Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-27
HER IMPREGNABLE TOMB.
MRS. JOHNsoN's LAST PRECAUTIoN
AGAINST BODY sNATCHING.
Her Last Line of Defense Completed
at Yantic Cemetery In Norwich
A Derrick Will BE Needed
to Open the Vault.

to Open the Vault.
Norwich, Conn. Correspondence n. Y. Sun.
The most elaborate grave In the Nutmeg
state, perhaps in New England, has just
been completed in Yantic cemetery, in this
city. for Mrs. Mary T. Johnson, recently
of Norwich, but now of Chicago.
Mrs. Johnson is rich. She is haunted by
the fear that, after her death, her tomb
may be invaded and despoiled by body
snatchers. Hence she decided to so prepare
and fortify her tomb that any attempt OF
the kind would be foiled. Some years ago
she purchased the most spacious and
precious lot in the cemetery here, and. with
the aid of a corps of skilled workmen, con-
Structed a grave that was masterpiece.
seemingly impregnable, of sepulchral hand
iwork. Its floor and lid were seamless slabs
of stone, and its massive side walls of ce-
mented bricks. 1t seemed as If it were ca
pable of resisting prolonged assault from
the most determined vault robbers. Not
long ago, however, tormented by a recur-
renee of her morbid dread of ghouls, Mrs.
Johnson vigorously applied herself to the
task Of reconstructing the grave. Fear
ing lest her husband, rich ranch owner
and manufacturer, or her sons, with whom
her relations are neither cordial nor con-
fidential, might interfere with her purpose,
she carried on the work stealthily. and
they knew nothing about 1t until after 1t
had been completed.
One morning a little army of expert arti-
sans with pickaxes. spades, shovels, trow-
els. chisels, bars, hoes and large der
rick moved into Yantic cemetery and en-
camped on and about Mrs. Mary T. John
sons burial lot. They toiled uninterrupt-
edly for several weeks, and the curious
neighbors about the rustic cemetery peered
daily from upstairs chamber windows,
through half closed shutters, above the
graveyard wall. at the busy workmen, and
wondered what on airth Missis Mary
Johnson was up to now" They were ac-
quainted with Mrs. Johnson through the
medium OF neighborhood gossip and local
newspaper reports of her varied, pictur-
esque and always entertaining appearances
in the county courts. Finally, one day. the
little army of toilers knocked off work,
gathered their tools, unshipped their der
rick's crane, and, with all their working
paraphernalia loaded in drays. marched
away. Their labor Of reconstruction was
completed; yet so deftly and circumspectly
had they wrought that from superficial
inspection of the lot alone, casual OBJ
server would not surmise that the old
grave had ever been disturbed.
A wonderful grave it now is. Its sides,
of the finest pressed and cemented bricks,
and thick and massive as the foundation
titanic slab of polished granite that weighs
considerably more than a ton, while SIM
liar stone beautifully finished and weigh
ing 2i00 pounds, forms the lid. The ground
about and above the grave has been laid
out and turfed evenly and with precision.
so that there Is no external token reveal
ing its existence or location. Mrs. Johnson
has expressed herself as entirely satisfied
with the vault, believing implicitly now
that when her body shall be laid between
its two mighty monolithS, 1t Will De forever
secure from invasion by the dreaded grave
robber When the time has come, however,
for the commitment of ner body TO the
cemetery tomb a derrick must be used to
remove and replace the ponderous lid.
Besides the curiously contrived grave, Mrs.
Johnson has had an equally remarkable
mortuary memorial erected at her lot, a
magnificent polished granite monument,
costing $4,000, which was designed by her
self. it being In part in imitation OF mas
terpiece of the kind which she saw in an
art gallery of Europe. The monument is a
shaft bearing ornately carved effigies OF
the allegorical figures. Faith, Hope and
Charity. 1t was produced by the granite
cutters of westerly. r. I.
Mrs. Johnson, during her residence in
this city, varied with occasional sojourns in
the metropolis, by her personal eccentrfct-
ties popularity of dress and free and DEM
ocratic social ways, provided local gossips
with abundant material for street and shop
and tea table meetings. One of her most
pronounced characteristics was an extrav-
agant fondness for diamonds, and on ac-
count of that fondness she was known in
all Southern New England as Mrs. Dia-
mond johnson. She was aame with mag
nificent great gems at all times. rarely ap-
pearing in public with less than 5000 to
$40 600 worth of the jewels on her person.
Her fingers were covered with diamond
rings. and she decked herself with diamond
earrings, diamond brooches. bracelets,
wristlets. coronets, breastpfns studs, sleeve
buttons: had diamonds in her fans gloves,
purse. and other accessories of her toilet,
including sundry pieces of underwear. In
leaving the Park Congregational church
here at the end of the morning service on
Sunday Mrs. johnson once let slip won
derful garter, and gentleman who
promptly and calamity retrieved II OBJ
served that its clasp was set with a man.
moth flaming solitaire. In her palatial
home on Broadway she affixed jewels to
various pieces of furniture, and printed her
name, MARY Johnson" in diamonds on the
| dial plate of her grandfather's clock. She is
quite as resplendent, II is said. in Chicago,
| her birthplace, as she was here. She is
the daughter Of the late millionaire, Tuttle
King, of that city. Not long ago she lost
one OF her finest Jewels while on the way
from New York to this city, and offered q
reward of $1,000 for its recovery. The gem
was found by ragged little New London
newsboy, who promptly restored II to its
owner. With corresponding readiness Mrs.
Johnson paid him the promised reward
1