New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-02-10
Discovered After Taking One
Body from Scott Vault, in
Erie, Penn, Cemetery.
THEORY OF RANSOM DEMAND
All Six Burial Cases Tampered
with-Body Of Mrs. Nc
Cullom the Only One
Carried Off.
IBy Telegraph to The Tribune. =,

Ele. feIlH., req. "a search OF
twenty-four hours has failed to uncover
single promising clew 10 the identity
Of the ghouls who some time in the last
four days desecrated the mausoleum of
the late Congressman William l.. Scott.
millionaire railroad man. in the Erie
Cemetery, and carried away the body of
his sister-in- law. Mrs. Anna NJ. McCol-
lum. Among the theories advanced is
one that the body was stolen by Black
Hand men for a ransom.
Hope Of obtaining large ransom seems
the only plausible theory for the robbery
There are many evidences that the
ghouls had intended robbing the mauso-
leum Of all six bodies. but succeeded In
getting away with only one before their
work was discovered. II they had in
tended taking only one body to hold for
a reward they would have taken that Of
Mr.. Scott. There was no chance for a
mistake In identity, as the name plate
on each copper coffin was plain.
Return Visit Planned.
The time consumed In cutting through
the heavy bronze bolts which locked
the doors of the vault and the chisel-
ing of the copper cases containing the
collins would consume the greater part
OF one night The only coffin opened was
that Of Mrs. McCollum. and the contents
of this one were removed. Two other
copper cases were forced open. but the
collins were not broken. This leads the
detectives to the theory that a return
visit was planned to complete the rob-
berry of the vault.
So deftly had the ghouls worked that
the pieces sawed from the bronze doors
to force an opening had been carefully
terry In spirit Of curiosity not pushed
on the door panel the opening would not
have been detected. The plan of the
ghouls having been discovered before
the removal OF all the bodies, it is now
believed that they will not ask ran
som. But had they succeeded in getting
away with all the bodies. the belief Is
that the wealthy Scott estate would
have been asked to pay an immense
royalty to recover their dead.
GhouIs from Outside Point?
While every possible local point is be-
ing watched, the authorities are Of the
opinion that the ghouls came here from
some other point. knowing that ceme-
teries in a small city like Erie are not as
carefully guarded as In larger places,
and they would have greater freedom
from detection.
Late tonight the police found a hole
in the east side Of the cemetery fence,
about 800 feet from the vault. Several
iron pickets had been torn away, and
Mrs. McCollums body is believed To
have been removed through this open
ing. A thorough search of the Italian
in the vicinity OF the ceme
terry produced nothing, while not trace
of the body was found AT any OF the
stations.
An investigation Of the vault shows
that the ghouls were per-
sons familiar with their work. When
the copper plates in front Of the crypts
v ere torn away sharp hooked instru-
ment was run into the crypt and the
nameplate pulled from the coffin. This
has led To the belief that the robbers
were looking for the coffin OF Mrs. Nc
Collum. Besides her body there were
five others I'm the vault. and the coffins
OF all had been tampered with
Detectives on the Case.
The head of Pittsbure detective
agency and a number OF assistants ar
rived here tonight. They visited the
home of Charles II. Strong, son-in-law
of Mr.. Scott. and later inspected the
mausoleum.
II is reported tonight that the Strong
family is contemplating the announce
ment of q large reward for the recovery
Of Mrs McColums body. The ceme-
terry officials offered a reward of $1,000
day.
Late Developments to-day indicated
that the body Of Mrs. Anna NJ. McCol-
lum had been taken from the coffin be-
fore its removal from the mausoleum.
parts Of the coffin were found scattered
over the floor Of the vault.
All the bodies in the Scott mausoleum
were tampered with. Aside from Mrs.
McCoIlum, the following were in the
vault: William L. Scott, Mrs. William
7, Scott, Richard II. Townsend, of
washington: Anna Townsend, an infant
daughter OF Mr.. and Mrs. Townsend. Of
Washington. and John Van McCollum.
whose wife's body was stolen.
The desecration of the mausoleum
which recalls the work OF the daring
grave robbers who excited the country
more than a quarter Of century ago
when the body OF a. r. Stewart. New
York's pioneer merchant. was stolen
has stirred this section Of Pennsylvania
40 nothing has since the sensational
kidnapping Of lIttle Willie Whitla a few
years ago.
The discovery was made by two women
walking through the cemetery. The
family was Immediately notified. and a
watch was placed in the cemetery a,
midnight. after all assurances were made
that the missing body vas not in the
vicinity.
Newspaper Men Face Revolvers.
Details Of Eric police kept watch at
the tomb during the night to greet the
body snatchers should they return. The
only disturbance they met was from
nov spaper men early this morning, who
we're ordered from the cemetery at the
point OF rovolvers.
when the women in the cemetery