The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-04
BOMBS GUARD HER GRAVE
T0RPEDOEs sOwN TO PROTECT
MIS-. wHITNEY,s BODY.
= Stroke From the SPADE Of Ghouls
WoalA Iavite ssre Destrnction-
Fear Of Their Search for Jewels
or Ransom Inspires PrecautiOn.

+ Under the wealth OF hotheuse flowers
that cicthe Mrs. William c. Whitneyss
grave. on a hilltop overlooking the Ltue
Neck meadows, the freshly turned earth
is sown with powerful torpedces. The
coffin is hesnmed about with them, and
the ghoal who undertakes to strike his
spade beneath the surface would invite
swift destruction
Nor II this the only preeau,ion taken py
Mr. Whitney to guard the resting place Of
hts dead. Night and day tao men are
posted there TO watch the grave. One Is q
detective and the other patroiman.
They are detailed there from the Flush
Ing police station. aud have no other duty.
The villagers OF Douglaston take a keen
interest in these tacitgrn men. who smoke
their pipes In the shadow Of Zion church.
There Is no secret about the torgedoes.
All tie village talks of them Lawyer w.
X. GriRiths. the secretary Of the yestry
spoke quite freely about them last night
to an inqussitive visitor They were no,
planted there by the grave digger. but by
strangers sen. there 10 finish his work for
him-men whose trade Is to handle ex-
piesiyes. But the posting of police guards
WAS an afterthough. and I, may have
been the result, OF a warning.
This Is what the village gossips about.
One story tina; seems 10 be purely gossip
lis that the body Is decked in valuable
Jewels, and that word has been received
OF conspiracy To descerate the grave for
them Then there Is an impression thar
apprehension exists OF an attempt 10 steal
the body and hold il for Il ransom. as WAS
done In the case Of A. T. Stewart
Still third version. 10 which Detective
Fullerton who commands the guard.
gives credence. Is that the extraordinary
nature OF the injury which Mrs. Whitney
survived 90 long. bat which eventually
caused her death. would make the body an
especially desirable subject for the arato-
rnist's table. and that = band Of those who
are accustomed to run great risks for the
profts 20 be earned in this ghoulish traffic
had laid plans 10 rife the grave
However that may he. Rev. G. Blsn.
chsrd. rector of Zion caarch and vessry-
man Grinsths sent for the police on the
day following the funeral and on their
representations the guard was established
The cemetery Is in a lonely place aud the
robbery of a grave there would be a simple
matter IL no precautions were taken. Mrs.
Whi'ney's coffin was no: Laid In a vault
but III the ground alongside the grave OF
Capt. Randolph. her first husband
"A couple Of men with spades could rob
the grave in twenty minutes. IL there wero
no torpesoes and no guard sad Detective
Fullerton las, night. as he hooked around
at the shadows thar were gathering among
the white soEnbstones.
Mr. Whitney Intends to buy large PIC,
in the little churchyard. Whether I, viii
Include The graves Of Mrs. whitney and
CAPT Randolph. or whether Mrs Whit
noy's body viii be transferred eventually
70 a new vault IN another part of the Gem
eteYy Is not known.
Capt. Randolph Died in the homestead OF
William + Douglas frcm whons ne SCI.
Element takes its name. and was buried II,
pougiassen. TIL. plot In which he ara
Mrs Whitney are buried measures only 1s
fee. by Il feet.
In advance Of tae laster's funeral a New
York fo,ts. clothed the fence. whi,h WAS
In rather bad repair With palms. laurel
and cut towers, making !; a p@lssaaa of
foliage ard blossoms. After the grave had
heen filled tcrpedees and all. II was COW
er@i with blanket woven Of orchids
lilies Of the valley and white hlac-Nea
Szvss