The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-07-26
GRAVE Of SAGE IS
BURGLAR PROOF
Fear Is That Last Resting Place
of Late Financier Will
Be Violated.
IMMENSE SUM SPENT
TO SECURE PROTECTION
Only the Most Simple Services
Are Held at 0akwOOd
Cemetery, Troy.

TROY, N. Y. July 25.-Bncased in a
hermetlcally sealed copper envelope,
placed within q solid mahogany coffin.
the body of Russell Sage was today
placed In a chilled case, four inches
thick, riveted with steel bolts, locked
with lock which can only be opened
from the inside, and lowered into a grave
carpeted and lined with evergreens. on
which the clods will be heaped and the
mound built. The steel case weighs
three tons. 1t was shipped to oakwood
cemetery, Troy, yesterday.
Immediately after the steel box and
the contents were lowered into the
grave. electrical connections were made
and wires strung so that an immediate
alarm VIII be given if any attempt is
made to tamper with the remains, The
extraordinary efforts TO thwart attempts
by grave robbers was sanctioned by
Mrs. Sage and by her closet advisers.
Great Outlay of Money.
The expenditure for this protection
and for the coffin and accessories are
greater, so far as known, than any sum
expended in the burial OF any other
private citizen in the United States and
is in striking contrast with the rigid
economies practiced during the long life
time OF Mr.. Sage.
The coffin alone, OF solid mahogany,
with its copper inside envelope. trim
mings and mahogany handles, cost ap
proximately $1,000. The steel case and
its patent unpickabie lock cost s22. 900.
1t Is called the burglar-proof cofTln, and
It is asserted that even without the
added precaution OF electrical protection
or guards, II would be impossible for the
most expert grave robber TO get at the
body,
Mrs. Sage, &c Is said. has had q dread
OF a violation of sepulchers since the
stealing of the body of ~ T. Stewart,
and she readily consented to the pro-
posal for safeguarding the grave Of her
husband.
Coffin Like Bank Safe.
The steel case is of such hardness that
1t would take two expert safe openers
a full day to break the outer shell, and
then only by the employment OF specially
constructed tools. There is no visible
lock to be attacked
Once the lid Is closed down, self
locking mechanism clamps 1t Inside at
twenty points, and not the slightest
opening is left for the insertion OF q
wedge.
The corners are all rounded
The body OF Russell Sage was brought
here from New York today and buried
In Oakwood cemetery beside the body of
his first wife. The body OF Mr. Sage
arrived here in private car. attached
TO regular train from New York. An
other private coach contained the
mourners and members OF the funeral
party, numbering twenty persons. But
two floral pieces were brought from New
York TO this city, one an immense
wreath, sent by the late bankers office
staff; the other, cluster Of lilies Of the
valley, from the Sage summer home at
Lawrence, l.. /.
Epitaph Is Striking
The funeral cortege proceeded from
the railroad station to Oakwood, where
large number OF persons had gathered
at the Sage family lot. After a brief
service, read by Rev. Dr.. Andrew Hage-
man of New York. the body was com
mitted to the grave The words which
are to be engraved on the Sage monu-
ment are; II have done the best that
could by the light of the day