Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-06
FIND EhP1Y SHROUDS
Grewsome Relics Exhibited at
the Trial of the Grave
Robbers
woMAN's sHRouD IDENTIFIED
sHRouD IDENTIFIED

Corpse Which Afterward Disappear
ed From Its Grave Identifies Sewing
-cantrell Tells of Stealing of the
Bodics-Startlins Confession.
Indianapolis, Feb. G.-There was no
lack of sensation during the testimony
at the trial today of DR.. j. C. Alexander
in the grave robbing cases. parcel
containing two shouds, in possession of
the detectives, was introduced in evil
dence. The parcel was taken from the
basement of Central College on a search
warrant One of the shrouds was ider-
tilted by a woman who did the needle
work, as that made for Mrs. Catherine
Doehring, whose body was stolen from
the German Catholic cemetery. Sam
uel Martin, who was prominently iden-
titled with Cantrell in the grave rob-
bing business, was the first witness to-
day. He testified he met DIR. Alexander
at the latter's office last June. The doc
tor told Martin he wanted seventeen to
twenty subjects and would pay $50
each. Alexander told Cantrell at that
meeting that he would watch the death.
returns at the health Office and notify
Cantrell. The first trip, he said. was
made in July, when the Anderson ceme
terry was visited. and they secured the
over to the college. Next day Alexan-
der paid him SO. Witness also told of
several other similar robberies and of
4 Alexander paying for subjects.
Until his arrest Alexander was DEM
onstrator of anatomy in the Central
College of Physicians and Surgeons,
and the charge is that he was distribut-
ing agent of a combination of ghouls,
which included other medical men, min
listers undertakers guardians of ceme-
teries and at least thirteen white and
black professional body-snatchers.
Alexander and the others were impli-
Gated in the affair by the confession Of
Rufus Cantreil, an undertaker, an ex-
horttr. and, by his own admission, the
head and front of this ghastly enter
prise. For more more than five years
bodies were stolen and sold not only to
medical men in this city, but also to
others In cities all the way from New
York to San Francisco.
Among the bodies stolen and probably
dissected We're those of three beautiful
society girls, Sterna Middleton, Glen
dore Gates and Rose Neidlinger.
The horrifying details of the case
We're brought to light last fall.
On the night of September 26 some
one drove up to the residence of Wesley
Gates, in suburb of Irvington, and
called him to the door. A voice from
a hack standing at the curb informed
him that the body of his daughter
Glendore, who was buried few days
before, had been stolen, and he would
find it at the Central College of Phys
icians and Surgeons Mr.. Gates made
an investigation the next day, but
when he dug down to the pine box en-
closing the coffin and found 1t intact
he caused the grave to be filed up, be-
lieving that he had been deceived, but
unable to divine why anyone should
play such a cruel joke upon him.
night or two later hack stopped
In front of the home of John Middle
ton and he was called to the door and
notified that the body Of his daughter
had been stolen and was at the Central
College of Physicians and Surgeons
The grave was opened next day and the
truth OF the statement was verified.
A search of the college led to the find
ing OF the body and it was reburied.
The detectives called at Manters and
discovered that a negro preacher named
Rufus Cantrel had pawned some guns
When asked regarding the property
that he had pawned. and informed
that he was suspected of robbing the
grave of Sterna Middleton, Cantrel
broke down and made a complete con-
fession, In which he implicated nine
other negroes. DR.. Alexander and DR.
Both physicians were ar
rested and the negroes We're soon in
Cantrel said that DR.. Alexander kept
watch over the death returns at the
city board of health and notified him.
He received $50 for every body and
mad made $42O since July, and the
other members of the gang had made
as much as he. He did not know lust
how many graves had been robbed
but he said that he and seven others
had been in the business for two
years.
Samuel Wood was a member of the
shoulish gang during his life. One
night, as they were taking a body out of
& grave at the Mourt Jackson ceme-
terry, they We're fired upon by the
The ghouls scampered to
their wagon, but Wood fell and struck
his head violently AGAINST a tombstone.
fracturng his skull. He died a week
later at the city hospital. and the night
after he was buried Cantrel and his
gang stole the body and sold 1t to the
Central College of Physicians and Sur
geons for $50. Cantrel laughed over this
40 good joke on Wood, and said he
had an eye on him from the time they
took him to the hospital till he died.
Besides Alexander the persons under
arrest number and include DR.. j. c.
Wilson, George Haymaker, custodian at
the college; DIR. Frank M. Wright. dem
onstrator of anatomy at the Indiana
Eclectic College: Harry Speers, owner
of Mount Jackson cemetery: Cornelius
Jones and Adam Ault. watchmen at the
cemetery. and C. M. Willis, undertaken.
The entire MEDICAL profession of the
city and state is rallsing to the defense
of Drs. Alexander. Wilson and Wright.
This would be more potent In Alexan-- >