Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-07-15
IN SAD PLIGHT.
WaterviIIe Man Finds Mothers Body
Has Been Removed from Grave.
And Therefore He is in Great Quandar)
Probably Some Mistake.

Waterville, July H.-(SpeciaD.- 1t
must be anything but pleasant to real
iZc that the grave of ones mother has
been robbed and the sacred ashes OF
knows where or for what purpose, but
such was the experience of Augustus
Pooler of this city, today. Mr.. Poolei
is one of the faithful car inspectors OF
the Maine Central Railroad at this
station. He Is one of the number OF
men whose business it is to go along
each train as it Gomez to a standstill
in the station and inspect the wheels to
see of any have sustained injury dur
ing the run.
Mr. rooler lost his mother nearly six
years ago and the body was buried in
q Catholic cemetery between this city
and Fairfield. 1t has been Mr.. Pooler's
custom each year to go to the cemetery
and fix up the lot in which his mother
was buried. Today, Mr.. Pooler Sc
cured leave of absence for the purpose
of visiting his mothers grave and
beautifying ii as best he could.
Perhaps his feelings can better be
imagined than described when. on ar
irving at the burial lot. he found the
grave had been robbed of its dead and
sticking in the earth was sign that
stated the lot could be purchased or
reasonable terms Of Undertaken Vale
of this city.
Pooler's surprise quickencd into
anger, anger that would mean some
thing if the one who had perpetrated
what was then supposed TO be. and. for
that matter, may yet be a great and
grave crime.
Pooler at once FASTENED to this city
and to the undertaking establishment
Of Mr.. Vale, and demanded to know
by what right that gentleman had
placed the Pooler lot on the market,
and the disposition of his mothers
body
Mr.. Vale said he had bought the lot
of Il man whom he believed had gone
West but who at the time of the pur-
chase of the lot by Mr.. Vale. lived In
Winslow
Mir; Vale being q responsible and re-
putable citizen. above the business Of rob-
ping graves and stealing burial lots. Mr..
Fooler was in great quandary as to
what he should do TO ascertain who th,.
man was who sold Mr.. Vale the lot. as
the latter could not remember the mans
name. tie beng no detective and deSir-
lng counsel what more natural that he
should go to his pastor. the Rev. Fir
Charland, of st. Frances De Sales Catho-
lie church.
After considering the matter the rever-
end father paid visit to the cemetery
accompanied by Pooler. taking along h
chart of the lots. 1t was shown conelu-
siVely that the body of Poolers mother
mad been removed from the family LOT
and while visions OF Ghoulish thieves and
the consequent results of their infamous
work lifted across the maddened brain of
the htreaNed SON, the clergyman CHANGED
to think that man living now IN NasSal-
boro whose family lot joined that Of
tooler, had intended to remove the body
OF his father from the cemetery in this
city. to NasSalboro. and that it was poss-
bic that he had made mistake. an UNI
common one 10 he sure, ana had removed
the remains Of Pooler's mother instead of
those OF his own father.
OF course this was and is all conjecture
on the part of those who suggest 1t as the
Journal understands it, and that from
with Pooler himself
Father Charland. tonight. indicts a let
Ter to the NaSsalboro citizen. whose name
is withheld until AT least it is known that
he is responsible for Il grave mistake If
mistake il is. Tonight. MIR Pooler is in
great distress of mind least the clue now
being followed should prove to he the
wrong one and he must ho brought to S,e-
licNc that his mothers body has been
ruthlCSsly torn from its place of rest 10y
ticnds who practice the business of grave
robbiug for gain.