Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-23
FROM AN OMAHA CEMETERY
Bodies Found at Des koines Stolen from
Mount Hope.
JACOB HELM AND MRS. HANNAH LARSEN
Careful work Done ut the Graves
shipper of the Trunks Caught
Mt Drake Medical
College.

TeSuTTGC-
ton has extended is as yet unknown, but
from the examination which was made yes
terday afternoon, the police are of the opin-
ion that many Of the graves in the burial
plot contain nothing more than empty cof-
fms. But two. graves were opened and II
was found that the bodies from both had
been removed
The discovery was brought about as a re-
suit OF telegram which was received at
noon yesterday from the chief Of police Of
Des Mones, j. II. Ford The telegram stated
that a man had Just been arrested who had
brought two bloody trunks from Council
Bluffs. The trunks contained the bodies Of
man and woman. one 40 and the other 45
years Of age, apparently.
The only clew which was furnished the
police in the telegram was a statement that
upon the shirt Of the man was found the
word, Emmanuel" Chief Ford thought this
might be the mark of Emmanuel hospital.
The telegram said further that while the
trunks were shipped from Council Bluffs, he
believed that the bodies were obtained in
Omaha, although he gave no grounds for
this belief
Acting upon the clew thus furnished De-
Hectives were detailed to investigate. They
were ordered FIRST to make inquiries at the
Swedish Emmanuel hospital in the northern
paired at once.
The visit ELECTED information that urged
the detectives to further investigation. 1t
was found that on January 81 a young woman
named Clara Peterson was buried from the
hospital in Forest Lawn cemetery. The Of
nciais OF the cemetery were at once COM
municated with but they positively denied
that the grave Of the woman had been tam
pered with. They have had a watchman on
duty ever since one of the graves was robbed
n1 a ty,and hat
any graves had been opened without knowl-
edge. No further effort was made in this
direction, as the woman was said to be but
26 years OF age, while the body in Des Mo!nes
was apparently that of woman 45 years
OF age.
EXAMINATION AT MOUNT HOPE.
Another corpse had been buried from the
hospital recently. II was that of Jacob HELM,
man 46 years of age, who had succumbed
typhoid fever He was buried in Mount
Hope cemetery on February 2. It was
learned that the probability was that some of
the garments In which the mans body was
arrayed might bear the mark of the hos
pital.
Simon Wogensen sexton of the cemetery.
was found, and he stated emphatcally that
none of the graves in the burial plot had
been opened. He stated that he had found
no indications OF anything Of the kind in his
rounds. The detectives insisted, however
that at least the grave of Jacob HELM be
opened. The sexton complied with the re-
quest. A few moments were spent in an ex-
animation Of the surface Of the grave Moth
ing suspicious was noted. The mound of
earth had apparently been undisturbed, was
perfectly smooth, and no dirt was scattered
about on the surrounding dried grass. Even
the loot board, upon which was inscribed
Jacob Helm 40 years. was in its place, and
mad not apparently been touched.
Once more the sexton insisted that the
grave could not possibly have been opened
nr tIo g. t.-t..
+ behind. The detectives insisted. however,
that an investigation should be made
In the drizzling rain shovels were planted
IN the yielding earth by the sexton and his
out. shovelful by shovelful, and yet nothing
indicated that 1t had been disturbed sncs it
was thrown In when the body was entombed
The lid OF the wooden box which enclosed
the coffin was reached. and still nothing sus-
picious was found The lid fitted as closely
as II 1t had never been touched
Il told you that this grave had not been
opened remarked the sexton. WITH a smile
IN anticipation OF the disappointment of the
detectives
FOUND THE COFFIN EMPTY.
Lift up the lid"
The sexton did so. He looked down and
then up at the detectives, with surprise in
his face. The coffin lid was on the coffin. but
1t did not fit 1t was a trife awry. and on
" and In the bottom of the box were living
The lid was lifted. The coffin was empty
II was determined that another grave should
De examined In an effort to discover If the
body OF a woman had been removed Al
most at random 1t was decided to open the
grave OF Hannah Larson, the woman last
buried In the cemetery Her funeral no.
CURED February II.
!. The sexton and the detectives repaired to
the grave, and once more the shovels were
brought into requisition. After digging a
few minutes the sextons shovel struck n big
clod of black earth
would almost swear that this grave has
not not been touched" he stopped to remark. |
rms 10 the very point where l put this |
grave" '' '"'o the
He returned to his work and after half |
hours labor the lid of the wooden box
which enclosed the coffin was brought to
view No,hin3 indicated that the dirt ha / |
snugy ''1 A''e'
Il 5sliGre that that is all right" said
lid" Nr0' 'p 'ne
The lid was tilted up by tho sexton. Tho
saIhe startling discovery was made as in the
other grave. The brown lid with its staring
and now ironical inscription, at Rest" was
imperfectiy placed upon the coffin. The
screws were scattered about in the bottom,
OF the box.
9 The coffin lid was removed The body was
found to, be gone. In the foot OF the ccfln
a black shirt was carelessly thrown and
beneath IL was found one black slipper Scat
tered about on the bottom were the frag-
meRts of a white wreath.
The Investigation satisfied the detectives
1t was late and they decided to return to the
city for the night and postpone further ex-
animation CT graves
SHIPPING THE TRUNKS.
Early yesterday morning Chief of Police
Seaman CT Council Bluffs received a telegram
from the Des Metres chief OF police stating
that George Smith had been arrested there
Tor the robbery of graves and asking that
q. search os the local cemeteries be made
as the bodies were supposed to have been
sent from Council Bluffs. Investigation
showed that tho trunks with their gruesomel
baggage were sent from Council Bluffs on
the lO:55 O'Clock train Friday morning. Early
In the morning, soon after o'clock. a buggy
was driven up TO the passenger depot and
the two trunks dumped upon the platform.
One Of them had been strapped behind the
buggy and the other in front The driver
Of the rig was apparently farmer and did
not attract any special attention around the
depot. Tho owner Of the trunk however
made himself conspicuous as q kicker and
thus caused the depot officials to look at
him closely enough to be able TO furnish an
excellent description. He bought q ticket
and wanted the two trunks checked on the
one ticket. The baggagemaster refused 10
10 this aad the fellow made vigorous kick