9-29-1891 Rutland Daily Herald
Cemetery Desecrated , Work of a Lawless Gang on West Street
The conduct of some persons who visit the West Street Cemetery evenings has attracted the attention of people who have residences and iron mills and factories in that vicinity. Men, women and 16 year old boys and girls have been seen recently at the northern corner of the cemetery late in the evening, hidden from public view, drinking beer and liquor, playing cards and carrying on all kinds of mischief. It was but a short time ago that this gang of loafers kindled a fire that grew to such proportions that it endangered the new planing mill.
One night in the later part of last week, the gang began the work of mutiliating , disfiguring and breaking tombstones and monuments. The headstones and monuments belonging to the following named families were destroyed or disfigured:
S. French; Charles Fay Burt; C. L. Williams; Daniel C. Fisher; Gen. F. W. Hopkins; T.L. Fiske; Thaddeus Pratt; Dike; Abel Cook; and George W. Allen. Many other stones were more or less defaced.
George White and others have been to see the Chairman of the selectmen, regarding the matter and Mr. Wardwell assured them that immediate steps would be taken to protect the cemetery from being made a rendezvous for lawless persons. Mr. White will ask the selectmen for permission to cut down the small elms and shrubbery in the NW end of the grounds and by doing this the gang will be deprived of a hiding place.
The law pertaining to desecration of cemeteries is severe, a heavy fine and imprisonment and many people feel that some steps should be taken to punish the offenders. |
