Evening star., 1917-09-23
MANY THINK BODY
SECRETLY EXHUMED
Rumors at Wilmington Based
on Reports of Activities at
Mrs. Bingham's Grave.
OFFICIALS WILL NOT TALK
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press
WILMINGTON, n. c.. September 22.--
The prevailing opinion in Wilmington
is that the grave of Mrs. Robert Worth
Bingham, in Oakdale cemetery, where
she was buried on July 81. following
her rather sudden death in Louisville
KY, on July 27, has already been open
ed. the vital organs removed from the
body and taken from the cemetery for
examination in an effort to determine
the cause of death. and the body then
reinterred. Officials still maintain ST.
lence on this point. but there are many
circumstances which indicate strongly
that the rumors to the effect that the
body has already been eXhumed are
correct
The superintendent of the cemetery.
James A. Perry, who has been particu-
larly active in behalf of the Kenan
whether or not the body had been out
of the grave since the first burial, but
he did say that if the body was ever
in the grave it was in there now.
Tell of Unusual Circumstances.
1t is believed here that the disinter-
ment took place on Tuesday night or
who went to the cemetery early Weo-
nesday morning tell of unusual circum-
stances One young woman. who went
there to pay a bill. found the gate
locked. and. when she was finally ad-
mitted, she is said to have been told by
the superintendent that he was too
busy to attend to the matter that morn
ing and to return later. also requesting
that she not go by the henan plot, in
which direction she looked and saw no
less than ten persons grouped togeth-
er. Another woman told of going out
there early in the morning and finding
a local florist at work on the grave.
Newspapermen who visited the ceme-
terry that afternoon We're impressed
with the fact that the earth around the
grave had recently been worked, but
this was explained to them as having
been done by the florist.
Shepard Bryan, an attorney of Atlanta
arrived here today to represent Judge
Robert w. Bingham of Louisville. Ky,
in any proceedings involving the ex-
humation of the body OF Mrs. Bing-
ham.
Mr.. Bryan Immediately on his arrival
here arranged for meetings with the
health officials through whose Office a
permit to exhume the body must pass.
and held consultations with DR.. Arnold
Stovall, county physician. What trans
pired at these meetings is not given
out.
The lawyer stated that he came here
to investigate the rumors that have
gone out relative to exhumation or
contemplated exhumation. and to pro-
tect the interest of Judge Bingham in
any eventuality. He stated that his
client had nothing to conceal and de-
sired to know what the affair signffied.
Two guards are on duty each night at
the grave. and trespassers are strictly
warned away during the day by ceme-
terry officials, the guards being en-
ployed by the Kenan family and the
cemetery officials merely enforcing
rules about private lots in the ceme-
tery.
Mr. Bryan. when asked tonight what
he had found since his arrival in the
city. stated that he had been unable to
discover anything more than mass OF
rumors. and that if he discovered any
thing he had no power to act. but
would communicate with counsel in
Louisville.