Evening journal., 1911-02-11
NO CLUE TO
ERIE CHOULS
Bodies We're Not Removed
From the Scott MauSOIeum
as at First Supposed
HANDSOME CASKETS WERE
LOOTED OF THEIR TRIMMINGS

BY United Press Leased Special Wire.
ERIE, Pa. Feb lt.-Despite the
promise of the detectives who have
been investigating the desecration OF
the Scott mausoleum, that tho men
responsible for desecrating tho tomb
would quickly be caught the offi-
GERS admit they have no substantial
clue.
A party OF heavily armed policemen
and detectives hid through last night
in "A clump Of trees I'm the cemetery
hoping that the ghouls would pay tho
place another visit. Their work WAS
unrewarded, however, as their vigil
was not disturbed.
BY order Of the family all of the
officers and detectives working on the
case are carefully guarding their
plans. The house-to-house search OF
tho italian quarter has proved fruits
less and other sections are being eN-
amined.
The fact that the silver ornaments
OF the coflins In the inches were
broken off and carried away, furnishes
the most promising lead at present.
IL is conceded that as robbery was the
motive, and that no bodies were act
ually taken from the mausoieum, 10
tho loot can be traced arrests cam
probably be made.
Body Not Stolen.
How the body of Mrs. Anna McCol1
lom, supposed 10 have been stolen
from the Scott mausoleum was discov%
cred yesterday. was told today by Mrs
@. n Strong. niece Of the dead wo-
man, and daughter OF Millionaire
Scott. builder Of tho mausoleum.
"The Perkineses. father and som
went to tho tomb with me late yester-
day TO make a thorough examination
of the place and we found the body
OF Mrs. Anna McCullom. my aunt. at
first believed 10 have been stolen,
said Mrs. Strong.
"The body was in crypt which had
never been used. This vault was be-
hind the door and was partly conceal
ed from wow when the door was
opened, as the case during our
4 FIRST visit NJ esday evening after the
a burglary was reported In the hast
examination Of the place made then
y my husband and I overlooked thi
compartment.
"We looked only in the vaults this
l had contained bodies. We saw thu
n the body OF my aunt was missing a.
naturally believed 1t had been -
moved from the tomb.
oi II was warned against disturbir
the interior Of the tomb.
az II WAS warned against disturbiu
~ the interior OF the tomb before th
q arrival of detectives. as Il was feare
valuable clues would be destroye,
" Therefore my inspection was merel
10 superficial
"a "Tho detectives also arrived to
- late Thursday 10 make a thorough in
= spection Of the tomb at that time
III Yesterday. il was only after
search Of almost two hours, duriul
which we opened nearly all the un
used vaults, which had been sealed
that we struck the right one. Tn
cover Of the vault containing MIR;
n McCullom's body had been cleverly re
y placed. so that it presented the sam
- appearance as others which had nc
been tampered with.
IN One Casket Almost Wrecked.
- "The body Of my father, William
Scott, had not been touched. althoug
there were few marks on the cryI
cover My mothers casket had bee
pulled partly from the niche, but
was not broken into.
lrt "The casket containing my aunt
er remains was almost demolished, ht
.v- the body had not been removed. 90
fms containing corpes OF John Me
re Collum, Richard Townsend and hi
'e- baby. Anna Townsend were ne
M harmed Silver name plates an
IL, ornaments were torn from several
81 feel pretty certain that whateve
~ the motive, the ghouls were interrupt
ad ed I'm their work by the discovery ,
as the burglary I believe they ha
been making nightly trips TO III
tomb with a view of eventually ente
ing all the vaults. The work WI
of such a nature that It could m
have been done i'm one or two night
or even week"