Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-24
BODY IS SECRETLY
EXHUMED AT NIGHT
Autopsy and Removal of Vital
Organs Done at Instance of
Mrs. Bingham's Relatives.
HUSBAND MAKES STATEMENT
Declares 1t Belongs to Public to
Form Own Opinion of This
"Ghastly Drama"
HUSBAND MAKES STATEMENT
(By Associated Press. ]


formerly Mrs. Henry NJ. Flagler. Sc
cretly was exhumed at Wilmington,
". c.. shortly after midnight last
Tuesday. at the instance Of Nrs.
Bngham's relatives. an autopsy per-
formed In the presence OF detective
of national reputation and several
physicians, some OF the vital organs
removed and sent to New York, and
the body presumably reinterred, ac-
cording to statement given out here
tonight by attorneys for Judge Bing-
ham.
All OF this was done surreptitiously,
the statement declares. the secret
closely guarded until the object was
accomplished. and adds "it belongs to
the public to form It's own opinion OF
this chastity drama"
when. IL ever" the statement con-
cludes, whispered suspicion shall be-
come an audible charge, such charge
will be met with facts"
PRESS FULL OF RUMoRs
CONCERNING DISINTERMENT
Tho text of the statement follows:
''On Friday morning last [Septem
Der eli the press was full of rumors
to the effect that the body of the late
Mrs. Robert Worth Bingham was to
be disinterred. Her grave is in the
cemetery at Wilmington, n. c.
Neither Judge Bingham nor any OF
his friends knew anything whatever
about the matter. and the same is
true Of Helm Bruce. counsel for the
executors and leGatees under Mrs
BinGham's Will. The dispatches
stated that the health officer OF
Wilmington would make no state
mont. and would not even affirm or
deny that he had granted any permit
for disinterment. 1t was further
Mrs. Bingham had put a guard over
her grave.
''On Saturday friend of Judge
Bingham was in Wilmington to ascer.
tain exactly the condition OF affairs
1t now appears that at 3 O'Clock or
last Tuesday morning tSeptember is
the disinterment took place: that ar
autopsy was performed In the pres.
cnce OF William j. Burns and severa
physicians: that vital parts of the
body were removed, and that these
parts were turned over TO some one
and taken to New York. 1t is need.
less to say that all OF this was sur.
reptitious and was secret closel,
guarded until the object was accom-.
plished.
JEALoUSLY PROTECT GRAVE
AFTER IT'S VIOLATION
1T is presumed that the disinterret
body was rcburied 1t was then tha,
the supposed necessity arose of jeal.
ously protecting the grave from vio.
lation.
1T belongs to the public TO form It's
own opinion of this ghastly drama
Mrs. Bingham was attended in he,
last illness by Dr. NJ. l.. Ravitch, DR.
w. r. BogGess and DR.. S. A. SteinberE
On Thursday. July i2. two weeks be.
fore her death. Mrs Bingham had &
severe attack. Her brother. william
r. Kenan. was summoned by Judge
Bingham and came. He conferred
fully with DR.. Ravitch concernins
proved everything that was beins
done.
'On Sunday. July % Mrs. Bingham.
condition was such that Judge BinE.
ham wrote her sisters that he thought
that they should come. Responsive tc
this. her sister, Mrs. Wise. came. ar.
irving Wednesday evening, July %
Mrs. Bingham was then fully con.
scious. and remained so until Thurs.
day night. Mrs. Wise remained with
her until the end came on Friday.
OFFICIAL CHARTS AND RECORDS
PRODUCED WHEN NEEDEI
There were two trained nurses
Their official charts and records are
In the custody OF DIR. Boggess. Thes,
records will be kept in secure place
and produced when a proper occasion
arises.
When. IL ever. whispered suspicion.
shall become an audible charge, such
charge will be met with facts"
Mrs. Bingham died in Louisville Jul,
27 last The death certificate CAV,
myo-carditis as the CAUSE.
Mrs. Bingham left an estate having
an estimated value of over $4,000.
600. the greater part of which hel
will gave to members Of her family
a codicil to the will executed about
a month before her death beauca Il. ed
s5,oo0,oo0 to Judge Bingham. TIA
THIS codicil would be contested ha.
been indicated.