Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-09-13
COURTMARTIALED AND SHOT.
Fiends in Human Form arc Seeking Plum
der-Everything Tonds to Show That tho
Loss, Both of Lifo and Property, is Much
Greater Than at First Calculated-Cro-
mating tho Bodies Other Narrowing
Details Cities are Nobly Responding to
eho Appeal for Aid.
(By Telegraph to virginian-Pilot.)


grows every hour. Newspaper state
ments have been too conservative in
their effort to guard against extrava-
gance or exaggeration. and estimates
of the loss of life in Galveston are now
believed to have been far below actual
figures. Many conservative people be-
lieve that ten thousand will be reached
before the mortuary list of Galveston
and vicinity is closed.
DEATH AND DESOLATION.
j. d. Dillon, commercial agent of the
Santa Fe, has returned from q trip
over the line of his road from Hitch.
cock to Virginia Point. He made the
trip from Hitchcock to Virginia Point
on foot.
Twelve miles of track and bridges
are down south Of Hitchcock" said hs.
II walked. waded and swan from
Hitchcock to Virginia Point, and moth
ing could be seen in all that country
but death and desolation. The prairies
are covered with water, and I do not
think / eXaggerate when 1 say that
not less than five thousand horses ana
cattle are to be seen along the line
of tracks south Of Hitchcock. The lit
tie towns along the railway are all
swept away. and the sight is the most
terrible that 1 have over Witnessed
when l reached n point about two
miles north of Virginia Point, L saw
come bodies floating on the prairie. and
from that point until Virginia Point
was reached, dead bodies could be seen
from the railroad track. floating about
the prairie. At Virginia Point moth
Ing Is left. About one hundred cars
of loaded merchandise that reached
Virginia Point on the night of the
storm. are scattered over the prairie,
and their contents will no doubt prove
q total loss"
UNPARALLELED CALAMITY.
The appalling nature of the great
tragedy at Galveston grows steadily
as communication is restored, and re-
fugees who reach n haven of safety
here, bring with them stories of a ca
lamity unparalleled in American his.
tory. Mayor Jones, of Galveston.
makes the astounding statement that u
conservative estimate OF dead is not
less than five thousand
The latest news from the strickcned
city is as sensational as it is sicken-
ing.
ORIGINATING BODIES.
So dangerous q menace to the safety
of the survivors. has the existence OF
rapidly accomplishing corpses become,
that every able bodied man who can
lend hand, Is engaged in the work OF
cremating those bodies that remain in
debris, and of consigning to the sea or
TO common trenches, those that are
picked up on the streets or along the
storm swept beach. Already, 1t Is
of in the interest Of human life. ana
the preservation Of public sanitation.
CURIOUS KEPT OUT.
Regarding movement of export
freight no definite plans have been
agreed upon. Detachments or militia
have been stationed at Texas City and
Virginia Point to prevent the passage
of persons who have no business in
Galveston. Eighty three bodies had
been buried at Texas City up to last
night. All of these foatod in from the
island. Probably 200 bodies have been
recovered and buried at Virginia Point.
ROBBING THE DEAD.
Houston. Texas, Sept. IA reporter
has telegraphed from La Porte the
story of the robbery and mutilation of
the dead in Texas and the death of
the offenders.
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 deSecra-
ton. Some of them were natives and
some had been allowed to go over from
the mainland under the Euise of IRE
lief" work. Not only did they rob the
dead, but they mutilated bodies in or
der to secure their ghoulish booty. A
party of ten negroes were returning
from n looting expedition They had
stripped corpses of all valuables, and
the pockets of some of the looters were
fairly bullying out with fingers of the
dead. which had been cut off because
they We're so swollen the rings could
not be removed.
LOOTERS SHOT DOWN.
Incensed at this dissertation ana mu-
tilation of the dead. the looters were
shot down. and II has been determined
that all found in the act of robbing
dead shall be summarily shot.
During the robbing of the dead not
only were fingers cut off, but ears were
stripped from the head In order to Sc
cure Jewels of value. a few Govern
ment troops, who survived. have been
assisting in patroling the city. Private
citizens have also endeavored to pre-
vent the robbing of the dead. and on
several occasions have killed the Of
tenders. Singly and in two's and
threes the offenders We're thus shot
down until the total of those thus ex-
ecuted exceeds fully fifty.
TERRIBLE NEWS CONFIRMED.
Dallas. Texas, Sept 12-W II. Nc
Grath. manager of the Dallas Electric
company, reached Dallas to-day direct
from Galveston last night. He said
vandalism at Galveston has been
horrible. The most rigid enforcement
or martial law has not been able to
suppress 1t entirely. Adjutant- General
Scurry's men have arrested a hundred
or more negroes, forty-three of whom
were found with effects taken from
dead bodies. These We're ordered tried
by courtmartia', These were convicted