Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-09
GHOU[S TAKE BODY
FROM SCOTT TOMB
Family Mauso|eum CT Late
Millionaire Congressman
at Erie DeSecrated.
SISTER-IN-LAW'S CASKET
HAULED OFF IN WAGON
Cofins of Others Are Pried Loose
Erom Sealed Walls.
RANSOM PROBABLE MOTIVE
Stolen Remains Thought to Be Hid
din in City-Tracks of
Six Men Found in
the Snow.
Cofins of Others Are Pried Loose
Erom Sealed Walls.
RANSOM PROBABLE MOTIVE

ERIE. Pa. February 9-Body snatch
shouls who stirred the country more than
u quarter of a century ago, when the
body of A. r Stewart. New York's mil
lionaire merchant. was stolen. has stir
red this section of Pennsylvania in in
dignation at its daring nothing has
since the sensational kidnapping which
occurred in this vicinity few years ago.
The mausoeum of one of the most prom
was desecrated some time between Mon
day ana Yesterday afternoon. \ body
IS missing from the vault of the family
of Tie late representative and railroad
OF neighhoring cities and communities
within ~, miles have been notified of
tine crime
The discovery was made by two women
walking through the Erie cemetery. The
tamily was Immediately notified, and a
watch was placed in the cemetery at
midnight after all assurances were made
that the missing body was not in the
vicinity.
Details of Erie police kept watch at
lhe tomb during the night to greet the
body snatchers should they return. The
only disturbance they met was from
newspaper men early this morning. who
were ordered from the cemetery at the
point OF revolvers.
Body of Sister-in-Law.
While the police have been Informed OF
the grave robbing. no name is attached
TO the missing body by them. The first
Information to the public came from the
family, but again no name is given. 1t
u known. however. that the body taken
by the shouls is that Of Mrs. McColum.
. sistaf-in-law Of the late Mr. Scott. The
police believe the body ie being held for
ransom. and that the vandals also in
tended to carry away the bodies of the
millionaire and his wife. !,
When the women In the cemetery 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. presi-
dent Of the Erie and Pittsburg 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
information was deemed unnecessary.
Az soon as the news of the grave rob-
berry reached the Strong home Mrs. Thora
Strong Ronalds, a granddaughter of
William L. Scott, started for the ceme
terry with her father. Charles III. Strong.
Metal Casket Carried away.
Investigation showed that the casket
containing the body of Mrs. McCollum
had been carried away. The caskets are
sealed in wall, and a chissel had been
used in breaking the seals before the
metallic box could be carried away.
This casket was the first on the lower
tier at the north side of the mausoleum,
and directly opposite it on the second
tier is the casket containing the body OF
Mrs Scott the wifi" of the millionaire
who built the mausoieIrn.
The nall here also was broken and
when il was examined ii was found
that this casket vas half way out ana
IL all appearances was ready TO be car
ricd awav The remains Of the million
aire were lying next to those of his wlfe,
out his cashet was not disturbed
number of palms stored in the inausoleuni
had been broken down and two other
caskatS were broken INTO, out no aiititpt
was made to carry either of them away.
Wagon Tracks in Snow.
That the casSet and body was carried
away III a wagon is indicated by tracks
in the snow about the mausoleum. The
footprints OF four aud in some instances
six men are disccruibe about a point
where the end Of wagon might be
placed The wagon tracks lead TO one of
the gates of the cemetery and these have
been followed into the street until lost
in the beaten track Of travel.
The local police have notified the police
and morgue officials of cities within sew
eral hundred miles Of this place, but still
maintain that the body is held here for
a ransom. Every railroad and freight
station is pcketed and every avenue of
outlet Is guarded.
An Italian settlement near the ceme-
terry has become an object of scrutiny
10y the police and every dwelling is be-
ing searched from cellar TO garret at the
command of Chief Wagner.
Bronze Doors Pried Off.
When daylight broke ropes were
stretched around the mausoleum to hold
in check hundreds of curious sishtseers
One of the big bronze doors on the mau-
soleum had been pried from its hinges
Practically every casket in the vault had
been tampered with. some of them having
been opened.
Just when the vault had been broken
into has not been determined. Statements
of the family that il was intact three or
four days ago are the only way the de-
tectiyes working on the case have OF fix
ing the time. No clue to the ghouls or
the missing body has Yet been found
Mrs McCollum whose body is missing.
died I'm Philadelphia nearly twenty years
ago. The body was brought here and
placed in the Scott vault, which is To-
Gated about the middle Of the cemetery
and hidden from view from the street
On account of the cold weather recently
few persons have visited the cemetery
and the robbers We're free to work with
little fear of being molested.
May Be Black Hand Plot
The idea that the body OF Mrs McCol-
1um is being held for ransom By de1Rr.