Who Are the Grave Robbers?

The trustees of Congressional Cemetery have offered a liberal reward for the apprehension of the person or persons who desecrated the grave of Mrs Thomas B. Cheek last Friday

Dr. A.C. Adams Establishes an Alibi and Says the Team Was Not His

A Reward Offered for the Resurrectionists

Dr. Adams Says Dr. Beall Owned The Buggy

A Statement From Property Clerk Silvester

The trustees of Congressional Cemetery have offered a liberal reward for the apprehension of the person or persons who desecrated the grave of Mrs Thomas B. Cheek last Friday night. Although Mr. Cheek swore out a warrant against Dr. Arthur C. Adams, it is evident that that physician took no part in robbing the grave. The warrant was sworn out, it is said, in order that there might be a legal investigation that would lead to the detection of the grave robbers. Dr. Adams denies that he is or was the owner of the buggy in which the two dead bodies were found, and mentions the name of Dr. Beall as its owner.

Dr. Adams' Whereabouts Friday Night

Dr. Adams states that he was at the medical college Friday night at the time the body was stolen and is corroborated by the following paper:

"We, the undersigned, most positively assert that Dr. A.C. Adams was at the National medical college on the night of December 20, 1889, between the hours of 8 and 12 p.m., and that we were in his presence, and know that he could not have had anything whatever to do with the outrageous proceedings charged against him in connection with the Congressional cemetery transaction.

Charles St. V. Zimmerman

S.L. Johnson

J.C. Parsons

Henry Liddell

J.N. Oliver, Jr.

G. Burton Heinecke

Daniel Conner.

Washington, D.C., December 23, 1889"

Daniel Conner, whose signature is attached to the paper, is the janitor at the college and the other signers are students.

Dr. Adams Explains

When seen by a Star reporter this morning Dr. Adams said that the horse and buggy did not belong to him; that he dropped in at police headquarters Sunday morning to see if the owner had recovered his team and learning that he had not, he (Adams) saw Chief Clerk Sylvester. That official, he said, told him that would transfer the property to him if he (Adams) would sign for it, and he was also given to understand that the matter of his signing for it would not be made public. With that understanding he signed for the horse and buggy and the next day he turned it over to Dr. Beall and obtained his receipt, therefore Doctor Adams explained that he only did this as an act of kindness for Dr. Beall. "If I had known that there was going to be so much to do about it," said the doctor, "I would never have troubled myself about the case."

Clerk Sylvester Denies

that he promised to withhold the information from the public. He says that Dr. Adams called at his house Saturday evening, and that Sunday morning he called at headquarters by engagement and made oath that the horse and buggy were his property and for that reason he turned over the team to him. The affidavit referred to was printed in yesterday's Star. Mr. Sylvester said that if the property did not belong to Dr. Adams at the time stated in the affidavit he did not intend to let the matter drop.

There is a Law Here to Punish Grave Robbers

It has been stated that there is no law in the District under which resurrectionists can be punished, but such statements are not corroborated by the facts in cases of that kind brought before the courts in recent years. Vigo Janson Ross, or Jansen, the noted resurrectionist spent months in jail for grave robbing. Wm. Bowie, Henry Stephenson and others also served time for a similar offense. In every case of grave robbing brought before the courts, the offenders have been given something like one year in jail. The prosecutions were on informations, and, therefore, not examined by the grand jury.

A Warrant for Dr. Beall

Policeman Charles W. O'Neill, who is also a member of the board of trustees of Congressional cemetery, swore out a warrant at the Police Court this morning against Dr. W.W. Beall, charging him with desecrating Mrs. Cheek's grave. He is the person who, Dr. Adams says, owns the horse and buggy. Dr. Beall formerly kept a barber shop in East Washington, where he also extracted teeth. He afterward received a diploma to practice medicine. He had an office at No. 114 6th street southeast, but when the police inquired for him they learned that he moved from there about two months ago.

Statement of Superintendent Cross

Superintendent Cross of the Congressional cemetery said to a Star reporter that he had frequently seen a horse and buggy similar to the one recovered passing the cemetery going in the direction of potter's field. His daughter has also seen the vehicle. Friday night, when the alleged resurrectionist escaped from the buggy. Policeman Clinton blew his whistle several times hoping to attract the attention of an officer who would capture the escaping lawbreaker. Soon after the whistle blowing was heard a colored man met two of the precinct officers and told them that he saw a man answering Beall's description on Pennsylvania avenue with a carriage whip in his hand.

Uneasiness Among Mourners

The occurrence has caused many persons to suspect that their dead relatives have been removed, and many inquiries to that effect have been made at the cemeteries. One grave in Congressional cemetery was reopened yesterday and the body was found all right.

It was learned that a body was recently taken from another cemetery and traced to a medical college. The work of the resurrectionists was discovered and the body was returned to its grave before the dissecting knife had been used upon it.

Dr. Beall's Arrest Ordered

The police in the various precincts have been notified to arrest Dr. Beall.

The warrant sworn out against Dr. Adams yesterday has not been served. The doctor will not be arrested, but this evening an officer will notify him to appear in the Police Court day after tomorrow.

Mr. Cheek was at police headquarters again today making further inquiries concerning the robbery of his wife's grave. He is very anxious to recover the jewelry that was taken from the body so that he can place it upon the body in accordance with her last wishes.

Source: The Evening Star

Publication date: December 24, 1889