The sun., 1917-09-21
GUARDS AT GRAVE
OF MRS. BINGHAM


influence. but II was shown that the
Judge had accepted the 5000 900 in
hefitance in lieu Of dover interest.
which, under the local laws would have
amounted TO S20.0o0.000. Helm Bruce.
attorney for Mrs. Lewis, says the Lex
ington despatch. has returned to Louis
Vile from New York. and the under
standing u general following his return
that the will Is to be executed as drawn.
collect 100000 Of inheritance tax
upon the estate upon the contention
that the legal residence Of the testatrix
was in that State.
Relatives Protest Codicil.
with this underground OF financial de-
tail cleared away by the best advices
that might last night be procured by
wire the scene shifts back TO Whining
ton. at which place one member Of tho
immediate family Of Mrs. Bingham was
found yesterday. Mrs. Bingham was
daughter Of the late w. Y. Kenan OF
Wilmington. and members Of her family.
II 10 charged. have filed a protest In the
homo town against the codic,l to the
Will which makes the $5,000.o00 bequest
to Judge Bingham. The members OF
the Kenan faniily have maintained the
utmost secrecy concerning any plans
they may have, and as to the rurnors
that an application will be made for the
cxhumation Of the body for the purpose
Of holding an autopsy.
DIR. Charles T. Nesbitt. county health
officer, wac asked for a statement this
afternoon in the presence OF Graham
kenan, the only relative in Wilmington
at present Of Mrs. Bingham. He said:
"It is provided by statute that the
elimination Of a body contrary to the
wishes of relatives or for any purpose
that 10 a violation OF the law Is consid-
cred a felony. and II has been the GUS
tom Of my once when such request Is
made from members Of the immediate
family to grant the order.
Death Certificate Not Recorded.
"The most important duty Of the
Health Officer before granting a permit
Is to determine whether or not the per.
son whose body IL to be exhumed died
Of any communicable disease. These
matters being adjusted satisfactorily the
permit to exhume the body Is delivered
TO the undertaken who has the matter In
charge. and ne in turn takes 1t to the
superintendent OF the cemetery. where
In his office It remains on file. 1t has
not been the custom to make such ex-
humation as required by law matter
Of record In the Health Department aS
the cemetery company ID a public ser
vice corporation and the records are as
carefully kept as in any other branch OF
our local institutions.
There is no evidence In my once.
wheSe a copy Of the death certificate Of
Mrs. Bingham is on record. II being part
Of the transportation necessary to bring
the body from Louisville to Wilmington
that the deceased suffered any communi-
cable disease. II any member Of the
family Of Mrs Bingham requests at any
time the exhuming OF the body know OF
no circumstance or condition that would
deter me from granting the permit"
Guards Employed by Family.
The despatch from Wilmington further
contained the information that the
superintendent Of Oakdale Cemetery In
sisted that he must have at least twenty
four hours notice before any exhumation
work was commenced. ana he said that
ne had not received such notice.
The grave is covered with fresh
| flowers sent daily to the cemetery by
| members Of the Kenan family. and two
officers are on guard with instructions
! to permit no one to 20 near the grave
day or night. The Kenan family has
employed these guards, and has in
! structed them to warn trepassers that
indictments will follow any attempt ia
| intrude in the grounds.
| The wedding Of Mrs Flagler to Judge
, Bingham came at the end Of a romance
that had its beginning at the Plaza
Hotel In New York city. after lapse
OF many years when they had been
friends in their youth.