The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-08
Sexton Edward Spears, of the Mount
Cemetery, COrnered
by the Willy Negro.
CATHOLIC CEMETERY
1T is ALSO VISITED, BUT NO GRAVES
WERE OPENED.
The Grand Jury Will Begin It's In
vestigatiOn of Work of Ghouls
on Next Monday.

The detectives were active yesterday with
Rufus Cantrell and Walter Daniels in look
ing after graves in Mount Jackson and
the German Catholic cemeteries that were
said by Cantrell to be empty. When the
party arrived at the Mount Jackson Gem
etery it was met by Sexton Edward Spears.
who appeared somewhat nettled at the
presence of the detectives and Cantrell. The
latter, as he has done since his arrest,
claimed that a number of graves in this
cemetery were minus the bodies that had
been put into them. This was refuted by
Sexton Spears, but Cantrell faced Spears in
the denial, and the latter explained that
there might be some empty graves in the
cemetery, but he was not aware of it. Can
trell then said that if Spears did not make
a "clean breast of the whole matter he
| might expect to be drawn deeply into the
case. Cantrell, while talking to the de-
t~ectives and his attorney, Cass C%onnoway,
said that since his arrest he has found that
it was wrong to rob graves, and for this
reason he feels harshly toward those who
prompted him to do the work. He said he
would never have INDUCED in the work
had it not been that a man back of him
urged him on. telling him that there was
no law by which he could be convicted if
caught.
While in the Mount Jackson graveyard
Cantrell said that the bodies of Dorie Snow
den. Albert Tanner, Ed Johnson and sew
eral other men, had been taken to the med
ical colleges instead of being buried. He
said the collins were buried with large
pieces of ice in them to make them heavy.
He said he was sure Of this, as he was
| driver of a hearse for C. NJ. c.. Willis, a
colored undertaken on Indiana avenue, and
looked after all the details of the funerals
for the latter. The party went to the
grave of Snowden and found 1t empty as
| Cantrell had claimed.
SEXTON SPEARS CORNERED.
Sexton Spears when asked about the
graves being empty said he knew it to be
true, but had never given it any thought.
While he was talking with the detectives
and Cantrell the latter was inclined to tell
what had taken place between the ghouls
and Spears, and the latter asked Cantrell
to close his mouth and not talk any further
concerning the trouble. After this De-
tective Asch said he thought that i'm a few
days sufficient evidence would be collected
to warrant the filing of affidavits against
a few of the sections OF the sraveyards that
are said to have been robbed Of bodies.
From the Mount Jackson graveyard the
party went to the German Catholic Gene
terry at the south end Of Meridian street.
1t was said by Cantrell that the body of
Mrs. Katherine Derringer, buried six weeks
ago, had been stolen. The grave was found
by Cantrell. The ground was considerably
sunken on account of recent heavy Tains,
vet Cantrell said he was positive that the
body had been taken from the grave. John
Wolsiffer, a member of the German Catho-
lie Cemetery Association, was present and
said he could give no one authority to open
a grave without a permit from either the
Rev. Father Haase or the Rev. Father
yesterday evening. Efforts will be made
this morning to get In communication with
the priests, and If the permit is obtained
the grave will be opened to verify the as
1t was learned by the detectives yester-
day through Cantrell that several OF the
bodies by the indianapolis ghouls. 1t is not
thought that Cantrell had any connection
with the theft Of these bodies In the
more than one hundred graves have been
robbed. Cantrell said, however. that he
knew positively that the bodies that came
from the gas belt graveyards found their
oils. The ehouis that have robbed h
cemeteries In Fairmount, Alexandra and
other towns in the northern part of the
State are said 40 be white men. Cantrel
said he knew of three organized gangs of
white ghouls operating In that locality. He
refused to tell who the men are. Detectives
after the arrest of the white ghouls with
out delay. They said they would act indie
pendently of what Cantrell said. The lat
ter they claim has tried TO assist them in
every way and is deserving of some con-
sideration.
THE TRIAL DELAYED.
1t was learned yesterday that the trial
of Cantrell and the other alleged ghouls
will not be called in Police Court on Oct.
%, as first given out. At the conference
held Friday afternoon between Prosecutor
Ruckelshaus, Deputies Charles Benedict
and James Collins and the ghouls the whole
case was reviewed. and it was said yester-
day that the grand jury will take entire
charge Of the case next Monday when it
convenes. This is considered a new move
In the situation, as Attorney Herod, repre-
senting DIR. j. c. Alexander. and Attorney
Henderson, representing Cantrell, and the
other alleged ghouls would not allow their
clients to waive examination. but asked
the continuance of the case until Oct. %.
1t is thought that by this move no time
will be lost in legal bubbles aimed to frus-
trate the conviction of the ghouls and
others implicated in the case.
Yesterday afternoon the attorney for the
Medical College of Indiana held a long
conference with Judge Stubs and Prose-
cutor Collins in chambers, in which it was
said the attorney set out the legal points
concerning the issuance of search warrants.
1t is contended by the faculty of the Med
ical College OF Indiana that warrants have
been issued indiscriminately and have
worked great embarrassment to the col
lege authorities. AT the conference both
sides discussed the law and at the conclu-
sion it was said that hereafter no search
warrants will be issued unless the party
| asking for "A warrant is well known and