The Washington times., 1905-07-03
Robbed Priests Grapes;
Ghosts Pursue GhOuL
Boldest of Vandals Becomes Hopeless
Maniac When He Came to Appreciate
EnOrnity of His Offense.

lot OF questioning, he admitted that his
name was not Hauck, but CHRISTIAN
Bauen. For three hours the superinten-
dent had him on the rack He parried
every attack and boldly denied that he
had ever been near the cemetery He
told straightforward story.
He had been a bank clerk in Berne,
Switzerland. had come 70 America
eighteen months ago and had been lead
ing an honest life, he said. He spoke
German, French, English, and italian
fiuently.
It was not until the superintendent
painted q word-picture of the invasion
OF the tomb that the man showed signs
of weakening. He was told of the time
when he would be laid away in his
grave. with a few little mementes
placed by sorrowing friends In the cas-
kes, of The grief of friends were they
ever TO discover the sacred spot had Deen
invaded. and thus desecraated for the
peltry value of the tokens that sad been
left with the dead
Made Full Confession.
slowly the face OF the man began to
blanch Then. as the superintendent
continued his narrative he broke down
completely ard sobbed like child. At
AcAe<
the story
Ee needed money. and did not care
how be got il. He was passing the
cemetery, entered. tried the door CT the
vault, found that It yielded. and went
inside He saw the silver handles of
the caskets They meant money for
him. Going out he secured the iron Dar
and a gunny sack Then he returned
For three hours he worked in the place:
"Once IL became dark-oh. so dark,
he said, anG became afraid. But when
l went to the door and looked out and
found that IL was only the sun behind
q cloud | was angry al my fears and
came back.
..As did so slab fell off the side of
/ the wall and struck one OF the collins.
1t was that one which contained the
skeleton of the man with the long red
beard The skull was knocked out OF
! the coffin and fell at my feet. / kicked
It over in the corner so that it would not
| be in the way.
81 had hoped that there would be gold
/ in the cofhns, but there WASH t-notlling
bus the silver, handles and the plates.
| These / put in the sack and hurried 10
my boarding house.
| Il borrowed a bread pan from my
landlady. melted the handles and plates
in an cid kettle, and ran the molten
metal into the bread pan It wasn't a
bad days work. but it should have
The former braggadocio had returned
! and he almost smiled as he was led
! back TO his cell.
Crazed by His Fears.
During the early part of that night
Bauen was restless in his cell in Cen
/ trail station, where he was still con
fined. Toward the early morning the
corridors of the station house suddenly
resounGed with the most unearthly yells
Bauen'S punishment had already arriy.
ed. In imagination he was again in the
/ tomb 1t was filled with the departed
| spirits OF the men whose graves ne haS
/ desecrated. They We're fighting him and
! beating him over the head with the
weapon he had used TO break open tht
| collins
Nothing could quiet him. Fearing thai
| he would dash his brains out against
| the walls Of the cell, he was naanacled
| Then in the morning he was taken t.
= jail and. placed in a padded cell
/ Insanity experts Who have examined
I him declare that he will never recover
/ A charge of vandalism has been mad,
+ against him, but ii is doubtful If he vii
I ever be placed on trial. He is twenty
five years of age and of good appear
| ance.
/ He is the most remarkable eharacte
I ever encountered, said Superintendent
I McQueide- Not one person in 1890
would have had the nerve 70 go int,
! that tomb and commit such a crime. Il
| fact there is no similar case on recor,
anywhere He seemed absolutely with
out feeling until the collapse came. The
L il was complete