The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-13
Corpses Mutiiated to Secure Rings
and JeweIry.
HOLD AN ORGIE OVER THE DEAD
An Army officer Reports to the War
Department That Galveston is
Destroyed Beyond the Ability
to Iiccoyer-Hcip Comm.
In- Setting Things
to Rig t.
(By Associated press.)

(By Associated rress.)
HOUSTON, .TENAS.L September IA
reporter has telegraphed from La Porte
the story of the robbery and mutation of
the dead in Texas and the death OF of
tenders
The ghouls were holding an orgie over
the dead The majority of these men were
negroes, but there were also whites, who
took part in the desecration. Some OF
them were natives and some had been al
lowed to go over from the mainland under
the guse Of relief workers. Not only
did they rob the dead, but they mutiiated
bodies in order to secure their ghoulish
booty.
GHOULS SHOT DOWN.
A party of ten negroes were returning
from a loo,ing expedition They had
stripped corpses OF all valuables, and the
pockets of some of the looters were fairly
hulsing out with fingers Of the dead, which
had been cut off because they were SO
swollen the rings could rot be removed
Incensed al this desecratio and mut;la-
ton of the dead, the locters We're shot
down, and it has been determined that all
shall be summariiy shot.
FIFTY EXECUTED.
During the robbing of the dead not only
were fingers cut off, but ears were stripped
from the head in order to secure jewels OF
value few government troops who sur
vived have been assisting in patrong the
city Private citizens have also endeav-
ored to prevent the rohb!nS OF the dead.
and on several occasions have Killed the
offenders. Singly and IN twos and shress
the offenders were thus shot down until
the total of those thus executed exceeds
fully fifty.
HORRIBLE VANDALISM.
DALLAS, TEN, sept, 12.-W. NJ Me
Grath, manager of the Dallas Eiectrlc
Company. reached Dallas to-day direct
from Galveston last night. He said:
Vandalism al Galveston has been hor-
r:b!e. The most rigid enforcement OF
martial law has not been able TO suppress
it entirely. Adjutant-General Scurry's
men have arrested hundred or more
negroes. forty-ttree of whom were found
with effects taken from dead bodies.
These were ordered tried by court martial;
were convicted and ordered shot One
negro had twenty-three fingers with rings
on them in his pockets.
OFFICIAL REPORT.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 12.-The Quarter
masters Department has received the fol-
lowing from Galveston:
"Quartermaster General, Washington
referring to my telesrams of the 9th
and 10th. have, subject to approval, sus-
pended Fort Crockett construction con-
tracts and again urgently recommend
that contractors be paid for labor and
material in place and on ground; all swept
away and lost beyond recovery. Fortifi-
cations at Crockett, Jacquinto and Travis
all destroyed and cannot be rebuilt on
present sites.
DESTROYED BEYOND RECOVERY.
Recommend the continuance of my of
flee here only long enough to recover
Crockett Office safes and morning gun,
when located; also to close accounts and
ship my office and recovered property
where directed. L fear Galveston is de-
troyed beyond its ability to recover. Loss
OF life and property appalling.
(S!Sned) "BAXTER,
Commanding"
ATLANTA's HELP.
ATLANTA. GA, September 12-At a
special meeting OF the City Council this
afternoon $500 was appropriated for the
Galveston storm sufferers. Private sub
scriptions have amounted to more than
this amount. and to-day S+.771.45 was sent
to the relief committee in Galveston.
KNIGHTS TDMFLAR SEND AID
ASHEVlLDE, n. c., September 12-
Grand Commander WE. Randolph, of
North Carolina Knights Templar. to-day
wired the following to subordinate COM
manders of this State:
..Our fraters in Texas in dire distress
because Of recent storm. Immediate relief
imperative Grapd Master appeals for
funds. Wire or SEND quickly to Henry B.
Stoddard, Deputy Grand Master, Calves
ton, Texas
SHIPS TO RENDER AID.
WASHINGTON, September 12-The
Navy Department has ordered the gun
boat Bancroft, now at London, Conn,
and the Somerset, at Pensacola, Fla, to
proceed to Galveston, Tex, to furnish
what aid they can to the storm suffer
ers.
THE CALAMITY GROWS.
HOUSTON, TEXAS. september 12,-The
magnitude OF last Saturdays c:tian,:ty
grows every hour Newspaper statements
nave been TOO conservative in, their effort
to guard asainst extravaganza or exagSer-
alton, and estimates Of the less OF slite In
Galveston are now believed to have been
far below actual figures. Many cnserva-@
tive people believe that ten thousand will
be reached before the mortuary list of
the Galveston and vicinity is closed Cap.
tain Charles Clarke. Of Galveston. who
mas been about on boats in the waters
around Galveston day and night since the
storm, and bases this estimate on what
he thus has seen. Barges and steamers
are now passing between Texas City and
Galvasf sfon-5istance Of six miles. They
connect With trains that pass over Gal
weston. Houston and Henderson and Texas
City tracEa.
APPALLING SCENES.
J.an Dillon, commercial agent OF the
Santa Fe, has returned from n trip over
the Ire Of. his road from Hitchcock to-
Virginia Point. He made the trip from
Hitchcock to Virginia Point on foot