Evening star., 1896-02-11
UNDOUBTEDG GRAVE ROBBERY
Identification Of pae of the Bodies at the
sMorgue.
The GhOWls Have been Working for
Some Time at Payne's Cemetery
Out ON tho Denning Road.

The police today identified one of the
two colored bodies intended for shipment
to Detroit. Mich. q Detectives Carter and
Gallaher. who were assigned to the case.
are now engaged in the difficult task Of
endeavoring to ascertain the identity and
whereabouts of the ghouls. The body iden-
tilted is that of Ellen Wilmington, who was
nearly eighty years old. and whose body
was supposed to be in its last resting place
in Payne's cemetery.
1t Is evident from the statements OF rail-
road expressmen that the work OF ghouls
has been carried on here all the winter, for
they remember that the same colored men
delivered at the depot for shipment at least
four large boxes, and 1t Is impossible to
tell just what number Of bodies they have
shipped away.
Mrs. Wilmington, whose body has been
identified, as already stated, was nearly
eighty years old. She had come here years
ago from Maryland, and during her last
sickness she was treated at the WasninR-
ton Asylum When she died there week
ago her body was removed to the home of
one of her daughters, No. 1927 Naylor
alley, from where her funeral took place
Wednesday afternoon. Relatives OF the
poor old woman followed her body to the
cemetery. and there 1t was deposited In
the vault to be buried two days later.
Friday night the body was taken from It's
grave, and the police think that the ghouls
also got the other body from the same
cemetery.
Visiting the MOrgue.
Undertaken James H. Winslow. who was
employed to conduct the funeral Is also
superintendent of the cemetery. He was
among those who visited the morgue and
view the bodies, but he was unable to rec
ognize them Although he had been en-
hi utn hn q II
not seen her face. One of his assistants
had officiated at the funeral.
All day yesterday the morgue door was
left open, and scores of colored persons
looked upon the two bodies. They rested
side by side on the dissecting table, while
on the floor near the table was the large
dry goods box filled with leaves. This Is
the box which the ghouls had deposited at
the United States Express Company's Of
flee for shipment to Angus Mclean, De-
trot, Mich" But there was another ad-
dress on the box written with blue pencil,
and this is what confused the expressmen
and caused them to make inquiry, winch
resulted in the finding Of the bodies packed
IN the oak leaves and straw.
None of the many people who visited the
morgue yesterday were able to Identity
either of the bodies. This morning a col
ored man amed Green, the old woman's s
scn-in-law, visited the morgue. and he saw
in the featui ies of the dead woman some
thing that resembled those Of his late
mother-in-iaW, but he was not certain
about her identity until his attention was
attracted to small gold earrings which she
wore. and then he was fully certain that
the body as that of his mother-in-law.
Isabella Green and Alice Miller daugh-
ters of Mrs. Wilmington, went to the
morgue, and one glance was all that was
necessary to convince them of the identity
of their mothers body. -.... z.. r'''
Other Work.
The Identification of this body left no
doubt in the minds Of the police concerning
the cemetery from which the other body
had been taken. They have no means OF
ascertaining any information concerning
the cemetery from which the other bodies,
heretofore shipped, were taken. 1t is their
| impression, however, that these particular
resurrectionists have been operating in
Payne's cemetery. This cemetery is more
than mile from Benning on the Benning
road, and is IN a secluded place, where
| ghouls ought to And their work easy, and
where they would not be easily detected
unless there was a watchman on duty. The
| police have not ascertained whether or not
| there was a watchman on duty in the GEM
etery on the night the ghouls did their
work.