
for 900 Olo When Collins had nearly competed MS
work and was expecting in few DAYS 10 ara" lne
Anal payment of 5000 from the city he met with
an unforeseen obstacle In small graveyard ABOUT
,wenty-fye feet square. standing on what, accord
inc "a his plans will be the corner OF Boston ana
pounv AYES This was several weeks ago, ana
there appeared the scene an elderly man haiieu
r. u SCHUYLER, better known as Tine man 'ha'
owns Kirgsbrldge.' He told Collins that IN inc
middle OF the burylng ground there was vault
containing the bones OF any number OF his an
cestors and he would shoot the frst man WHO
darod 10 desecrate their final resting-place by
nu,tinq n nick or a spade into 1t. He was furl-
ous and made various other dire threats ana "hen
the hermit from the city for the opening OF the ave-
nue. was shown to him he said ne did not care
hang about that .o
that the city had condemned the property anu
had awarded those who had an interest IN the
graveyard as he thought. $50 for the twenty-five
feet 1t was in reality appraised at $3.50
colIins appealed TO Commissioner Louis F. Haf-
fen OF the Street Improvement Department Vi INC
Twenty-thrd and Twenty-fourth WARDS ana al'el
he and his deputy, Joseph p Hennessey haa
given the matter full consideration they reterrea
II tn the Counsel TO the Corporation, with 'heir
recommendations. The Corporation Counsei nied d
written opinion in which he said that as inc ianu
had been condemned for street opening. there couid
be no doubt OF the right of the city acuns 'hrousn
the contractor to remove the bodies and cover up
,ba GRAVEYARD He suggested that an effort be
made to inform the relatives OF the persons buried
there and said that the bodies could De pureu
below the grade or in the Potters Field lie ciosed
his opinion by saying: Delicate and unpleasant as
the situation U.s. do not see what else can Oe
done"
7, tho moan time Mr. Schuyler appealed to Po-
uce Canta,n Schmittberger OF the K!ngsbridge sta
ton and three officers were detailed to watch the
vault which, by-the-way, had been allowed 10 go
to rack and ruin By the wealthy descendants OF
those buried there Collins next secured permit
from the Board Of Health to remove bodies from
the vault Not wishing TO bury the bones OF the
perr,ans schuylers and Coles in the Potters Field,
| no made arrangements with undertakers for their
removal TO ST. Michaels Cemetery. having pre-
v.ously consulted with the nearest relatives OF the
persons supposed to have been purea IN the vault
Tine relatives were Jacob Cole. Berrlan OF Ford
ham. and C. r. Schuyler. OF Kingsbrdge
On on Saturday last Mr.: Collins, the u1dertakers
| nnored al the vault They were met by c. Is.
| gchuyer who said that the bones must be taken
to Woodlawn instead OF ST. Michaers Cemetery
The bones being all mixed up, IT was Impossible
| 70 Identity them. A fen coffin plates were found
| and a SET OF false teeth. which Mr. Schuyler
| pocketed There were two old gravest3nes outside
| H.. vaut which were taken along with the bones
J TO Woodlawn They bore the names OF JACOB ooie
| and Rerrlan, and dated 1895. No one seems
| 10 tnow how long the graveyard has been extant
but there have been no burials there within the
| last quarter Of century. . 49,,
| ' Ths Hoard OF Health had the old vault thor
| ouehly fumgated and heated to an intense hea
so as to XIII any germ of disease that might be
| TN sRerrian Schuyler and Cole families are
nnnr Tho largest landowners In the Annexed
| nstriet Their family vault VIII be removed
| fome day this week