The Savannah morning news., 1904-12-22
GHOULS ROBBED
BARSTOW CRAVE
BROKE OPEN FOUR C0FFINS.
THE DESIGNATED TOMB WAS DIS
COVERED BY HUNTERS.

-Four Members of Family of Films
DarstOw Had Been Inferred There.
Heavy Instrument Was Used to
Break Open the Collins, and Indi-
cations Were That Robbery Was
MOtive-BOnes Had Been Pulled
from Resting Place.
A hunting party, of which Mr..
Charles Sipple was a member, made a
very startling discovery on a recent ex-
cursion to Wilmington Island, and an
incidental search and discovery of the
family tomb of Elias Barstow.
During the sojourn of the party on
the island one of the members sug-
gested that a visit be paid to the tomb,
which is said TO be one of the most
isolated in the whole country. Accord
ingly one morning the party commence
ed the search, and after several hours
We're about to give up the quest when
they met an old negro man who agreed
to show them to the tomb. They final
ly reached it after a toilsome journey
through cane brakes, briar patches,
heavy underground and swamp lands.
There was not a path or any other
indication that the vicinity had ever
before been visited by a human being.
Mr.. Sipple described the spot as be-
ing about three miles from the wharf
or any habitation. The tomb, he said,
is constructed above ground, of brick.
In contrast with all similar sepul-
chres, wooden door was used to seal
the vault. Forest fires had ragged
around the spot. burning the door
away to such an extent that it was
easily moved from it's fastenings. On
moving this door the party was hor-
rified to see the caskets inside broken
open, and the skeletons of the former
occupants scattered about.
Collins Were Broken Open.
On closer examination it was found
that two of the collins bore evidence
of having been in the vault for years.
They were of cast iron.
The other two caskets were of more
modern make, being what is commonly
known as metallic. All four of these
collins had been broken open, as if
with a sledge hammer or some heavy
instrument. Parts of the satin lining
to the metallic caskets had not settled
into dust, and the ghouls had pulled
it out and thrown parts of it on the
ground.
The positions of the bones in the
collins indicated that some one, evil
IDENTIFY intent on robbery, had searched
every coffin in quest of some valuable
that might have been buried with the
dead. Elias Barstow was known
to be wealthy and very &C.
centric, and it was common rumor
that he had asked that large sums of
money be placed in the casket with
him. Whether those guilty of the OUT
rage to the dead secured any booty is
not known.
Last Barstow Buried.
The last member of the Barstow fam
lily to be buried in the vault was Bud
Barstow, who was found dead in his
house on Wilmington Island 1t
was believed he had been head
several days, and there was
considerable mystery surrounding his
death. His remains were inferred in
the family vault by Undertaken Goette.
AS soon as the hunting party return
ed to Savannah after discovering the
desecrated tomb, they notified Under
taker Goette, and new caskets were
provided for and sent to the island,
and the remains placed in them. The
same wooden door was repaired and
placed back in place.
The history of the Barstow family is
known to a number of the older citi-
zens of Savannah, and after the death
of the last immediate member of the
family there was considerable litiga-
ton over the estate, which was a large
one.