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Story
November 9, 1875
The Rutland Daily Globe
Rutland, Rutland County, Vermont
What is this article about?
In Williamsburg, N.Y., journeyman coffin maker Wm. Blake robbed rural cemeteries at night, exhuming and stealing coffins from fresh graves, reburying corpses in rough boxes, and selling the coffins to city undertakers. He was arrested after discovery.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
An Enterprising Coffin Maker.
The Williamsburg, N. Y., undertakers are excited in regard to the operations of a journeyman coffin maker who keeps a shop. It was discovered that he was in the habit of robbing cemeteries and graveyards of the coffins deposited in newly made graves. It is stated that he would take a horse and wagon and go into the country a dozen miles at night to visit a cemetery where a corpse had been recently buried. A boy always accompanied him and helped him exhume the coffins. The coffins would be removed from the rough box cases, the corpse taken out of the coffin and put in the rough box and reinterred. The coffin, thus procured, would be taken to the city and sold to some undertaker. The offender, whose name is Wm. Blake, has been arrested.
The Williamsburg, N. Y., undertakers are excited in regard to the operations of a journeyman coffin maker who keeps a shop. It was discovered that he was in the habit of robbing cemeteries and graveyards of the coffins deposited in newly made graves. It is stated that he would take a horse and wagon and go into the country a dozen miles at night to visit a cemetery where a corpse had been recently buried. A boy always accompanied him and helped him exhume the coffins. The coffins would be removed from the rough box cases, the corpse taken out of the coffin and put in the rough box and reinterred. The coffin, thus procured, would be taken to the city and sold to some undertaker. The offender, whose name is Wm. Blake, has been arrested.
What sub-type of article is it?
Crime Story
Curiosity
What themes does it cover?
Crime Punishment
Deception
What keywords are associated?
Grave Robbing
Coffin Theft
Undertaker Fraud
Arrest
What entities or persons were involved?
Wm. Blake
Where did it happen?
Williamsburg, N. Y.
Story Details
Key Persons
Wm. Blake
Location
Williamsburg, N. Y.
Story Details
Journeyman coffin maker Wm. Blake robbed rural cemeteries at night with a boy assistant, exhuming coffins from fresh graves, reburying corpses in rough boxes, and selling the stolen coffins to city undertakers; he was arrested.