The morning times., 1896-10-13
ROBBED An ANCIENT TOMB
Mysterious Vandalism at St.
Paul'S in New York.
PRIED OFF THE SLAB
Police Believe That Piunder Had Been
Secreted There-Sepulcher Is More
Than a Century Old and No One
Knows Whose Remains IL Held
Other Theories Advanced.

New York, Oct Ian ancient grave in
st. Pauls graveyard, Broadway and yesey
street, was broken into last Thursday night
and after the vandal had succeeded in dis
lodging and damaging the stone slab which
caps the tomb, be made bis way into DIR.
Morgan Dix's private Office, and after
ransacking his desk, oyerturnedit.
The police, as wellas the Deoriicialsof Trinity
Corporation, which controls the church, are
baffled at the motive. They can advance
not even one idea, nor has there been the
least bit OF evidence discovered which
would tend to furnish a reason for the
act. II is all conjecture. Still the theory
tbatit was m aniac is accepted stbe most
plausible.
No Que knows at what hour the tomb was
desecrated. 1t was discovered on Friday
morning.
USED A CRowBAR.
When the discovery was made that the
grave had been entered the top, slab was ly-
Ing On the ground. One corner of IL had
been Clipped off with a crowbar. which
testifies that IL was the work of one man,
Tor III there mad been more, they could have
lifted the slab without the aid of a crowbar.
Judging from the appearance OF the in
terror OF tile tomb. the man had no object.
II he had it was evidently not accomplished
Neither could he have been frightened
away, because it was apparently at a later
hour than DR.. Dix's office was entered.
The tomb is ON the Vesey street side of
the grave yard. Itis less than a dozen feet
from the tall iron fence which surrounds
the enclosure and lays just under a tree.
" is in full view OF persons passing in the
street, and as the thoroughfarc is u busy
one, even in the night, IL seems almost i'm
possible that person could be able to ac-
r,iTl
tectcd.
The tomb is more than 100 years old,
stands about two feet high, and measures
| three by six feet. Only the faintest trace
OF an inscription can be seen on the top
| slab, and 10 one knows who Is burie d there
Some OF the bricks which supported the
top Of the grave were worn away. There
were three rows of these bricks. Half the
bricks had been removed and thrown care
lessiy between nearby monuments. Ifthtre
was any intention to penetrate the grave,
| there was no reason why these bricks
should have been torn away.
The detectives advanced the theory that
IN years gone by plunder was secreted
beneath these bricks, and that the robbers
returned on Thursday night to recover
I The booty, but were frightened away. But
this theory seems least or all plausible, for
1t has been many years since the grave
was last touched.
BRICK THROUGH THE WINDOW.
One of the windows in Dr. Dfx's offices
looks out into the graveyard 1t was through
| this window>that entrance was gained. \
| brick was hurled through one OF the panes
| OF glass, the catch was unfastened and the
vandai was able to climb into the room.
| The watchInan, who slept just over DR..
| DiX's office. dfd not hear the noise made
| by the brick.
| The roller top OF DR.. Dix's desk had been
pricd open with a Jimmy and every scrapof
| paper pulled out and scattered upon the
floor.
| The contents OF all the drawers We're
treated i n the same way. An antique clock
| was taken from the room and Was thrown
into an ash barrel on the outside Nothing
was stolen, although il is possible that a
| search was made for valuables
| DR.. Dix said that the church officials were
| totally in the dark regarding the matter
The tomb he said, lis probably more
| than one hundred years old. and we cannot
\ tell who is buried there. The inscription
has been obliteratei by time. an d the church
records do not extend back that far"