Brooklyn Daily Eagle
29 May 1887

HUMAN REMAINS EXHUMED. _____ The Bones of Three More Skeletons Found in an Abandoned Cemetery.

A few days since attention was directed to finding of a human skeleton on the site of the abandoned cemetery, corner of Humboldt and Frost streets, which was formerly owned and controlled by the Cannon street Baptist Church of New York. The discovery was made while excavating for a cellar. It has since been ascertained that the remains were those of Wm. H. WEEKS, who died , June 10, 1857. Contrary to general anticipation more bones have been exhumed near the same spot, and it is now an open question whether there may yet be one or score more of bodies that the cemetery authorities have neglected to remove. After having held the graveyard for several years in a condition that would have been deemed disgraceful in a semi-civilized community the corporation, upward of a year since effected an arrangement to remove the bones of the departed, under its control;, to a plot in Cypress Hills Cemetery. It was desirable that the land, as it could not be used for burial purposes, it being within the city limits, should be turned to account. At the same time the cemetery trustees would no longer be bothered about or put to the expense of keeping up fences and the graves in proper condition. Yet, another incentive was:

PROSPECTIVE PROFITT

to be realized by the sale of the building lots. A contract was made with some party for the removal of all the bodies buried in the cemetery to the plot at Cypress Hills. How well it was carried out is shown by the recent discoveries. From a citizen living in the immediate vicinity the write learned this morning that such a result could have been avoided had the trustees considered the feelings of living relatives of the dead rather than a comparatively small expense they would be put to in a certain contingency. This person relates that one, and he thinks two men had definite knowledge as to the location of every grave on the premises; and that an offer to remove the bodies by these men was not acceptable because it would involve the payments of about fifty dollars more than for which a rival contractor agreed to do the same work. What is to become of the remains found has not been decided upon. Back to CEMETERY INDEX Back to CEMETERY INDEX Back to BROOKLYN Page Main