The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-10
Police NJ ak e Fruitless
Search for Desecra.
tors Of Tomb
WOMAN'S BODY
is TAKEN AWAY
Remains Of Mrs. Anna M
McCollun Stolen and Every
Casket in Mausoleum Of Late
Millionaire William L. Scott
Tempered With May
Be Held for Ransom.

Erie Pa. February "a search Of
twenty-four hours has failed 10 un-
cover a single clue to the identity of
the ghouls who, some time during the
pas, -four days, 6csecrated the mau-
soleum In the Eric Cemetery Of the
late Congressman William l.. Scott.
millionaire railroad ma Enate. and car
ried away the body of his sistcr-in-
Law. Mrs Anna NJ NIcCollum.
Late Tonight the police found a hole
in the cemetery fence about 500 feet
from the vault, and the woman's body
is believed to have been removed
from this opening.
An investigation OF The vault has
shown concIusiveiy that the ghouls
were persons familiar With the work
undertaken. When the copper plates
in front OF the cryDts were torn awa>
sharp. hooked instrument was run
into the crypt and the name plates
pulled from the caskets
This has led To the belief that the
robbers were looking for the casket
for Mrs. McCollun. Besides her body.
there were five others in the vault and
the caskets Of all had been tempered
with
Reward offered
The Erie Cemetery Association has
offered a reward Of $1,000 for infor-
nation that Will lead to the arrest and
conviction OF the Ghouls
Developments to-day indicate that
the. BODY Of Mrs. Anna NJ McCollum
ato1sg leNs99 ,ul tucIy ueNul HuevQ psu
the floor Of tho vault
its removal from the mausolcum Parts
1870 psIslluos punol 7IaM lsHss5 sul 10.
All the bodies in the Scott mauso-
lenm were ia mpered with Aside from
Mrs. McCollum the following were in
TERED in the vault:
William J. Scott. Mrs. William L..
Scott Richard Townsend. OF Wa shing-
ton, Pa; Edna Townsend, an infant
daughter Of MIR. and Mrs. townsend,
of Washington ana John Mccollum,
whose wife's body was stolen
The crime has stirred this section
OF Pennsylvania in indigna ton at its
daring as nothing has since the sensa-
tional Kidnapping which occurred in
this vicinity few years ago.
The discovery was made by two wo-
men walking through the Erie Gene
terry. The family was Immediately
notified, and a watch was placed in
the cemetery at midnight after all as
surances we're made that the missing
body was not in the vicinity.
Details of Erie police kept watch at
the tomb during the night to greet the
body-snatchers should they return. The,
1
newspaper men early this morning.
who were ordered from the cemetery
at the point of reviewers
Hody nf SiSter-in-Ia,y.
While the police have been informed
OF the gravc-robbinE. no name Is at
taehed to the missing body by them
The first information TO the public
came from the family, but again no
name was given. 1t Is known, how
ever. that the body taken by the ghouls
is that of Mrs McCollunl, a sister-in-
law Of the late Mr.. Scott The police
believe the body is being held for ran
som, and that the vandals also intend?
ed to carry away the bodies OF the MIL
lionaire and his Wife
When the women in the cemeterv
found broken chains and open doors in
the mausoleum they notified Mrs.
CHARLES II. Strong, who is daughter
of Mr., Scott, and the wife Of Charles
H. Strong, president OF the Erie and
Ffttsburg Railroad, the Erie County
Electric Light Company and the owner
of the Erie Dispatch, the morning
newspaper OF this section. Mrs. Strong
notified the police. and all further in
formation was deemed Unnecessary.
AS soon as the news OF the grave
robbery reached the Strong home Mrs
Thoro Strong Ronalds, granddaugh-
ter OF William l.. Scott. started for the
cemetery with her father, Charles II.
Strong.
Mrs McCollum's casket was the first
on the lower tier al the north side Of
the mausoleum. and directly opposite
1t, on, the second tier. Is the casket
containing the body of Mrs. Scott. the
wife Of the millionaire who built the
mausoleum
The wall here also was broken. and
when II was examined 1t was found
that this casket was halfway ont and
TO all appearances was ready TO be car
rled away. The remains of the million
aire were lying next to those Of his
wife, but his casket was not disturbed.
number of palms stored in the maui
soleum had been broken down. and two
other caskets were broken into b,t no
attempt was made to carry either Of
them away.
That the body was carried away In
Continued on Third f.age.)