Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-02-10
SCOTT MGUSOLEUM is ROBBED
Body of Mrs. MoCullom Taken from
Crypt at Eric, Ps.
MRS. SCOTS CAsKET DISTURBED
Belief that Body j. BetnE ueId tor
HansOm--Mr. scott Was Per-
sonnI Fricud Of Grover
Cleveland.

ERIE. Pa Feb body snatching that
may equal the daring grave ROBBERY that
surfcd the country more than n quarter OF
century agU. when the body OF A. 7.
stewart New York's pioneer merchant
was stolen, has stirred this section as moth
mas done since the sensational kidnapping
IN This vicinity a few years ago
The mausoleum Of one OF the most promi-
nent families OF This section Of the state
was desecrated some time between Monday
and yesterday afternoon A body is miss
Ing from tire vault Of the family of the
late Congressman william l.. Scott
The discovery was made by two women
walking through the Erie cemetery. The
family was Immediately notified and a
watch was placed In the cemetery at mid
night after all assurances were made that
the missing body was not in the vicinity
The first information to the public came
from the family. It Is known, however. that
the body taken by the ghouls is that Of Mrs.
McCollum. sister-iu-aw OF the late Mr.
scott The police believe the body is be-
ing held tor ransom and that the vandals
also intended to carry away the bodies Of
the millionaire and his wife.
Family IL Notified.
When the women in the cemeteries found
broken chains and open doors in the man
soleum they notified Mrs. Charles II.
strong who il a daughter of Mr.. Scott
and the wife of Charles H. Strong, presl-
dent OF the Erie & Pittsburg railway
and owner Of the Erie Dispatch, a morning
newspaper. Mrs Strong notified the police
The caskets are sealed in a wall and a
chisel had been used in breaking the seals
before the metallic box could be carried
away.
This casket was the first one on the lower
tier at the north side of the mausoleum
and directly opposite it on the second tier
is the cssket containing the body of Mrs.
Scott, the wife of the millionaire who built
the mausoleum.
The seal on the niche containing the cas-
ket of Mrs. Scott was also broken and
when the tomb was examined, it was found
that this casket was half way out and to all
appearances was ready to be carried away.
The remains OF the millionaire were lying
next to those Of his wife, but his casket
was not disturbed. A number of palms
stored in the mansoleum had been broken
down and two other caskets were broken
into, but no attempt Ias made to carry
either of them away.
. Carried Away In Wagon,
That the casket was carried away in
wagon is indicated by tracks in the snow
about the mausoleum. The foot prints of
four and in some instances six men are
dtscernible about a point where the end of
a wagon might be placed. The wagon
tracks lead to one of the gates of the ceme-
terry and these have been followed into the
street until lost in the beaten tracks Of
travel.
and morgue officials of cities within sew
eral miles Of this place. but still maintain
that the body IL held here for a ransom
Every railroad and freight station is
picketed and every avenue of outlet is
An Italian settlement. near the cemetery
has become object of scrutiny by the
police and every dwelling is being searched
from cellar to garnet, at the command of
Chief Wagner.
Family Received Black Hand Letter.
The idea that the body Of Mrs McConum
Is being held for ransom by designing per-
sons is substahtiated by an incident of two
years ago, when the Strong family was
stormed with black hand letters demanding
$4,000 with the alternative of having the
summer home west of this city blown to
atoms. The perpetrators were subsequently
apprehended and are now In the western
pententiary serving sentences following
conviction in the courts.
Mrs. McCollum was a member of a
prominent family of Philadelphia and her
maiden name was Tracy.
William L. Scott who built the manso-
leum over twenty years ago. was a close
personal friend of late ex-President Grover
Cleveland and was one of the leaders of
the democracy in the house OF represen-
tatives when Cleveland was serving his
first term as president of the United States
Grover Cleveland was one of the pail
bearers at his funeral, his body being the
first to be inferred in the vault. He was
one Of the most prominent reailroad mag
mates of his time and was known by repu-