Cemetery Workers Accused of Digging Up Graves, Reselling Plots

A sad story on CNN describes apparently illegal actions by cemetery workers in Alsip, Illinois, 20 miles south of Chicago. The crime was reported by the cemetery owners who became suspicious. At least four cemetery workers have been accused of digging up graves, dumping bodies, reselling the burial plots, and pocketing the cash.

The Burr Oak Cemetery is the final resting place of lynching victim Emmett Till, blues legend Dinah Washington and some Negro League baseball players. Sadly, some of those remains have been moved and identification is probably impossible.

You can read more at http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/07/09/illinois.cemetery.scheme/index.html.

My thanks to Joseph Martin for telling me about this sad story.

Comments

[James]

I don't know how prevalent this practice is, but I'm sure this is one of the reasons so many large, commercial cemeteries are now implementing the no-photography rule.

[Cheryl]

Dick, this story seems to be getting sadder and worse each day. I heard Sheriff Tom Dart this afternoon on the radio describing the situation, and it's really grim. I did notice that Findagrave seems to have over 700 burials posted, and I'm wondering if any who have posted those records might have more, or would have pictures that would help them reconstruct some of the shredded records. This is going to be a long time in unraveling all the damage.

[Linda Swisher]

Famed African American aviator, Bessie Coleman, is also laid there, as is the great Negro League players, John Donaldson and Jimmie Crutchfield. I was doing some volunteer research for the Donaldson Network, whose goal is to identify all the games played by Donaldson, whose career spanned 22 years.

[Annabelle]

I'm wondering if any of the genealogical - historical societies have walked this cemetery. Those records could prove to be very helpful with the investigation. I've looked around but couldn't find anything. Thought maybe some of your readers might know.

[carol ann grenier turner]

If anyone has done any extensive research in Quebec, which I have, they will quickly learn that this procedure is very, very common. They take the headstones, grind them up and re-use them in highway construction. many families move away, etc. and no one ever takes care of their loved ones plots, making it an expense for the cemeteries themselves, mostly Catholic ones. So, I guess they have taken the bull by the horns and decided to do exactly what the Chicago group is accused of doing.

As an example, my great-grandparents were buried in a cemetery which had to be moved due to expansion of asbestos mines. Consequently, all of those graves and stones were removed. All of the deceased were then placed in a common grave with a monument placed upon it. That is where my one set of great-grandparents are now. I was shocked to learn of this at the time, but I suppose people do what must be done, and this was one instance anyway.

Sometimes there are very good reasons. I've not really followed up on the Chicago situation as we've been away of vacation and have visiting guests, etc.

Carol Ann Grenier Turner
Bellingham, WA

[Linda]

Burr Oak has not been read as far as I know. South Suburban Genealogical & Historical Society has read many cemeteries in that area, but they concentrated on cemeteries that did not have offices on-site; i.e., Burr Oak; Catholic Cemeteries; Beverly Cemetery (owned by Dignity), etc.

[Linda]

Re my previous comment, I meant that Burr Oak, Catholic Cemeteries, Beverly (Dignity), etc. HAVE offices on-site and so those cemeteries were among the ones not read by South Suburban.

[Linda]

I erred in my previous post regarding aviatrix Bessie Coleman. She is buried in Lincoln Cemetery, a few miles from Burr Oak.