The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-30
CEMETERY OF
OLD TRINITY
NEGLECTED.
Vaults Open and Bones Of
Dead Exposed Bodies Of
Old Residents Lie There.

Boys, or perhaps older persons. have
been committing depredations in the
old Trinity Church graveyard, in the
rear of Trinity Chapel. in Rector street.
A vault has been entered and bones of
people who were inferred many years
ago have been disturbed. Skulls have
been shown by youngsters to men who
had business in the neighborhood, and
in one case a metallic coffin has been
broken open and the skeleton Of a child,
apparently, had been exposed. Whether
the child died from some contagious
disease, or whether 1t was brought to
the city from some distance, is not
known, but the fact hat the metallic
casket was used would indicate that
in the burial of the child there was
some need for special care.
Recently two men who had occasion
to be in the rear of the cemetery were
asked by a boy If they wanted to "see
something" and he led the men into
an open vault, where the body of the
child lay exposed.
The coffin contained a quantity of
water, which was Shiny and covered
with rust. In another corner were
found pieces of rotted wood, believed
W NC liOlu ucCdJGu CDlltlbs
One of the boys said that some time
ago an attempt was made to enter the
vault for the purpose, it is believed,
of robbing it, but the attempt failed.
for the guilty one while successful in
removing the lock which fastened a
heavy wooden cover, was unable to
remove a large bluestone which rested
beneath it. Not being able to raise the
stone. inc orner of 1t was broken off,
thus providing an entrance for in
truders.
The old burial ground has been neg
lected, although there lie in 1t the
bones of parents and grandparents of
many prominent Newarkers, some of
whom were buried there a century ago
and more. AT the north end of the
place there are several heaps of ashes
neal the decaying trunk of a tree that
lies on the ground. Near the tree trunk
the granite shaft of a monument Is
PROSTATE, n it has apparently lain
were it fell for years.
The ground is covered with tall weeds
n brambles, that nearly screen head
stones from view. The vault which is
open is covered by a large slab on
Which the inscription is scarcely de-
cipherable above the slanting door, so
that one can look down into the vault.
Some of the old red sandstone slabs
have sur so deep in the ground that
the inscriptions on them are hidden.
IN others of these old headstones the
inscriptions have peeled off and the
stones are bare.
A member of a firm that had BUSH
ness In the old burial ground said to-
day he was surprised at the condition
of the place, for the descendants of
many of those who sleep in the graves
are wealthy or well-to-do. He said
the place could be made ~presentable
with a comparatively small outlay OF
money, and he was sure that II the
church removed the weeds and bram-
bles and dead branches of trees, de-
scendants of the old people whose bones
are in the graves would look after the
latter.
When the late Patrick Leonard built
ST. Michael's Church, in Belleville ave-
nue., he found old st. Johns burial
ground, at the real of the church, in a
wretched condition. 1t had been neg
lected for years, after the Cemetery of
the Holv Sepulchre was opened in
East Orange. FIe had the rank weeds
and the brambles and underbrush re-
moved, and constructed foot paths. He
made the place so attractive that peo-
PIE put marble and granite headstones
on the graves of their deaf The Rev.
Dennis j. McCartie. present rector of
the church. keeps the old burial place
In excellent condition.
The oldest decipherable inscription on
a maidstone In Trinity Church burial
ground reads: Memory of Lydia, wife
of Jonathan Sayre, who departed this
life Sept. 27, 1856, in the 81 year Of her
age" On none of the oldest slabs of
sandstone appear verses such as are
seen in other old burial places. But
on a marble headstone for a woman
who died in 1891 a verse is carved.
AT upward OF two score Of graves
are neat marble headstones, II there
are q few granite or marble shafts.
Three or foul burial plots are enclosed
by iron ratings, and the headstones are
in good condition, especially just back
of the chapel building. But the ground
vaults are in need of attention. There
are fine headstones along the west side
of the burial ground.